When you tell Scott Sellers that he is a member of the 2024 Kansas State Athletics Hall of Fame, he probably still won’t believe you.
But it’s true, and deservingly so.
The high jump star who graduated in 2010 was honored among a group of 10 individuals during the Wildcats’ home opener in front of 51,240 fans.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Sellers said. “It’s truly an honor. I look at the folks that are already in the Hall of Fame, and it’s just an all-star list of folks, and then the folks being inducted, it’s the same thing — truly an honor.”
Sellers was a three-time NCAA champion during his time in Manhattan, winning the 2007 outdoor high jump and both indoor and outdoor in 2009.
The resume doesn’t stop there. He was an eight-time NCAA All-American, reaching the NCAA National Championships both indoor and outdoor his entire collegiate career.
The U.S. T&F Cross Country Coaches Association Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2009, Sellers was also named the Big 12 men’s outdoor Performer of the Year in 2007 and indoor in 2008.
His prowess is still etched in the campus record books, as he currently places No. 2 in both K-State indoor (2.29m/7-06.00) and outdoor (2.33m/7-07.75) high jump records.
He looks back on his time in the Little Apple with great joy, and despite the storied career and championships, it’s the memories of early morning training that remain vivid in Sellers’ mind.
Sellers competed under the leadership of longtime coach Cliff Rovelto who recently announced his retirement after 32 years as the director of Track & Field / Cross Country.
Simply put, Sellers said Rovelto was someone who “eats, sleeps and breathes” track.
“Coach Rovelto is one of the main reasons for my success,” Sellers said. People forget that coaches help steer the ship through all kinds of issues. The life lessons you learn in some of those practices stay with you for the rest of your life.”
Sellers admitted it was a sad day when Rovelto announced his retirement, but he knows the program is still in good hands with newly hired Travis Geopfert.
“[Rovelto] built the program. I mean, he was the program,” Sellers said.”I’m happy for him to be able to pass the torch on to a great new coach.”
Part of the new era of Track & Field in Manhattan includes the newly remodeled indoor track facility and the 2023-built Olympic Training Center.
“There’s not a lot of facilities in the country that have stuff like this,” Sellers said. “The ability to recruit young athletes to come train here, post-collegiate athletes that want to come train here to host competitions, whether it’s Big 12 or bigger. It’s unbelievable and it’s a testament to the university and athletic department.”
He will admit, however, that he was a little jealous to see it come to fruition after his time as a student-athlete.
“I’m happy it happened, I would have loved for it to happen a little bit sooner, but you know what we had when I was here was great,” Sellers said. “I don’t have any complaints, and I’m happy that I look around and I see what’s been done in the last few years — it’s just jaw-dropping.”
In addition to world-class facilities, the K-State brand was broadcast worldwide during the 2024 Olympics as three Wildcat representations flashed their gold.
Assistant coach Tara Davis-Woodhall, 2024 gold medalist in the long jump, recently saw her husband, Hunter Woodhall, take gold in the Paralympics 400 meter sprint.
“It’s a testament to the university, the coaching staff and the caliber of athletes we have here,” Sellers said. “A lot of people don’t realize that there is serious athletic prowess here in Manhattan. Seeing that at the highest stage is phenomenal.”