For most athletes, the final out of high school softball feels like the end of the road. But at Kansas State, a group of approximately 20 women is proving that a Division I scholarship is not required to keep the passion for the game alive.
The K-State Club Softball team has evolved from a “best-kept secret” into an established campus organization. For club president Abby Kelley, finding the team was a stroke of luck — a story many of her teammates share.
“When I arrived at K-State, I had no idea club softball was even a thing,” Kelley said. “I actually got introduced to it by one of the girls in my sorority who also wanted to play.”
Since then, Kelley has watched the program flourish. What was once a small group of players is now an organization that utilizes campus resources and gives back through local fundraisers.
“I have seen it change over time, just in the fact that we are more of an established organization within K-State,” Kelley said. “We are participating in more fundraisers and using more campus resources.”
If fans have ever wondered why K-State does not sponsor a D1 softball team, the answer often involves the requirements of Title IX.
K-State is currently one of four schools in the expanded Big 12 Conference without a softball program, joined by TCU, West Virginia and Colorado. However, the Wildcats remain a geographic outlier. While rivals such as the University of Kansas, Iowa State and Oklahoma State maintain dedicated D1 programs, K-State students and fans look to the club level to see softball represented in Manhattan.
The team’s competitive calendar mirrors the intensity of a high school varsity program. Competing within the National Club Softball Association, the Wildcats spent the fall semester on a road-heavy stretch across the Midwest. The schedule featured series against the University of Iowa, Iowa State and Nebraska — but the season’s definitive mark was a victory over in-state rival Kansas.
The physical demands of club play are unique, often condensed into a triple-header format. Instead of a series spread over an entire weekend, the team must play three full games in a single day. This structure tests the endurance of the pitching staff and the depth of the dugout over a 21-inning stretch.
While the fall season involved significant travel, the spring schedule is more localized. The Wildcats are currently preparing for games against Wayne State College on April 11.
For Kelley, the spring is about more than just the box score. Her goals center on cementing the team’s presence in the Manhattan community and ensuring the roster remains competitive for years to come.
“My goal for the spring is to just continue growing awareness of the team, growing the culture of who we are as a team and to continuously get better every year,” Kelley said.
That culture of improvement is anchored by a supportive environment, according to member Sydney Kraus.
“This is the most fun, supportive and amazing group of girls I’ve ever played with,” Kraus said. “We have such an amazing balance of having fun while also getting work done. There’s no better feeling than playing the sport you love, surrounded by other girls who love it just as much as you.”
Kraus noted that the team’s dynamic is something she hopes will attract future players to the program.
“I just hope the club itself can keep pulling in girls like that,” Kraus said. “This team has such a special dynamic that I hope will be contagious to the future groups.”
The team is a staple at campus club fairs and holds formal tryouts at the start of the academic year, but the organization is not exclusive.
As the program grows, it serves as an outlet for students balancing degrees with the sport they have a passion for. Whether winning rivalry games or hosting fundraisers, K-State Club Softball is putting down roots for both K-State students and the Manhattan community.
