Snyder, Currie giving $5k to open student halls early for KU game

From Kansas State Sports Information

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Football coach Bill Snyder and Athletics Director John Currie are making it easier for K-State students to keep the "Family" together for the Dillons Sunflower Showdown against Kansas by jointly contributing $5,000 to re-open the residence halls early after Thanksgiving.

The football game against the Jayhawks is scheduled for Saturday, November 29, at the end of K-State's week-long fall break for the Thanksgiving holiday. Snyder and Currie are each donating $2,500 to cover the University’s overhead costs to re-open the residence halls on Friday and Saturday, allowing students to return early to campus and cheer on the Wildcats.

Residence halls will open at 1 p.m. on Friday, November 28, for all students who wish to return to campus and attend the home season finale against the Jayhawks.

"Our student body means so very much to our football program and to assist in a way that will help them is the very least that we can do," Snyder said. "We have the best student section in the country, one that attends our ballgames each and every week in record fashion, and everyone in our football program appreciates them so very much. We will always do anything we can for them."

K-State’s student section of more than 9,000 strong has a reputation of being one of the best in college football and has been a major part of the Wildcats’ home-field advantage at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The KU game will mark the 20th straight sellout at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, while the Cats are 31-8 at home since Snyder’s return to the sidelines in 2009.

"Although our home finale is a month away, Coach Snyder and I wanted to go ahead and make this commitment now so that our students could start planning their return in time to fill the best student section in the country for the KU game, which will be Senior Day and the final home game for 21 of our players," Currie said. "Week in and week out, our student section plays a major part in the success of our football program and drives a vivid image of the K-State spirt to viewers across America. We really appreciate the leadership SGA President Reagan Kays and Vice President Cody Kennedy have shown in working with Derek Jackson and his fine residence hall staff to help students maximize attendance for the final game of the season."

"On behalf of the students at Kansas State, I would like to thank Coach Snyder and Mr. Currie for their collaboration and partnership. We have been discussing the final home football game for the last several weeks and I believe this gesture will lead to a great atmosphere and home field advantage," said Kays. "We also appreciate Derek Jackson and the residence hall staff working to secure personnel to help enhance the experience for K-State students."

"The Department of Housing and Dining Services is proud of the success of the football program and understand how important the students are to the success on the field," added Jackson, director of K-State’s Department of Housing and Dining. "By collaborating with Athletics to cover the costs for our students to return early we are excited about opening the residence hall on Friday for those students who want to return to cheer on the Cats."

Game time for the Sunflower Showdown will be announced 12 days prior to the November 29 matchup, while only scattered singles and standing room only tickets remain available. The 11th-ranked Wildcats will return to action at Bill Snyder Family Stadium this Saturday, November 1, against Oklahoma State.