‘Mr. K-State’ Ernie Barrett (1929-2023)

Photo by Brett Wilhelm/NCAA Photos via Getty ImagesErnie Barrett, the student athlete, coach, administrator, and fundraiser so closely associated with Kansas State that he was universally known as Mr. K-State, passed away at the age of 93 Friday morning, the university announced.

Barrett was a sought-after recruit out of Wellington High School in 1948, joining the K-State men’s basketball team under head coach Jack Gardner and assistant Tex Winter. In his time in Manhattan, Barrett led the Wildcats to the 1951 national championship game. After a brief NBA career with the Boston Celtics, Barrett returned to K-State as an assistant coach, then an athletics administrator, consultant to the…