Football | 1/8/2023 2:30:00 PM

January 8, 2023-After guiding the Hornets to their seventh post season appearance in the last ten years, Emporia State University and head football coach Garin Higgins have agreed to a Letter of Intent as a basis for conditions for an employment contract to follow. This is the first multi-year employment contract in Emporia State Athletics history. With the agreement Coach Higgins is secured through at least the 2025 season, the longest term available under the Kansas Board of Regents.

"Coach Higgins has a proven record as football coach, but as I have come to know him over this past season, it became evident that he is someone who cares a great deal about his players and Emporia State while managing all aspects of the program the right way" said Emporia State Director of Athletics David Spafford. "This multi-year contract, along with upcoming investments in our facilities and the overall program, are a direct reflection of our commitment to building a first-class athletic program that Hornet fans can be proud of for years to come."

Higgins ranks second in career wins at Emporia State behind stadium namesake Fran Welch's 115 wins from 1928-54. He has a 148-86 record in 20 seasons as a head coach with a 97-77 record in 15 seasons at his alma mater. This season Higgins led Emporia State to a 9-3 record capped by winning the Farmers Bank & Trust Live United Bowl. It is the ninth nine-win season in Emporia State's 124 seasons of playing football and Higgins has been the head coach for five of them. The Hornets were 11th in the nation in passing yards this season and ranked 20th in the nation in total offense, leading the MIAA in both categories. Defensively Emporia State allowed just 21.2 points per game, the lowest per game average since allowing 18.1 points per game in the 2003 season.

"I am very thankful for President Hush and David Spafford and their commitment to this program and our entire staff," said Higgins. "Coaching at my alma mater is a dream come true. Coaching in the MIAA, the best Division II conference in the country, is a true test. Our administration has seen what we have done over the past ten years and are committed to helping us continue in the future."

The 1992 Emporia State graduate has built the Hornets the right way during his 15 seasons and orchestrated one of the great turnarounds in Emporia State history. The Hornets have gone 78-41 in the last ten years after going 19-36 in his first five seasons.

He is the 21st head football coach at Emporia State, was the first to lead the Hornets to ten wins in two different seasons and has done it in three seasons with three different quarterbacks. He has coached in more post season games than any one in Emporia State history. He took his alma mater deeper into the NCAA Division II playoffs than ever before in 2015 as ESU advanced to the Super Region 3 Championship Game. In 2013, he became just the second coach to take the Hornets to the NCAA Playoffs and is one of just six Emporia State coaches to take the Hornets to a post season game of any type.

He had led the Hornets to within just one game of a post season berth in 2010 and 2011 before winning the Kanza Bowl in 2012 and was one win away in 2017. He joins Larry Kramer, Fran Welch and Bill Hargis as the only Emporia State coaches to have a span of four straight winning seasons.

Higgins is about more than just wins though.

The Hornets have been ranked in the top ten among all Division II Football programs in community service as recorded by the NCAA Helper Helper report in each of the last five years, winning the community service "national championship" in 2021.

In the classroom, Emporia State has had 15 straight semesters with at least a 2.75 team GPA with over a 3.00 combined GPA in each of the last six semesters. Last semester the football program achieved an overall team GPA of 3.10 while 50 players were recognized on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, with a conference high six players earning MIAA Scholar-Athlete status for being named All-MIAA and having a 3.50 GPA. Emporia State has had eight Academic All-Americans under Higgins and is the only MIAA football program with an Academic All-American in each of the last seven seasons.

The combination of success on the field, in the classroom and in the community has translated to the turnstiles as Emporia State was ranked 22nd in the nation in average attendance last season. It was the tenth straight year the Hornets have finished in the top 40 nationally in attendance.

"We will continue to work hard each and every day to not only win football games but also to help our guys grow and be successful in life," said Higgins.

In addition to Coach Higgins contract extension, Emporia State has agreed to salary enhancements for the entire coaching staff to bring them in-line within the market place as well as a commitment to several facility and scholarship improvements.