Football | 8/15/2025 10:21:00 PM
August 15, 2025- Emporia State head football coach
Garin Higgins has agreed to a new three-year contract Emporia State Director of Athletics
Steve Rodecap announced at the Hornets Annual Booster Night Scrimmage on Friday night. The agreement extends Higgins contract through the 2028 season, the longest extension allowed by the Kansas Board of Regents.
"This extension reflects our commitment to sustaining success at the highest level," said Rodecap. "The one thing this program has figured out, better than anywhere that I have seen, is culture. The culture in this program is outstanding and it is because of Coach Higgins."
His 113-84 record ranks second in career wins at Emporia State and he is just three victories from tying stadium namesake Fran Welch for the most victories in school history. He is the winningest active coach in the MIAA and his 113 victories ranks fifth all-time in Association history.
"Thank you to
Steve Rodecap and our administration for their continued commitment and support for our football program," said Higgins. "Our program has been built on tough, smart, dependable people in every facet, from our players, to our coaches and staff, to our administration. I am fortunate to work with an athletic director that fully believes in our football program and a coaching staff that fully believes in our players."
Introduced as the 22nd head football coach in Emporia State history on December 14, 2006, Higgins re-energized a program that had gone 12-20 during previous three seasons. The Hornets had one of the best turnarounds in the country in 2012, improving by five wins over the previous year's 5-6 record and finishing in second place in the MIAA. The offense set several school records in 2012 as the Hornets racked up ten wins for the first time since 1989, when Higgins suited up as a quarterback for ESU.
Higgins has led the Hornet football program to an 94-48 record since 2012, compiling an impressive list of accomplishments and milestones along the way. He has taken his alma mater to the NCAA Division II playoffs three times, advancing to the regional championship game in 2015. He has led the Hornets to five postseason bowl games, going 4-1 for a total of seven postseason wins.
Higgins is the first coach in Emporia State history to win at least ten games in a season more than once, accomplishing the feat in 2012, 2015 and 2016 with three different quarterbacks. He has six seasons with nine or more wins in his 17 seasons which is more than the previous 21 Hornet head coaches have had in 127 seasons combined. He has coached in and won more post season games than any other football coach in Emporia State history.
Not to be overlooked by the on-field accomplishments, Higgins players have excelled in the classroom and in the community as well. The team GPA has exceeded 3.0 for 12 consecutive semesters dating back to the spring semester of 2020. 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 eight years, winning the community service "national championship" in 2021 and again in 2025.
The combination of success on the field, in the classroom and in the community has translated to the turnstiles as Emporia State was ranked 31st in the nation in average attendance last season. It was the 12th 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.
The Hornets kick off the season on Thursday, August 28 against Minot State on Jones Field at Welch Stadium. It will be the first of three regionally televised games for Emporia State and as part of ESU's Year of Celebration all general admission seating is free of charge.
