12 April 2023
MANHATTAN (KSNT) – Typically they’re the athletes behind the athletes, cheering on their fellow classmates to victory. This past weekend though, the K-State Classy Cats are celebrating a victory of their own.
The Classy Cats competed down in Florida in the College Classic National Invitational, placing fourth in the D1A Jazz Division, and bringing home the gold in the D1A Pom Division – the second year the team has done so in a row.
“It’s something that means a lot to us,” Classy Cats Coach Sara Heptig said. “To be able to go to Florida, and wear the Powercat and represent K-State. We take a lot of pride in that. We were really honored, we’ve had so much love and support from the wildcat nation and from fans back here. We’re so excited to bring this honor back home.”
Bringing that wildcat pride to the national stage and seeing the highest level of success two years in a row means a lot for the performers.
“I feel like K-State is a special place in general,” Senior Classy Cat Grace Williams said. “There’s not a lot of universities like K-State, and that was something super important we wanted to bring to Florida in this Nationals. We wanted to stand out in a K-State way, and bring what K-State meant to us, how the University is family and how we all love each other, and bring that purple pride to Florida.”
Making a name for themselves at that level of competition is special to the Classy Cats as well.
“We’re just a small town in the middle of Kansas,” Senior Classy Cat Josi Frigon said. “People don’t know who we are, they call us ‘Kansas.’ Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re the underdog. You can do anything you put your heart and mind to.”
“Nationals is something that we can do, rather than us always cheering on the other sports,” Senior Classy Cat Layne Steffen said. “It’s something that we can show what we are proud of for ourselves and for K-State.”
While winning is certainly nice, the team told 27 News that their placements don’t hold a candle to the personal growth they’ve experienced through their years of performing and working together.
“Obviously the trophies and all the recognition is a huge part of it,” Senior Classy Cat Jordan May said. “But I think what we focused more on was growing together as a team, and upholding the legacy of the classy cats that we’ve been privileged to be a part of.”
Their coach understands that legacy more than most, performing as a student before accepting the role that she’s in today.
“This has been an absolute dream come true,” Heptig said. “This team has always been so special to me. To be get to come back as a leader now, it’s been very important to me that we carry on the traditions of Kansas State, the traditions of the classy cats, while also instilling some new traditions as well.”
Traditions, like bringing home the first place trophy and celebrating their accomplishments with the wildcat community, definitely sound like a great place to start.
The Classy Cats tell 27 News those trophies will be displayed in the new band hall that opens in May, and there is room for an additional first place trophy. The team is already looking at heading back to Florida to compete next year.