Kansas State fans know D. Scott Fritchen’s name as well as they know the Wildcats’ own roster. For more than 30 years, he has been a steady voice around K-State athletics, first through a variety of outlets after graduating in the late 1990s and more recently on the school’s website, where he’s built a reputation for telling the kinds of stories only a true insider could tell.
Now, the storyteller is the one in need of support.
Fritchen recently revealed that he was dealing with a heart issue that required surgery, and the response was immediate. K-State fans and media members across the Big 12 began sending in waves of support as news of his condition spread.
He was diagnosed with aortic dissection, a cardiovascular disease that results in a tear in the layer of the heart. Fritchen underwent successful surgery, but recovery will take time.
A GoFundMe page set up for him had already brought in more than $9,300 to help with mounting medical costs. There is no timetable for when he’ll return to covering the Wildcats.
Just before the surgery, Fritchen was doing what he has done for years: covering Kansas State at Big 12 Media Days in Frisco, Texas. He was there telling the stories of Collin Klein as he prepared for his first season as head coach and Avery Johnson heading into his senior year at quarterback.
Fritchen’s ties to Kansas State run deep, including a strong relationship with legendary coach Bill Snyder. That connection was strong enough that he wrote a book, Bill Snyder: My Football Life and the Rest of the Story,” about the most beloved figure in school history.
For now, the focus is on recovery. The hope is that Fritchen gets back on his feet in the coming weeks, avoids the burden of steep medical bills, and eventually returns to the press box to keep telling the stories Wildcats fans have followed for decades.
In Other News...
Is Iowa State Still Defined More By Hilton Than Jack Trice
For a long stretch, Iowa State has been one of those rare places where both major programs have mattered, even if they have not always mattered in the same way. Football has had its moments, including 15 bowl trips over the past 25 years, but basketball has been the steadier source of national relevance, with repeated top 25 appearances and regular NCAA tournament runs that have kept Hilton Coliseum central to the schools identity.
The coaching carousel has only sharpened that contrast. Matt Campbells exit for Penn State opened another chapter on the football side, with Jimmy Rogers arriving from Washington State to take over, while T.J. Otzelberger has stayed put in Ames despite interest from some of the sports biggest names. For now, the question around Iowa State is less about whether both programs can compete than which building still defines the place when the season gets serious. [Read more 🡒]
T.J. Otzelbergers Tre Singleton Comparison Says A Lot About Iowa State
Iowa States offseason rebuild has already taken shape around the transfer portal, with five newcomers in place as the Cyclones look ahead to the 2025-26 season after last years 16-0 start and Sweet 16 run. One of the more important additions is forward Tre Singleton, the Northwestern transfer who should factor heavily into the frontcourt as T.J. Otzelberger tries to replace major production from a roster that changed in a hurry.
Otzelbergers comparison of Singleton to former Cyclone Joshua Jefferson says plenty about how Iowa State sees the fit. The size, versatility and room for growth are all part of the appeal, and the staff clearly believes Singleton can become a major piece if he develops the right areas of his game. For a team that has already done a lot of roster reshaping, that kind of projection could end up mattering just as much as the raw talent. [Read more 🡒]
Former Cyclone Will Clyburn Lands Another Major Opportunity Overseas
Will Clyburn is getting another major run on the European stage, with Fenerbahe adding the veteran scorer to a roster that already looks built to chase more hardware. For Iowa State fans, it is the latest reminder of how far the former Cyclone has traveled since Ames, as he keeps landing with one of the continents most ambitious clubs after his time with FC Barcelona.
Fenerbahe is not just stacking talent for the present, either. The Turkish powerhouse also locked in Talen Horton-Tucker through the 2026-27 season, a move that keeps one of its key contributors in place after a stretch of domestic and EuroLeague success. For Clyburn, the opportunity comes with familiar expectations: win now, fit quickly and add to a rsum that already carries plenty of weight overseas. [Read more 🡒]