2022 Bender of Twigs

Korey Torgerson is a leader and a difference maker. In his 25 years at Wichita State, he has epitomized the university’s commitment to being student-centered and ensuring a campus culture that is welcoming and inclusive. In the process, he has positively impacted many student-athletes and university colleagues.

Korey serves as the Associate Athletic Director for Student Services for the WSU-ICAA. He previously held the titles of Assistant AD for Compliance and Compliance Coordinator with Shocker Athletics. In his current role, Korey is responsible for all aspects of WSU’s compliance program. Specific responsibilities include assessing and certifying initial and continuing eligibility for all sports, monitoring playing and practice seasons, educating student-athletes regarding NCAA rules, administering the national letter of intent program, and collecting information in support of annual reports to the NCAA, American Athletic Conference, and other organizations. Over the last couple of years, he has also served as the sport administrator for Shocker Softball during a time when that program has enjoyed unprecedented success.

Korey’s commitment to student-athlete success and well-being is unwavering. He is purposeful and consistent in his efforts to engage with student-athletes, educate them about the full scope of both their opportunities and responsibilities, and serve as a helpful resource when they have questions. He serves as the first responder when student-athletes share concerns via Shocker Athletics’ Real Response reporting system, and he is diligent in ensuring that every report, big or small, is responded to and acted upon by the appropriate personnel.

Korey is similarly supportive of his colleagues in athletics, elsewhere at the university and within the college athletics profession. There are a vast number of examples of his care and support for others. One that I will always remember occurred in 2020 during one of the university’s critical conversations about race. One of our colleagues, a Person of Color, tearfully shared how much it had meant to her that Korey had reached out to her in the aftermath of the George Floyd incident, just to ask how she was doing and how he could be of support.

Korey is a 1996 graduate of WSU’s M.Ed.-Sport Administration program (now known as Sport Management). During his master’s program at WSU, he served as a graduate assistant in the WSU-ICAA. He has been part of Shocker Athletics and the broader university community ever since, and we are the better for it. He has also remained highly engaged with our Sport Management programs as an alum. He has led our Sport Management Alumni Association in securing financial support for nearly 20 student scholarships and planning reunions that not only enable old friends to reconnect but provide opportunities for current students to learn from and network with successful alums in a hyper-competitive industry.

I would be remiss to not also mention the alumni-only social outings, which have resulted in fun, laughs and the kind of memories that bring graduates back to campus every few years for another celebration.

Korey is not only a friend and one of the most capable and committed colleagues I have at WSU, but he is also one of the best people I have had the privilege of knowing. It is an honor to congratulate him for 25 years of leadership and difference-making and wish him many more.