K-State mourns loss of student advocate, basketball hall-of-famer

MANHATTAN, Kan. (WIBW) - Kansas State University is mourning the passing of a longtime student advocate and a big name in basketball.

Kansas State University Athletics announced on Wednesday, Sept. 6, that longtime faculty athletics representative Dr. BeEtta “Be” Stoney passed away on Tuesday.

“Today is a sad day upon learning of the passing of Dr. Be Stoney. She cared deeply for our university and played an enormous role in the development of our students and student-athletes. As our faculty athletics representative, she was a tremendous advocate for our coaches and student-athletes at both the conference and NCAA level and played a huge role in the overall advancement of the college athletics landscape. She will be missed, and our thoughts and prayers are with Michael and the entire family.”

K-State Athletics noted that Stoney served as a faculty athletics representative for the past 13 years and worked closely with it and the Big 12 Conference. She was also active with women’s basketball after her hall-of-fame career at UTEP as she served on the NCAA women’s basketball rules committee.

Officials also indicated that Stoney served as K-State’s interim chief diversity and inclusion officer between May 2021 and Oct. 2022 on top of her role as associate professor of curriculum and instruction in the College of Education where she was a member of the graduate faculty and chair of the college’s undergraduate academic reinstatement committee. She also coordinated the physical education and health program for the curriculum and instruction department.

“Dr. Be Stoney was a valued faculty member in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education. She also had a tremendous passion for college athletics, which led her to serve as K-State’s presidentially appointed faculty athletics representative for the Big 12 for a number of years. She will be deeply missed within the K-State family and community, and her legacy of incredible service to students and student-athletes will never be forgotten.”

University leaders said Dr. Stoney joined the team in 1999 as a race equity coordinator and technical consultant with the College of Education’s Midwest Equity Assistance Center. She was then hired as an assistant professor of secondary education in 2000 and was promoted to associate professor in 2005.

“Dr. Stoney was a strong student advocate. She held students to high standards and held them accountable when needed. She was a caring colleague and leaves a strong physical education program as part of her legacy to the College of Education.”

Before Stoney became a Wildcat, K-State said she was a special education teacher and department chair at the middle school level. She earned her bachelor’s degree in secondary education - special education/health education and a master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Texas, El Paso. She also earned a doctorate in special education/multicultural education from the University of Texas, Austin.

K-State noted that Stoney was an accomplished basketball player as she was inducted into the UTEP Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010 and ranks third all-time in UTEP career points with 1,249.

The Riley County Police Department also noted that Stoney was a former member of the Riley Co. Law Board.

University leaders have offered their condolences to Stoney’s family.