Superfan Betterson ’69 Named Lilly Award Recipient

Editor's Note: Betterson and David Toelle '01, '08, winner of the Randy Bemiss Award, will be honored at the Jerry Jones Athletic Hall of Fame Induction and Alumni Awards Saturday, Oct. 19. Tickets are available here.

John Betterson '69 enjoys watching Kansas Wesleyan's athletic teams compete.

Doesn't matter what the sport or team is - men or women, varsity or developmental, fall, winter or spring. He's typically in the stands cheering on the Coyotes.

"I just enjoy going and watching them, seeing their performance and seeing them improve," he said. "It's just a lot of fun to go and watch them play and then see (the athletes) afterward and talk with them."

Because of his longtime support, Betterson has been named the 2024 recipient of the Gerald Lilly Award. Lilly was a fervent supporter of KWU and attended games from 1948 until he passed away in 2016.

Betterson knew Lilly well.

"He was always there, but he had either been to a K-State game or was going to it," he said. "He would go to Southeast (of Saline) football - he went to just about everything."

Betterson, a Salina native, received a degree in Business from KWU in 1969, later attended Marymount and worked for American Electric for 31 years before retiring.

He compiled game statistics for hall of fame basketball coach Ken Cochran while at Marymount, then tracked basketball and football stats for KWU coaches Jerry Jones and Brad Jenkins. He also worked 32 years at the Salina Journal taking high school game statistics over the phone in the fall and winter.

While he never lost touch with Wesleyan after graduating, Betterson's superfan status took flight in 2014 when his grandnephew Matt Betterson signed to play football for KWU.

"He came in as the No. 7 quarterback," John said. "He was a little bit discouraged, but he had a good time while he was here and was a good student."

Matt Betterson left after one semester but John was hooked.

"I started following him (on social media) and through him, I ran into all these parents and kids," he said. "I've always been a basketball fan, so I got into the basketball season with that."

His love for all things KWU quickly grew.

"It's just been a lot of fun, meeting parents and meeting the kids - I hate to call them kids because they're students, but to me they're kids," he said. "It's been just tremendous following them. Some of them I still follow and see. They come back for class reunions and stuff like that.

"I was looking at the (Jerry Jones Athletic) Hall of Fame photos the other day, and I'd venture to say that I probably personally know about half the people on that board."

If KWU has a team, Betterson has seen it play.

"The only sport that I have not seen is the throwing events in track and field," he said. "I saw a bowling match during the COVIDyear when I was probably the only non-school representative who was there. I've seen cheer and dance; I've seen virtually everything."

Betterson said receiving the Gerald Lilly Award is special.

"It means an awful lot," he said. "I wasn't the best student that the school ever had, but I'm probably one of the more loyal fans that the school has."

Story by Bob Davidson

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