Wichita State Shockers

The Wichita State Shockers are one of the most beloved mid-major programs in college basketball, known for full-court pressure and never-say-die energy at Charles Koch Arena. Two Final Four runs, decades apart, have built a program with a genuine national following. The Shockers' black-and-yellow identity is tied to gritty, blue-collar basketball that punches well above its market size. Wichita has embraced the program as the city's signature sports team. Few mid-majors carry the name recognition the Shockers have earned.

Wichita State reached its first Final Four in 1965, led by All-American Dave Stallworth, falling to eventual champion UCLA. The Shockers spent decades as a respected Missouri Valley Conference program before a stunning 2013 run carried them back to the Final Four as a 9-seed, the program's second national semifinal appearance. Wichita State has made 16 NCAA Tournament appearances overall, with multiple Missouri Valley regular-season and tournament titles along the way. The Shockers left the Valley for the American Athletic Conference in 2017.