Kevin Buisman, first introduced as MSU’s Director of Athletics on July 26, 2002, begins his 23rd year with Minnesota State Athletics in 2025-26. Behind a deft combination of sound decision-making on key internal and external strategies, Buisman has left an indelible and lasting impact on Maverick athletics over the long term.
Over Buisman’s tenure, Minnesota State programs have won five NCAA Division II national titles (women’s basketball 2008-09 & 2023-24, men’s basketball 2023-24, softball 2017, indoor track & field 2021-22). Among those championships, the Mavericks have made 116 NCAA Division II postseason appearances and 10 NCAA Division I postseason appearances (men’s hockey).
Behind this high level of achievement and ongoing commitment to administrative excellence, Buisman was cited twice by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) as one of the Under Amour NCAA Division II Athletic Directors of the Year (2013-14 and 2024-25).
In 2023-24, Minnesota State made history as only the second Division II institution to win men’s and women’s basketball national championships in the same season. Men’s basketball defeated Nova Southeastern in the title game while women’s basketball lifted the trophy after defeating Texas Woman’s University. This propelled the Mavericks to a sweep of the NSIC men’s, women’s, and overall all-sports titles and a ninth-place finish in the NACDA Learfield Sports Directors' Cup standings, which recognize the top athletic programs in the country. It was the 21st consecutive year that the Mavericks have finished in the top-25 and marks the second straight year that Minnesota State placed in the Top 10 and the 13th time overall that it has achieved that lofty national benchmark.
In fall 2024, success continued as the Maverick soccer team hosted and won the Central Region Tournament, then made their first-ever trip to the NCAA Division II Championship, where they finished as national runner-up. Minnesota State football also qualified for the NCAA Tournament and won three playoff games before falling the No. 1 Valdosta State in the NCAA Division II National Semifinals. The Mavericks totaled 13 NCAA appearances in 2024-25 and finished sixth in the NACDA Learfield Sports Director's Cup standings.
With an eye for improving the overall welfare of MSU’s more than 600 student-athletes, over the years Buisman has worked closely with the Student Athletic Advisory Committee on policy development for priority registration and missed classes and in Fall 2023 helped launch an embedded provider counseling program that began to address a growing concern for the mental well-being of all student-athletes.
Buisman has spearheaded an array of facilities improvements during his time at MSU, including a $6.2 million outdoor facilities project funded by student fees in 2009-10, followed by more than $14.5 million via state bonding for the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, as it become the new home of Maverick men’s and women’s hockey in Fall 2015. The $5.5 million Scheels Field at the Maverick All-Sports Dome made its debut in 2019 and in Fall 2023 the installation of a $1.25 million center-hung Daktronics video scoreboard helped to transform the fan experience in Taylor Center.
Buisman’s leadership of the department has resulted in several other significant changes. Public awareness and interest in the program grew behind his creation of a popular athletic mascot logo that has now stood the test of time for almost two decades. MSU football, men’s basketball, and men’s hockey teams have also experienced dramatic spikes in home game attendance with fans enjoying an emphasis on a family-friendly environment, which was recognized with an NCAA Division II National “Award of Excellence for Game Environment” for its highly acclaimed “Don’t Cross the Line” campaign. In the board room, Buisman has helped broker deals with Mayo Clinic Health System as its exclusive sports medicine provider and more recently with UNRL as its official leisurewear and exclusive lines partner.
Buisman is a former University of Northern Iowa student and football player (BA management and finance ‘87; MBA ‘89) who has been instrumental in advancing gender equity by establishing a revised plan to achieve proportionality in scholarship funding and participation which led to the department being cited by the NCAA as a Diversity in Athletics Award winner in the category of Gender Equity Compliance. In concert with University administration, Buisman was also able to successfully implement a tuition waiver program that has been used effectively to increase the recruitment of diverse student populations to the program.
Under his guidance, MSU successfully hosted the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships, along with a pair of NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Track & Field Championships. Buisman also chaired the NCAA Division II National Football Committee after previously serving on the NCAA Division II Regional Men’s Basketball Committee. Early in his time at MSU, Buisman was selected to participate in the U.S. Army Leadership Development and Assessment Course and completed the nationally-recognized Chair Academy’s two-year intensive training program, designed to promote excellence in administrative leadership among higher education professionals.
Active in the community, Buisman has held various board positions, including with Mankato United Soccer, Mankato Sports Commission, Visit Mankato, and the Greater Mankato Executive Committee and served on the Technical Advisory Committee for a Regional Facilities Development Task Force. Last January, Buisman joined the University Cabinet as a member of President’s Inch’s Executive Leadership Team.
In November 2014, while at a regional championship event with his #1-ranked women’s soccer team, Buisman received the life-changing news that he had been diagnosed with head and neck cancer. Buisman elected to defer surgery until after a run to the national title game for the Maverick football team in December 2014. A successful surgery in January 2015 was followed by treatment as part of a clinical trial that focused on also preserving a variety of quality-of-life elements.
Buisman reached a 10-year milestone that produced no evidence of the disease and he was permanently discharged from cancer care by his Mayo Clinic team. Throughout the course of his journey, Buisman has been inspired to give back in the fight against cancer and was recognized as the Honorary Survivor at the 2015 Blue Earth County Relay for Life. His story was also featured in his keynote address at the Spring 2018 Mankato Clinic Men’s Health Forum and he served a leadership role in the community’s inaugural “Power in Purple” campaign before later being tabbed as a Southern Minnesota Regional Ambassador for “Real Men Wear Pink” in October 2021.
Prior to his appointment at MSU, the Marion, Iowa native served 13 years professionally at his alma mater, including his final responsibilities at Northern Iowa as Associate Director of Athletics for Sports Management. Buisman, 60, is married to his wife Heather, a Minnesota State graduate and award-winning Interior Designer with The Design Element. They have two daughters, Alyssa and McKenna, who both live in the Twin Cities.
