MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State sophomore defensive end Wendell Gregory and senior offensive lineman John Pastore have been named to the 2026 Preseason All-Big 12 team, the conference office announced Monday.
It is the first time either player has been on the preseason team as voted on by the media, while it is the second-straight year the Wildcats had two players on the team.
Gregeory, native of Marietta, Georgia, transferred to K-State in January after spending his redshirt freshman season of 2025 at Oklahoma State. He was named the 2025 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and an All-Big 12 Third Team honoree after recording 27 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, a pass breakup and a forced fumble over 12 games with four starts. His 12.0 TFLs ranked second nationally among freshmen and fifth overall in the Big 12, while he also led all Big 12 freshmen in sacks.
A product of Erie, Colorado, Pastore started all 12 games a year ago at left tackle, seeing time on 715 offensive snaps en route to All-Big 12 Second Team honors. He helped guide a K-State offensive line that saw the Wildcats rank 10th nationally in sacks allowed (1.08 per game) and fifth in school history in rushing yards per carry (5.09). The Wildcats also had three rushes of at least 70 yards during the 2025 season, the most in school history and tied for the second most in the nation. Pastore also helped the Wildcats rush for a school-record 472 yards at Utah to break a 51-year old record.