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Nick HowellNick Howell

Defensive Back (1975-76)

Nick Howell grew up in Wichita, Kansas, playing six years of Junior City league football, baseball, basketball and golf prior to attending Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School. At KMC Nick earned varsity letters in football and track his junior and senior years. His football coach was Kansas Hall of Fame Coach Eddie Kriewel. KMC won both city league and state championships during Nick’s junior and senior years. His senior year, Nick was a two-way starter in football and was named All-City, All-Class and All-State. Running track for the great coach Jon Kornelson, Nick was city runner up in the 330 intermediate hurdles, and he contributed to the start of a decade of Kapaun track dominance.

Dick Foster outworked all other recruiters for the services of an undersized linebacker who loved to “hit,” with the idea of playing defensive back, a position Nick had not played in many years. With a lot of effort from coaches Mike Sweatman and Pat Henderson, Nick started the first game against Pratt with a rare interception and even rarer return for a touchdown. Nick proceeded to start all but three mid-season games, and those were due to injury. His return to action saw a Wool Bowl interception and a proud membership on CCC’s undefeated 1975 Red Raven team. Nick returned to CCC in 1976 with a talented group of defensive backs who allowed less than 20 yards per game of passing offense.  This team went on to a second Wool Bowl appearance. Nick garnered 1st Team All-Conference and All-American honors his sophomore season.

Nick accepted a full NCAA scholarship to Colorado State University transferring at the semester to join former Wichita greats (and friends) Mike and Mark Bell. Playing both corner and safety his junior season, he stayed very busy in “the high-flying WAC” on a competitive 9-2-1 team in a season that included an upset of 14th ranked Arizona State. Nick started at both corners, free safety and even strong safety his senior year while battling an ACL injury.        

After CSU, Nick took a position with a top ten national general contractor and traveled the U.S. and beyond, working on large commercial projects. He now works developing projects for the Carney Family Trust out of Wichita. Nick met and married Becky Raye Wilson at CSU, and they have two children, Maggie and John.