Abilene High School is a public secondary school in Abilene, Kansas, United States, serving grades 9–12. The school is operated by Abilene USD 435 school district. The current building serves students from the city itself as well as outlying areas covered by the nearby Chapman district.
Abilene is a member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association and offers a variety of sports programs. Athletic teams compete in class 4A. Extracurricular activities are also offered in the form of performing arts, school publications, and clubs.
Extracurricular activities The Cowboys compete in the North Central Kansas League and are classified as a 4A Div. 1 school, the third-largest classification in Kansas according to the Kansas State High School Activities Association. Throughout its history, Abilene has won many state championships in various sports. Graduates have gone on to participate in Division I, Division II, and Division III athletics. The high school also offers music programs, such as band and choir.
Athletics Abilene High School participates in multiple sports for both boys and girls in the Fall, Winter, and Spring sports seasons. The boys' teams are collectively referred to as the Cowboys, while the girls are referred to as the Cowgirls. The Cowboys\Cowgirls mascot was chosen as a direct reflection of the history of Abilene as a cattle stop at the end of the Chisholm Trail, and the men who braved the long journey of the old days, and the women who welcomed them at the end of the trail.
Football and basketball
Since 1966, when AHS joined the North Central Kansas League (NCKL), the football team has won or shared a total of 11 league championships.NCKL North Central Kansas Football League: 1928-Present The team also won two state championships in 1978 and again in 1987. The Cowboys football team and rival Chapman High School share a unique part of high school football history. The two teams first began playing each other competitively in 1892. According to sports records, this makes the rivalry one of the oldest west of the Mississippi River. It is the 8th oldest in the United States.NFLHS.com 11-Man team miscellaneous records
In the 2024-2025 season Abilene High School boys basketball team achieved a 16-7 record and returned to the Kansas 4A state tournament for the fourth time in the last five seasons.
State championships The Abilene Cowboys and Cowgirls have won a total of 30 recognized State ChampionshipsKansas Sports Hall Of Fame State Records, accessed September 30, 2008 http://nexus.abileneschools.org/~abilenesports/AHS/Powerlifting/Powerlifting/Powerlifting.html
State Championships Season Sport Number of Championships YearFall Boys' Cross Country 1 1969 Football 2 1978, 1987 Girls' Cross Country 2 1985, 2008 Girls' Tennis 3 1989, 1992, 1993Winter Boys' Basketball 1 1992 Boys' Powerlifting* 3 2004, 2005, 2006 Girls' Powerlifting*5 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Wrestling 4 1998, 1999, 2003, 2017Spring Boys' Golf 4 1949, 1963, 1985, 1986 Boys' Tennis 1 1991 Track And Field 4 1918, 1919, 1987, 2006Total 29** (*) Indicates sport and its associated championship is not officially sanctioned by KSHSAA (**) Total number of team championships is 29 if the powerlifting championships are included.
Sports offered
Fall Football Volleyball Boys Cross Country Girls Cross Country Girls Tennis Winter Boys Basketball Girls Basketball Wrestling Spring Baseball Boys Golf Boys Tennis Softball Boys Track and Field Girls Track and Field
Notable alumni
Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States Milton S. Eisenhower, younger brother of Dwight D. Eisenhower. President of Kansas State University, Penn State University, and Johns Hopkins University Marlin Fitzwater, former White House Press Secretary Ted Power, former MLB pitcher, and current AAA Baseball pitching coach for the Louisville Bats organization Mike Racy, Former NCAA VP, Current Commissioner of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association Oscar Stauffer, founder of Stauffer Communications and namesake of the Kansas State High School Activities Association yearly award for Sportscaster and Sportswriter of the Year Frank Wattelet, former NFL football player for the St. Louis Rams and New Orleans Saints Cody Whitehair, NFL center and guard for Chicago Bears
Notable faculty Henry Cronkite, basketball coach, 1940s Frank Parent, athletics coach, 1905–1909
See also
List of high schools in Kansas List of unified school districts in Kansas
References
External links ]https://www.abileneschools.org/ District website] USD 435 School District Boundary Map, KDOT