Kansas State Wildcats will forever be indebted to head coach Chris Klieman. He led the Wildcats to a 48-28 record, and he has the second-most wins in school history. Even in 2024, under Klieman, Kansas State sealed a nine-win campaign. Some of their notable feats were their heroic victory 44-41 against Rutgers in the Rate Bowl. In his fourth year, Klieman had hit a milestone by capturing the Big 12 Championship in 2022, their first time since 2012. Before taking up the head coaching role at Kansas State, Klieman served as the head coach at North Dakota State, and even before that as defensive coordinator. As he kept on switching roles, two people never stopped trusting him. That’s his dad Bob Klieman, and mom Mary Kay Klieman. 

Who are Chris Klieman ‘s parents?

Klieman was born on September 27, 1967, to Bob and Mary Klieman. He was raised in Waterloo and graduated from Columbus Catholic High School in 1986. Ever since Kleiman was a child, he had dreamt of holding a head coaching seat at a program like Iowa or Iowa State. Having grown up in Iowa, he had been a Hawkeyes and Cyclones fan. And turns out that his parents sweetly obliged.

Interestingly, Klieman came from a family of teachers. His dad, Bob, was a high school football coach and biology teacher. Klieman’s mom, Mary, too, was a preschool teacher who worked for 28 long years. Later on, Klieman’s dad, Bob, became a Hall of Fame official and a long-time coach of both golf and football at Columbus Catholic High School, and is a member of the Upper Iowa University Athletic Hall of Fame.

The Kansas State head coach has a sister named Sarah and brother named Scott. Turns out that both Klieman and his brother Scott had picked up interest in football quite early and enjoyed the sport since childhood. 

What ethnicity are Chris Klieman’s parents? 

No details are available about the ethnicity of Chris Klieman’s parents. Since they hail from Waterloo, they are presumed to be American.

Inside Chris Klieman’s Relationship with His Parents

Klieman has grown up seeing his dad as a hardworking man who never thought twice before helping others. As Klieman’s mother once recalled, “When Chris was in college, Mother owned a duplex and he lived in the other half for a while and helped her, doing all the errands. He mowed the lawn when he wasn’t involved in football.” Klieman’s dad officiated for 16 years and was assigned to 13 Iowa High School Athletic Association Tournament games, 11 of which were the championship games. 

One of the fondest memories Klieman has with his parents is how they have been to every national championship game the Bison have played in Frisco, Texas. As Mary shared, “I’ll tell you, I remember the very first game in the national championship, and it was his first endeavor. I was a nervous wreck…To have him called up and stand with that trophy, all his boys around him, and we’re taking pictures; we’ve cried many tears of complete happiness and joy.”

Chris Klieman is now 57 years old. However, he still carries with him the lessons passed on to him by his mom. A consistent rule, as the head coach noted, “Treat people right. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Treat people with respect.” His mom has been a role model, who managed her husband, her kids and her job as a teacher. And the bond they shared will always be close to the Kansas State head coach’s heart. He came with a sweet confession, “I have a special relationship with my mom. I always laugh because I’m 50 years old, but I’m still her baby.”

From leading teams to championships to earning respect as a man of character, Chris Klieman has given his parents every reason to be proud.