Kent State Scores With Record-Setting HeadlinesDuring the past 11 years, with Laing Kennedy at the helm of Kent State’s athletic program, the Kent State Golden Flashes have won 36 Mid-American Conference (MAC) championships and 13 MAC tournament titles. The women’s athletics program has won the Jacoby Trophy, signifying all-sports excellence four times, while the men’s program has won the Reese Trophy twice. Kent State also finished 81st in the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics “Director’s Cup,” which is the fourth straight year Kent State was named the highest-ranked MAC institution. Most recently, Kent State’s competent leadership on and off the basketball court has garnered positive media attention, as noted in the stories below. Lindsay Sets Record – First MAC Coach to Rack Up 300 Wins
Athletic Director Laing Kennedy presents a basketball to Women's Basketball Head Coach Bob Lindsey in honor of his 300th win as a head coach at Kent State. At the Feb. 5 game against the Akron Zips, Lindsay became the first MAC women's head coach to achieve 300 wins in the MAC. Photo by Gary Harwood
“It represents a standard of excellence over a long period of time, both on and off the court,” says Athletic Director Laing Kennedy. “Winning 300 games is a milestone. I’m very proud of Bob and Lori Bodnar, associate head coach, and what they have been able to accomplish. No one has ever done this.” The game was monumental in more ways than one — the Zips’ 35-point score was the lowest score allowed by Kent State since 1996, when the Flashes held Coppin State to 29 points. Lindsay is known for his teams’ defense, a characteristic that showed Feb. 5. Lindsay’s teams are also known for their academic success, and the program ranks among the national leaders in team grade point average. Since Lindsay’s start at Kent State in 1989, 27 players have received conference all-academic honors. “The administration is committed to supporting its programs,” Lindsay says. “It has an interest in quality programs. It has an interest in its people being better than average, both as coaches and as athletes.” Previously, Lindsay became the first women’s basketball coach and the fourth MAC hardwood coach overall to reach 200 victories in MAC history.
Kennedy Appointed to NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee
“I am honored and pleased to have the opportunity to represent the Mid-American Conference and Kent State University at a national level on this very prestigious committee,” Kennedy says. Kennedy is replacing Bob Bowlsby, athletics director at the University of Iowa. In his role, Kennedy becomes just the second MAC representative to ever serve on the committee. Former Miami University athletic director Richard Shrider served on the committee from 1981-87. The NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee oversees the administration of the men’s basketball championship, including the selection of teams to the championship and staffing tournament sites. “This is obviously a monumental appointment for our league,” says Bob Gennarelli, Mid-American Conference associate commissioner for external operations. “Kent State’s national basketball reputation and the commitment he has made to the basketball program, make Laing an obvious choice for the committee.” As the administrative chair for men’s basketball in the MAC, Kennedy already deals with conference’s head coaches as a liaison to the league and is very familiar with issues pertaining to MAC men’s basketball. “It is a tribute to our league to have Laing appointed to the committee,” Kent State basketball coach Jim Christian says. “To have somebody who has been around MAC basketball have a voice at the national level can only be a positive for our conference.” - Jeff Schaefer, director, athletic communications, and Beth Baldwin, Kent State public relations major  |
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