Catch the Spirit

Men's Basketball Historic Season

Kent State enjoyed its best season in 2001-2002, led by seniors Trevor Huffman, Andrew Mitchell, Demetric Shaw, and Eric Thomas and future NFL star Antonio Gates. The season saw MAC records set in overall wins (30), conference wins (17), and longest winning streak (21).
After winning the MAC Tournament, the Flashes found themselves as a tenth seed in the NCAA Tournament. After scoring a mild upset of the seventh-seeded Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Flashes gained national attention by defeating second-seeded SEC champion Alabama 71-58 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. The Flashes followed that win with a 78-73 overtime win over third-seeded Pitt to become the first MAC team to advance to the Elite Eight since Ohio in 1964. However, the Flashes 21-game winning streak came to an end in the Elite Eight with an 81-69 loss to Indiana. The Flashes finished the season at 30-6 and were ranked twelfth in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll released after the tournament.

Fight on for KSU!

Learn the words to the Kent State fight song, so you can sing along with the band during Kent State football games!

Fight for KSU!
Fight for the Blue and Gold!
We're out to beat the foe;
Fight on brave and bold!

Fight on for victory,
Don't stop until we're through.
We're all together,
Let's go forward, K-S-U!

Hear the Kent State Fight Song(MP3)

Sculpture Walk

Winding through the Kent Campus is the university Esplanade andfour major sculptures.

  • "Athleta" is a tribute to the ideal of man and his search for excellence. The carved granite boulder is surrounded by other granite pieces that are located along the University Esplanade between Terrace Drive and Kent Hall.
  • Located on the University Esplanade near Kent Hall on Hilltop Drive, "Eye To Eye" is a welded aluminum abstraction of two heads facing each other in deep thought, a response to the human mind and how it works.
  • "Limits of Spoken Language: Congeries" is located in the Risman Plaza. This abstract piece is made of Corten steel and metaphorically depicts a visual language of physical objects.
  • "Star Sphere 2010," relates to the First Amendment and the power of photojournalism. It is aptly located near the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the north end of Franklin Hall in the Esplanade Circle.

University Library

Look up! The Kent State University Library is the tallest building on campus and in Portage County. The library is, of course, the perfect atmosphere to study and conduct research, and a great place to meet with study groups and research partners. It features study areas, meeting rooms, a variety of fascinating special collections, an audio visual library and a coffee shop.

Victory Bell

The Victory Bell is located behind Taylor Hall in an open grassy space known as the "Commons." The locomotive bell was donated by the Erie Railroad. The bell, originally intended to toll for winning athletic events, acquired after May 4, 1970, a more solemn history. It was rung several times in conjunction with events of that day. It is now part of the National Register of Historic Places for the site.

Risman Plaza

Right outside the Student Center is Risman Plaza - the hotspot for a number of outdoor events, like festivals and concerts. Each year, the plaza, the MAC Center and nearby Manchester Field are home to FlashFest - an annual spring student festival that features concerts by national and local bands, as well as games and other activities.

Prentice Gate

The Prentice Memorial Gate is the oldest gateway to Kent State University and to its original campus. Located on a diagonal at the intersection of East Main and Lincoln Streets, it was named to honor Professor Prentice (1857-1935) who had been on the faculty from 1912 until 1930. Dedicated on Jan. 5, 1935, Professor Prentice, too ill to attend the ceremony, died three weeks later at age 79.

The History of the Black Squirrel

How did black squirrels come to northeast Ohio? Larry Woodell, superintendent of grounds, imported 10 rare black squirrels from Canada in February 1961. Since their arrival, they have steadily multiplied and are now celebrated every fall during the Black Squirrel Festival with fun, food and music.

Kent State University Mascots Through the Years

Did you know that our mascot once was a silver fox? John McGilvrey, first president of the university, raised silver foxes on his farm, so the athletic teams were called the silver foxes in the early 1920's. In 1926, a student contest was held for new team name and "Golden Flashes" won.
For a time, "Flasher," a golden retriever with a Kent State branded cape, was the Golden Flashes' mascot. He was followed in 1966 by a friendly cartoon character, "Grog." With hopes of getting back to school roots, the "Golden Flasher," a golden palomino horse with a rider attired in blue and gold, took over in 1972. The following year the name and figure changed to the "Golden Flash." This character was a masked figure holding fierce lightning bolts in each hand.
After the long series of changes, the golden eagle soared in to represent Kent State in 1985. A live eagle made appearances at many Kent State athletic events and came to symbolize school spirit and pride. Then in 1994, joining the live eagle was "Flash," the current mascot.

Behind the Blue & Gold

According to the 1910 State Charter, Kent State University's school colors were orange and purple. But when the local Laundry washed the basketball uniforms, the hot water turned them gold and blue. The team and student body liked the new colors so well, they adopted them instead!

What's the deal with the Wagon Wheel?

Kent State University and the University of Akron, located just 10 miles apart, first played for the Wagon Wheel in 1946. The story goes that John R. Buchtel was searching for a site to start a new college in 1870 near what is now Kent State University when his wagon became stuck in the mud. The horses pulled the wagon apart and one of the wheels ended up being buried. Buchtel would eventually settle on a site in Akron for Buchtel College, which would eventually become the University of Akron. In 1902, while digging for a pipeline in Kent, the wheel was discovered and eventually came into the possession of Kent State dean of men Dr. Raymond Manchester. It was he who suggested in 1945 that the wheel be used as a trophy for the winner of the Kent State-Akron football game.

The Rock

Both a campus tradition and an unofficial, and ever-changing outdoor art element at Kent State is "The Rock." A landmark of front campus for more than 50 years, it has been a canvas for students and student organizations for messages, announcements and the display of Greek letters.