Kent State Announces Naming Rights of Athletic Facilities
The Golden Flashes Club (TGFC), the philanthropic arm of Kent State Athletics, is pleased to announce the naming rights to several athletic facilities around the Kent Campus.The naming rights are another big step forward for the Athletic Department’s “Play As One-#Flashes Forever” strategic plan.
“This is an exciting time for our athletic department,” Director of Athletics Randale L. Richmond said. “Having supporters who see the value of Athletics and the importance of making our department student-athlete centered, coach-led, and administrator supported is beyond measure. The ability to enhance our facilities is pivotal to our success.”
“The support we have received has been amazing, “Associate Athletic Director for Athletic Advancement Maggie McKendry added. “Exciting announcements like this go a long way as we continue to develop a first-class athletic department and experience for our student-athletes.”
THE DEVINE DIAMOND
The soon-to-be-renovated Kent State softball complex will undergo a name change, as the Diamond at Dix will now be known as the Devine Diamond.
THE SCOLIN MacLEAN LOUNGE
The newly named Scolin MacLean Lounge hosts pregame festivities for select TGFC members before each home basketball game as well as on selected dates throughout the year. Members enjoy snacks, coffee and a cash bar as well as pregame “chalk talk” sessions with Kent State coaches. MacLean was a student manager for the Kent State Football team, as well as a player on the Men’s Lacrosse Club team from 1986 until he earned a Bachelor of Science in 1990. He enjoyed a successful career in graphic design for the Turner Broadcasting/Warner Media family of television networks before retiring in 2019. He was honored as the Varsity “K” Club’s Person of the Year in 2015 for his ongoing support of Kent State Athletics. He volunteers as the director of creative solutions with the Office of Athletic Advancement, located inside the MacLean Lounge, which has been affectionally dubbed “The Scolly-Bear Lair” by TGFC staff.
LAING AND SAUNDRA KENNEDY BLUE AND GOLD TROPHY ROOM
Across the MACC lobby is the newly named Laing and Saundra Kennedy Blue and Gold Trophy Room. The room showcases numerous Golden Flashes’ trophies and serves as a meeting space for the Golden Flashes’ athletic administrative staff and as a lobby outside the office of Director of Athletics Randale L. Richmond.
That is extremely fitting as Laing Kennedy served as the Kent State director of athletics from 1994-2010. Kennedy earned the Northeast Region Division I-A Athletic Director of the Year award from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics twice, in 2002 and 2006. He served as a member of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament Selection Committee between 2006 and 2010.
THE DAVE AND SHERRY JOY LOBBY
The lobby at the Kent State Field House has been named for Dave and Sherry Joy. The lobby serves as a check-in area for events held in the Field House and houses vending machines for the Golden Flashes’ student-athletes as well as men’s and women’s locker rooms.
THE GARY AND MINDY ALEMAN FIELD HOUSE OFFICES
The Dave and Sherry Joy lobby at the Field House leads directly into the Gary and Mindy Aleman Field House offices. Under the direction of fearless leader Jimmy Fetzer, the office serves as mission control for the Field House. The newly named Aleman offices handle all of the scheduling and logistics for the Field House. The Aleman offices balance equal practice time for Golden Flash student-athletes while also accommodating university and local events.
» ALSO SEE: LCU Softball Facility Re-Named to Maner Park
THE DR. JAMES KARGE OLSEN LOBBY
The lobby at the George Jenkins Athletic Academic Resource Center has been named for Dr. James Karge Olsen, former head of the Kent State Honors program and Jenkins’ mentor. Jenkins came to Kent State as a football student-athlete, served as co-captain and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in political science. Dr. Olsen taught constitutional law and jurisprudence courses and was the encouraging and driving force that led Jenkins to take the LSAT and eventually enroll in the University of Michigan Law School.
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