Annual Athletics Auction Brings in Student-Athlete Scholarship Funds
4/30/2019 9:32:00 AM | General
KENT, Ohio – Kent State athletics had a banner evening April 26 as it hosted the Athletics Scholarship Auction at the Memorial Athletic Convocation Center.
While welcoming back former Golden Flash, Judy Devine, Kent State raised a net $112,387.02 from 403 registered bidders benefiting student-athlete scholarships. The silent auction pulled in $39,924, while the live auction raised $30,550.
"These scholarships are vital to a college education," said Devine. "It's an avenue to get a college education. And to combine that with their wonderful athletic talents that they have worked so hard over the years to develop. Then to reward that with a college education, that is priceless. So it is very important to these student-athletes."
The Flasher Brass band welcomed patrons on the front steps of the M.A.C. Center and later performed inside where more than 138 items were up for bid in both silent and live auctions.
The evening featured several gourmet food stations, an open bar, and the chance to meet and mingle with Kent State student-athletes and coaches.
A section of the old scoreboard was sold for $3,200 during the silent auction, while an ocean front condo in Cabo sold for $5,500 during the live auction.
At this year's event, emcee Ty Linder was joined on stage by men's basketball head coach Rob Senderoff and head football coach Sean Lewis for the live auction. Devine spoke to the crowd prior to the auction beginning.
Devine was inducted into the Varsity "K" Hall of Fame in 2003, the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame in 2014 and the National Field Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame in 2017. The matriarch of Kent State athletics, she first came to the University in 1969. When Kent State incorporated women's sports into varsity athletics, Devine served as the first head women's basketball coach, the first head field hockey coach and became an assistant athletic director in 1975.
Some of Devine's many other roles included physical education professor, athletic trainer, assistant softball coach and academic counselor. In 1978, she was promoted to associate athletic director and retired from her post as senior associate athletics director in 2000. Devine also served on and chaired numerous institutional, conference and NCAA committees. She received the Ohio House of Representatives Special Recognition Award and the Ohio Senate Special Recognition Award in 2000. In 2012, she earned national recognition with a Title IX Trailblazer Award.
