Kent State Claims Tenth Jacoby Trophy
6/4/2021 11:02:00 AM | General, The Golden Flashes Club
CLEVELAND – Kent State was honored by the Mid-American Conference (MAC) with the Jacoby Trophy as the top women's athletics program during the 2020-21 academic year. This marks the 10th time in school history and the first time since 2016 for the Golden Flashes to claim the Jacoby Trophy.
"As a department, we pride ourselves in comprehensive excellence both on and off the playing surface," Director of Athletics Randale L. Richmond said. "It is paramount that our staff serves and supports all of our student-athletes and we are absolutely thrilled to see the success of our women's programs receiving this great accolade. I am incredibly proud of their hard work that ultimately led to this great accomplishment."
Kent State competed in 11 women's sports during the 2020-21 academic year, winning conference championships in golf and outdoor track and field. Field hockey finished as MAC runner-up, while gymnastics, lacrosse and softball placed third in the conference standings. Basketball (fifth), volleyball (fifth) and indoor track and field (sixth) also finished in the top half of the MAC.
Golf extended its streak to 22 consecutive MAC titles and placed 17th at the NCAA Championships, while Chloe Salort advanced individually to the final round of stroke play. Caley McGinty and Emily Price both earned WGCA All-America honors.
Outdoor track and field captured its first conference crown since 2014 and was led by throwers Grace Tennant and Gabby Bailey. Tennant received the Most Valuable Performer award by winning the javelin throw and placing second in two additional events, while Bailey won both the discus throw and shot put titles. Leah Pasqualetti added an individual title in the pole vault. Bailey and Pasqualetti will represent the Flashes at the NCAA Outdoor Championships next week.
Field hockey went 11-3 during the 2020 season, which was played in the spring of 2021, and outscored its opposition 46-16. Kent State's explosive offense ranked third in the NCAA in goals per game (3.29) and points per game (9.29). Clara Rodriguez Seto received NFHCA All-West Region Second Team recognition for the third year in a row.
Gymnastics placed third at the MAC Championships and competed in the NCAA Morgantown Regional. The Flashes ranked 18th in the nation on floor exercise and were led by All-MAC Second Team performers Rachel DeCavitch and Abby Fletcher.
Lacrosse tied for third during the conference's inaugural season and posted a program record five wins. Abby Jones and Graceyn Dean earned All-MAC First Team honors after setting single-season records for goals and caused turnovers, respectively.
Softball's 23-16 record in MAC play included a four-game series sweep of rival Akron. Five student-athletes were selected to the All-MAC Second Team, while Jessica LeBeau became the fourth Kent State freshman to record at least 200 strikeouts.
Since the MAC began awarding the Jacoby Trophy in 1983, Kent State has won or finished runner-up in 19 of the 38 years it has been presented.
The Golden Flashes also had a strong showing in men's sports with a fourth-place finish in the Reese Trophy standings.
