Kennesaw State Athletics Annual Report

2022 – 2023

By Kennesaw State University

December 11^th, 2023

Letter from the Athletic Director

Owl Nation,

There has never been a better time to be a Kennesaw State Owl and KSU Athletics 2024 is off to a productive start. We are thankful for what we have achieved together in FY23 fiscal year. We have a powerful combination of our present success, historical achievements, and bright future. While college sports shifts to a new model, rest assured that our core values and primary mission to graduate productive student-athletes is stronger than ever. I am proud to say that with the support of Kennesaw State President Kathy Schwaig, we have reached new heights, and we have a path to soar higher.

I appreciate you taking the time to read our annual report, where you will be reminded that together we danced in March Madness for the first time, won multiple national championships, excelled in the classroom on a conference and national level, gave back to our community, and did our best to better support the holistic well-being of our Owls.

It is important to take a few moments to pause and reflect on what has transpired through our journey. I cannot thank you enough for your support of our fantastic university and its athletic programs, and I look forward to even greater moments ahead for Kennesaw State. As we look to the future, we will be guided by our strategic roadmap to build champions in the classroom and provide the best college experience for our student-athletes that promotes comprehensive success in life.

We believe that KSU presents a unique opportunity for our student-athletes to succeed here and throughout life. Our strategic plan was calculated with that in mind with input from the same constituents that impact the lives of our Owls.

Milton Overton | KSU Athletics Director

Strategic Plan

In 2021, the Kennesaw State Athletics Department launched a strategic plan built on five key pillars – Student-Athlete Welfare, Growth, Communication, Athletics Sustainability, and a commitment to an Inclusive Championship Culture. These KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) serve as our roadmap and guiding principles we use for measuring our success. Included in our strategic plan is a commitment to foster an inclusive climate and culture. We have made tremendous progress towards our plan since the announcement in October 2022 of joining Conference USA and excited for the opportunities 2024 will bring to Kennesaw State Athletics.

Strong in the Classroom

It’s established that the word “student” always comes first when describing student-athletes. The emphasis couldn’t be greater at KSU, where we foster a culture of academic achievement for all who proudly wear black and gold on behalf of our institution.

The numbers speak for themselves. Over the previous year, KSU posted an outstanding student-athlete graduation success rate of 84 percent, and 17 Owls were named to their CSC Academic All-District teams for the 2022-23 seasons. Six teams – men’s and women’s cross country, women’s track and field, women’s tennis, lacrosse, and volleyball – earned All-Academic honors as a unit, while individual members of the women’s tennis, women’s and men’s golf, men’s and women’s cross country and lacrosse teams were honored.

Four student-athletes – Michael Benefield and Charles Remy, of the football team and Kierra Cooper and Kyarra Newton, of the softball team – were named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars by the publication Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. The award pays tribute to their commitment to education and sports, echoing the legacy of tennis icon Arthur Ashe Jr. Link to full Story.

Additionally, Sarah Hendrick became just the second Owl to be named CSC Academic All-American in back-to-back years. She is the third KSU student-athlete to earn first-team Academic All-American.

STRONG IN THE GAME

As our Owls reached new heights in the classroom, they galvanized our pursuit of a championship culture with their excellence in the field of play. Despite being picked to finish eighth in the ASUN Conference preseason poll, the men’s basketball team shocked the world by tallying 26 wins en route to its first winning season as a Division I program, first ASUN Conference title, and its first berth in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The resulting coverage generated more than 32 billion online impressions, equal to more than $305 million in media value for the University.

While scores of Owl fans cheered our programs from the stands, another set of student-athletes were perfecting their craft on the sidelines. Kennesaw State’s cheerleading team capped off a noteworthy season of its own at the 2023 NCA Collegiate Nationals, winning its second consecutive national championship in the intermediate small co-ed division.

The 2022-23 seasons also saw tremendous individual efforts by Owls on a national stage. Isaiah Rogers became just the second KSU student-athlete to take home a Division I national title by capturing the indoor track and field championship in the weight throw. Sarah Hendrick, one of the most decorated athletes in KSU history, earned her sixth consecutive All-American honor at the NCAA Track and Field Championships in Austin, Texas. Her teammate, Kali Terza, earned All-America Honorable Mention honors after finishing 17th in the hammer throw.

On the gridiron, Kennesaw State football celebrated yet another milestone as defensive lineman Travis Bell became the program’s first NFL draft pick when the Chicago Bears called his name in the seventh round.

The Kennesaw State cheerleading team took home another national championship at the 2023 NCA Collegiate Nationals. The co-ed team took home its second consecutive national championship in the intermediate small co-ed division with a score of 97.3079 points, edging the College of Charleston's 96.2893 for the trophy.

COMMUNITY IMPACT

At KSU, we recognize that our success is made possible by the mutually beneficial relationships we build with our broader community. The lynchpin in this relationship is the way our student-athletes lend their time and skills to give back to local efforts. In March, the KSU football team participated in Read Across America Week by reading aloud to children at Lewis Elementary School and Big Shanty Intermediate School. A month later, several Owl student-athletes joined Walton Communities for its annual Walton Day by conducting sports clinics for local youths. Click here to read more.

The 2022-23 seasons also saw the highly anticipated return of Griffin’s Game and Lexi’s Day. Since 2007, KSU softball has partnered with the Alexis Kaiser Foundation to host Lexi’s Day, which raises money and awareness for children in metro Atlanta who live with neuromuscular ailments. This year's honoree was Jenna Hicky, of Lassiter High School. Griffin’s Game is an annual volleyball fundraiser with donations benefiting a local family battling childhood cancer. The event is named in honor of head coach Keith Schunzel’s son, Griffin, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. This year, Marietta’s Emily Kate McKinney and her family were recognized at the game.

Another way we keep the community engaged is by increasing accessibility to KSU athletics. Buoyed by the tireless efforts of the KSU Owl Network, it is now easier than ever to tune into Kennesaw State sporting events. Over the last year, the network produced more than 100 events, tallying more than 5.6 million minutes watched and more than 462,000 unique viewers for KSU home games on the ESPN+ streaming service. For the first time, the KSU Owl Network was a finalist in two Sports Video Group categories: Outstanding Live Non-Game Production and Outstanding Social Media Video.

A focus of the KSU Owl Network is to give KSU students job-ready experiences. KSU Owl Network interns have leveraged their experiences for opportunities with Turner Broadcasting, the ASUN Conference, American Idol, local news stations, and more.

To further increase community buy-in, KSU Athletics has partnered with the Aspire Sport Marketing Group to bolster ticket sales, leading to a large uptick in group ticket sales for men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball. Through the partnership, KSU and Aspire have focused on growing relationships with local youth organizations and businesses in the broader community. Link to story

Hall of Fame

SUSTAINABILITY

Fundraising

The generous support of our donors in FY23 will pave the way for the largest capital investments in KSU Athletics history, constructing sports facilities needed to compete at the championship level within Conference USA. Friends of KSU Athletics contributed at the 5,6 and 7 figure giving levels last season, surpassing the highest expectations of this great university.

Throughout 2022 and 2023, you have generously supported numerous people, organizations, communities, and causes. Your passion for KSU Athletics and giving back to the community continues. Finding a way to show our gratitude and to share some of those stories of the legacy you’ve built will be a priority as we move into the next phase of our university’s excellence and Athletics ascension.

Thank you for your commitment and these fond memories!

Numerous efforts have been made to sustain the momentum KSU Athletics has experienced both on and off the court, through aggressive fundraising, facility enhancements, and initiatives that protect the well-being of our student-athletes.

Over the last year, Kennesaw State has seen a remarkable surge in fundraising efforts led by 10 major gifts and a 100 percent increase in fundraising from the previous fiscal year. The growth in fundraising and revenue generation has opened new doors for facility improvements. Notably, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved plans for a $12 million renovation of KSU baseball’s Stillwell Stadium which is scheduled to break ground upon the conclusion of the 2024 baseball season.

An overview of giving opportunities and capital projects can be found here https://www.kennesaw.edu/giving/campaign/community.php#champions.

Earlier this year, KSU's practice facility weight room floor was resurfaced to enhance the training area and improve student-athlete performance.

KSU Athletics sponsorships have continued to grow, with the 2022-23 seasons marking the most successful year to date. Since the 2018-19 season, Kennesaw State’s cash and trade value has grown nearly 95 percent to more than $1.5 million. For his efforts, KSU Athletics General Manager Joe Harrington was named a finalist for Van Wagner College’s General Manager of the Year for 2022-23, having previously won the award in 2021-22.

Recently, a great partnership was made more substantial, as KSU executed a stadium naming rights agreement extension with Fifth Third Bank in a deal worth up to $15 million over the next 10 years. This represents a 130% increase in the banking category of our corporate sponsorships.

Since announcing our reclassification to the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), KSU has signed over $5 million in-game guarantees. These include expanding KSU’s brand nationwide with executed and pending contracts with Big 10, ACC, and American Conference Teams in 2024, 2025 and 2027.

A strategic focus on group sales led to increased group ticket sales for men’s and women’s basketball and baseball, and in turn, has broadened the range of Owl Nation. KSU brought fans into the action and surpassed the department’s goal for men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and baseball combined sales by setting a new combined ticket sales high with $132,368 in revenue.

By way of record years in fundraising, corporate sponsorships, and ticket sales, Kennesaw State Athletics recorded over $7 million in total revenue generation for 2022-23.

In the meantime, KSU Athletics has implemented a multitude of mental and physical health programs that continue to provide an elite level of care for our student-athletes. The department has increased access to medical support clinics and mental health resources. Additionally, KSU has facilitated more than $39,000 in nutrition enhancements for its student-athletes.

LOOKING FORWARD

KSU Athletics will have new peaks to conquer in the year ahead as we officially join Conference USA and transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision on July 1, 2024. The move will bring with it elevated competition for all sports as KSU rejoins familiar foes and tackles new opponents stretching from Florida to New Mexico. Beyond the playing field, Conference USA will open new doors for research and academic collaboration and increase exposure for the Kennesaw State brand on a national scale.

Thank You!

Footnotes

Athletics Team: Liam Kissinger, Sanders Sullivan, Brandon Bedford, Nolan Alexander, KSU Owl Network creative students | Photography: Judith Pishnery, Darnell Wilburn, Dave Williamson | Video: Phil Wirsig, Andre Quiles, Ben Versola, Bryce Hunter | Graphics: Sophie Schohan, Krystal Bailey | Text: Travis Highfield | Page Design: Judith Pishnery