For the third consecutive year, five Kent State teams received NCAA Public Recognition Awards for outstanding academic performance, the most by any Mid-American Conference Institution. Six Golden Flashes programs ranked No. 1 among MAC teams.
Gymnastics, volleyball, women's basketball, women's cross country and women's golf all received NCAA accolades for perfect multi-year scores of 1,000. Softball joined those five teams as APR leaders in the conference. Following close behind were baseball, football, wrestling and soccer, who all ranked in the MAC's top three. Men's basketball ranked fourth in the conference, helping put 12 of Kent State's 16 teams in the MAC's top five and all four of Kent State's MAC priority sports (football 2nd, women's basketball 1st, volleyball 1st) in the top four.