KENT, Ohio — For the 11th time in the last 12 years, Kent State is the top Mid-American Conference finisher in the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup. The 73rd-place national finish marks the 14th time in the 18-year history of the award that the Golden Flashes have been the number one MAC school in the rankings.

In addition to their national finish, the Golden Flashes were second among Ohio’s 13 Division I schools and 12th among non-BCS schools with 265 points. Kent State finished more than 100 points clear of Akron (163.5) — whose 102nd-place showing made it the next-best finisher in the MAC. Overall, Stanford finished with 1,550.25 points to easily outdistance runner-up Ohio State (1,277.05).

“Kent State athletics has long been synonymous with success both in competition and in the classroom, and this year’s achievements continue that tradition,” says Kent State Director of Athletics Joel Nielsen. “Across the board, our teams continue to succeed because of the support of the entire university and dedication of our fans, alumni and community.”

During the 2010-11 school year, baseball, men’s and women’s golf and gymnastics advanced to NCAA postseason play, while women’s outdoor track & field and wrestling scored team points through individual advancement to NCAA competition. All told, seven Golden Flash teams combined to win a total of nine Mid-American Conference championships (five tournament, four regular season) as Kent State earned its sixth Reese Trophy for overall men’s athletic excellence in the MAC.

The Directors’ Cup is presented annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), Learfield Sports and USA Today to the best overall collegiate athletics programs in the country in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III and the NAIA. Instituted in Division I for the 1993-94 school year, the Directors’ Cup measures an institution’s performance in up to 20 sports (10 men’s and 10 women’s) at the NCAA level.

Kent State in the 2010-11 Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup