KENT, Ohio – Kent State's Director of Athletics Joel Nielsen recently announced a contract extension for Head Coach Karen Linder through the 2016 softball season.

Linder is entering her 16th season at the helm of the Golden Flashes, which has included an incredible run over the last six seasons. During those years, she has led the Flashes to five Mid-American Conference East Division titles, three MAC regular season championships, two MAC Tournament championships and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances.

Since taking over the program in 1996, Linder has helped produce one All-American, 14 All-Mid-East Region selections, 22 Academic All-District IV honorees, 48 Academic All-MAC picks, 42 All-MAC players, 16 MAC All-Tournament Team members, four MAC Pitchers of the Year, two MAC Tournament MVPs and one MAC Player of the Year. She has also been honored three times (2004, 2008, 2010) as the MAC Coach of the Year.

During her time in blue and gold, Linder has compiled a 428-350 (.561) record and served on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American Selection Committee, the Regional Ranking Committee and the MAC Executive Softball Committee.

While her team's success on the field is more than impressive, it is her team's success in the classroom that is unrivaled.  The 22-member squad recorded the highest cumulative GPA (3.55) in program history for the 2001 fall semester.

The Flashes will open their season Friday, Feb. 10, against CSU Bakersfield in the first of five weekend games at the UNLV Invitational.