First Place: Veronika Kedronova
Kent State women’s golfer Veronika Kedronova was named the first-place women’s athlete.
“I didn’t really expect it, so it is a really nice surprise,” Kedronova said. “It means a lot to be recognized like that, especially with how many good athletes there are here.”
Kedronova is a junior from the Czech Republic. She was selected to compete for the Czech Republic at the 2025 World Amateur Team Championships in Singapore.
“I am extremely proud of how much I’ve grown, especially mentally and in how I approach the game,” Kedronova said. “I feel like I’ve become way more consistent and just more confident in myself.”
This is her third season with the Flashes, and she has stood out since the beginning. She currently ranks 273rd in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Kedronova’s freshman year was where it all started; she finished third at the MAC Championships helping the Golden Flashes claim the team title.
She was also named MAC Freshman of the Year and was awarded MAC Golfer of the Week three times throughout her freshman career.
“I chose Kent State because I really like coach VanDamme and the program really stood out to me,” Kedronova said. “He wasn’t afraid to tell me that some things in my game weren’t perfect, but at the same time, he knew exactly how to work on them and was confident he could make me better.”
Her sophomore year followed the same dominant fashion. She was named MAC Golfer of the Year, named to the All-MAC First Team and led the team with a 72.83 scoring average.
She’s a junior this season, and this year is where her biggest accomplishments have appeared.
Kedronova set a new program record for 54-hole score with a 13-under-par 203 at the Landfall Tradition. She beat the record of 204 that had been held since 2016, and earned an exemption to the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open with her victory at the Canadian Collegiate.
Not only has she excelled in the states, but Kedronova was also the winner of the U18 Czech International Junior Amateur Championship. The women’s golf team has been consistently strong for years now, and Kedronova has just been adding to its success.
Second Place: Dionna Gray
Senior guard Dionna Gray is from Huntington, West Virginia, and has been with the Kent State women’s basketball team since 2022.
“I’m really excited and honestly just grateful,” Gray said. “Being recognized like that means a lot, especially knowing how many talented people and teams there are at Kent.”
During her sophomore season, she led the team with 84 assists and a 1.72 assist-to-turnover ratio as well as totaling 27 steals on the season. She also tied her career-high with 14 points in the MAC Tournament Championship against Buffalo.
Her junior season was one of her best yet as she started all 28 games at point guard. Gray also ranked third in the MAC with 4.9 assists per game. She averaged 8.5 points per game, which was her highest yet.
Gray got her first double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds against Miami in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals.
The West Virginia native discussed how her family helped her most throughout her career.
“I would say my family has been my biggest inspiration,” Gray said. “Growing up, I was always surrounded by people who pushed me to be better and stay focused on my goals.”
She scored the most points of her career in her junior year, scoring 237 in total for the 24-25 season.
Gray’s senior season was also one of her best, where she averaged 5.6 points per game with four rebounds and five assists. This past season was her best in total assists, having 153 and 121 rebounds to end the season.
“My biggest accomplishment has been the impact I’ve been able to make beyond basketball,” Gray said. “I’m proud of how I’ve used my platform to give back and represent student-athletes.”
Third Place: Brynn Libler
Brynn Libler is a senior utility player for the Kent State women’s softball team from Pendleton, Indiana.
Libler broke out in her sophomore season, when she appeared in 43 games and made 40 starts. She hit .268 and had 18 RBIs to end the season. She also totaled 33 hits, including eight extra-base hits and one home run.
Her junior season was when she really stepped up.
Libler was named to the All-MAC Second Team and started in all 51 games for the Flashes. She hit .365 with 14 RBIs to end the season. She notched a roster leading 61 hits, with 13 extra-base hits and one home run.
“Her loyalty and leadership, I think, is outstanding,” coach Jessica O’Donnell said. “She knows what it takes to compete and win.”
Libler has stepped up to the plate and made herself an important piece of this Flashes team. She’s hit above the .300 mark for most of the season, is currently second in home runs and RBI.
Emily Bezjak is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
