Best of Kent: Best Coach
First Place – Rob Senderoff
Kent State men’s basketball coach Rob Senderoff finished the 2017-18 season, his seventh with the program, with an overall record of 139-98. Senderoff has one NCAA Tournament appearance after leading the Flashes to the Mid-American Conference title last season.
Throughout the 2017-18 season, questions arose as to whether the Kent State men’s team would be able to replace Jimmy Hall and Deon Edwin. Despite ups and downs during the nonconference season and early parts of MAC play, Senderoff managed to right the ship and lead Kent State to another record above .500, which Senderoff has done in all seven of his years here.
Senderoff has beaten four Power Five opponents in his tenure as Kent State coach, including a 70-60 win at West Virginia in his coaching debut and a 79-78 victory over Oregon State on Dec. 21, 2017.
Second place – Jeff Duncan
Kent State baseball coach Jeff Duncan has had resounding success since taking over the program in 2013, and this season has been no different. Heading into this season, Duncan had a 148-77 overall record, including 72-30 in the MAC. During Duncan’s tenure, the Flashes have swept 10 MAC series and only been swept once.
Duncan’s Flashes are enjoying a 22-10 record, including 9-3 in the MAC, and are currently on a six-game winning streak. Kent State has already beaten three Power Five teams on the road this season: No. 7 Arkansas on March 9, Notre Dame on March 27 and Pitt on April 10.
Third place – Herb Page
Kent State men’s golf coach Herb Page is as close to an institution as they come at Kent State. Page took the mantle as coach of the men’s golf team in 1978, and before that, he lettered in golf, hockey and football as a student-athlete at Kent State between 1970 and 1974.
Since then, the awards and recognition have come in droves. Page has been named the MAC coach of the year 22 times and has been inducted into six Halls of Fame. He has coached over 101 all-conference golfers and 23 all-Americans, including professionals like Ben Curtis and Mackenzie Hughes.
Page has led the Kent State men’s golf team to three top-10 national finishes and NCAA Regional titles in 1993, 2001 and 2010.
Cameron Hoover is the sports editor. Contact him at [email protected].