KENT- Kent State Director of Athletics, Randale L. Richmond is pleased to announce the hiring of Kelly Jean Brock as the department's new Senior Associate Athletic Director.
In this position, Brock will serve as the chief academic officer overseeing the athletic academic support program for more than 475 student-athletes. Additionally, she will provide leadership in the areas of student-athlete development, DEIB, Coaches Leadership Academy, and serve as the sport administrator for select teams.
"I am really excited to have Kelly join our Golden Flashes' family," Richmond said. "Her leadership experience across multiple levels of college athletics is extremely impressive and her desire to serve students really showed during the interview process. I am looking forward to working with her as we continue to graduate student-athletes, boldly prepared for life after sport and win championships."
Brock comes to the Golden Flashes after nine years at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) where she served as the Associate AD for Academics and Regulatory Affairs since 2018. Prior to her promotion to Associate AD, she served as the Director of the Hartley Academic Resource Center since 2014 and was elevated to an Assistant AD role in 2015.
During her time with the Eagles, Brock also oversaw the Compliance Department, was a member of senior and executive staff in the athletics department and served on the Student Success and Enrollment Management Leadership Team. She also served as the Director of FGCU's Professional Development Institute and took on a leadership role with the "Wings Up Women" initiative, which enhanced the female student-athletes at FGCU through raising funds to reach and sustain NCAA full-scholarships limits.
"I am thrilled to accept this new opportunity and am excited to bring my expertise and dedication to the team," Brock said. "Kent State University and their Athletic Department instantly stood out during the search process, and I would like to thank Randale L. Richmond, Greg Glaus, and the wonderful search committee for sharing the vision, success, and growth of the Golden Flashes with me. I look forward to getting started."
Prior to her time at FGCU, Brock worked in the athletic departments of DePaul (Big East), Tennessee (SEC) and Minnesota (Big Ten). She helped student-athletes and teams set academic records in the classroom while making an Elite 8 appearance, winning the NIT Championship, and having several players drafted in the NBA. She also partnered with the NBA and NFL to help former students come back to college and graduate.
Brock is a member of the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics (N4A) and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), where she has served in multiple roles on the Board of Directors. Brock is also a member of Women Leaders in College Sports. She received the N4A Professional Promise Award in 2007 and has since presented on several topics at the organization's regional and national convention and been published on athletic professional development programming. She is also a 2015 graduate of the Women Leaders in College Sports (formerly NACWAA) Institute for Administrative Advancement.
The Michigan native attended Florida State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in political science and sport management. She earned a Master of Science in student-athlete development from Michigan State University and is currently working toward a Doctorate in Business Administration from the University of South Florida.
