First Flashes | Kent State star golfer Jordan Gilkison wins 2022 Ohio Open

Kent State star golfer Jordan Gilkison, the reigning MAC Freshman of the Year, closed strong to capture the 2022 Ohio Open. He joins fellow former Golden Flashes stars Rob Moss and Danny Sahl as winners of the event, and became the first amateur to hoist the trophy in over 40 years.

Gilkison closed with a 5-under-par 65 on June 29 at Westfield Country Club North to finish the three-round event at 10-under, good for a one-stroke victory.

"I didn't get off to a great start. But after the second round I was only a shot back, and I knew if I kept playing well that I had a chance to win it," said Gilkison. "I had been striking the ball really well, and the putts ended up falling my way."

Jordan’s brother Josh Gilkison, who claimed the individual title at the 2022 Mid-American Conference Championship for the Flashes, finished fourth at the Ohio Open.

"The Open has a mix of all the best amateurs in Ohio along with a lot of really good pro talent," Josh Gilkison said. "We felt like if we played well that either of us could win, but that was more of a hope than an expectation."

Jordan is preparing to lead Kent State into the 2022-23 season, while Josh is now focused on a professional golf career.

Sicking joins Kent State women's golf program

Hester Sicking has joined the Kent State women’s golf program after transferring from South Dakota State. The Netherlands native is 16th in the Dutch Ladies Rankings, with victories in both club and national team championships.

"We are excited to have Hester join the Golden Flashes," KSU head coach Casey VanDamme said. "She is a great addition to our program, and her athleticism and power are the strengths of her game. Hester is a great person and will represent us at the highest level.”

Sicking competed in all 10 events last season at South Dakota State and earned three top-10 finishes, including a runner-up effort at the Jackrabbit Invitational.

Tennant named Academic All-American

Kent State track and field star Grace Tennant has been named a Third Team Academic All-American.

Tennant, who graduated with a degree in physical education and entered her final semester with a 3.828 cumulative GPA, is the 14th Academic All-American in Flashes track and field history. The fifth-year thrower from Ontario held top-50 national rankings in both the discus and shot put, and earned Second Team All-MAC honors in the javelin last season.

Tennant recorded new personal-best marks during the 2022 outdoor season in both the discus (181 feet, 2 inches) and shot put (53-11.25). Both marks rank sixth in KSU history.

Kent State women's soccer recruiting class announced

The Kent State women’s soccer program has added the following eight recruits to its 2022 roster:

Mary Kate Lape (Forward/Connellsville, Pa.) - A four-time All-County and four-time All-Section selection during her high school career.

Jillian Marvin (Outside Forward, Back/Pittsburgh, Pa.) - A team captain for the Beadling Soccer Club, tallied 45 goals and 35 assists during her high school career.

Katerina Kostouros (Midfielder/Cave Creek, Ari.) - Named to the Arizona All-Region First Team and earned Offensive Player of the Year honors during her senior year, when she collected 25 goals and 23 assists.

Julia Kempf (Midfielder/Vernon Hills, Ill.) - A two-time State Cup Champion and a 2022 USYS National Championship Qualifier as a member of Chicago FC United.

Kelsey Salopek (Midfielder/Munhall, Pa.) - Scored 117 goals and added 72 assists at Steel Valley High School to earn Post-Gazette Player of the Year honors.

Taylor English (Midfielder/Aurora, Ill.) - Helped the Sockers FC Chicago club team to a 2017 Midwest Championship.

Abby Breitschuh (Centerback, Outside Back/Rochester Hills, Mich.) - The lone defender in KSU’s 2022 signing class helped the Nationals Girls Academy club team win a GA National Championship in 2021.

Bella DaPra (Midfielder/Canonsburg, Pa.) - Named to the ODP All-Region team twice, made the IMG Select Team, and received an invitation to the National Training Center.

Brekke joins Flashes volleyball coaching staff

Tamika Brekke has been named an assistant coach for the Kent State volleyball team under first-year head coach Haley Eckerman. She spent the past 13 months on staff at Kansas State.

"It's awesome to have Tamika join our staff," Eckerman said. "She really connected with the team on her interview, and is invested into learning more about each person she encounters and how she can help make them the best player. She comes from a great program at K-State where she got the chance to learn from Suzie Fritz, who is someone I look up to in the coaching world."

Brekke played Division I volleyball at North Carolina Central and North Dakota, where she helped the Fighting Hawks capture back-to-back Big Sky Tournament championships. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of North Dakota in 2018, and a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from Western New Mexico University in 2021.

Johnson leaves KSU softball coaching staff

Kent State softball associate head coach Emma Johnson has resigned in order to pursue other interests.

Johnson has assisted Flashes' pitchers since July of 2017. She was a star hurler for Kent State, earning MAC Pitcher of the Year honors twice (2013, 2015). Johnson finished third in the nation with a 0.95 ERA as a senior while leading the Flashes to a 41-13 record and to the 2015 MAC regular season title.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Kent State golf star Jordan Gilkison won the 2022 Ohio Open