 As the home of Kent State University , Kent is also the home of the university 's athletic teams , the Golden Flashes , who compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) at the Division I level as a member of the Mid @-@ American Conference East Division . Several of Kent State 's teams have enjoyed league and national success , the most notable being the men 's basketball team 's run to the Elite Eight in the 2002 NCAA Tournament and the baseball team 's appearance in the 2012 College World Series . The 6 @,@ 327 @-@ seat Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center , commonly referred to as the MAC Center , is the site of a number of athletic events in multiple sports , including wrestling , women 's gymnastics , and women 's volleyball in addition to men 's and women 's basketball . It is also a regular site for the Mid @-@ American Conference 's wrestling and women 's gymnastics championships . 
