KENT, Ohio – The national anthem at sporting events has been a hot button topic in 2016. While some have chosen to sit or stand, the Kent State men's basketball team decided to take a different route.
Prior to the Star Spangled Banner being played for Kent State's home opener against Mississippi Valley State, each of Kent State's men's basketball student-athletes chose to select a fan of a different race from the crowd to stand with them in solidarity during the national anthem. The decision to use the national anthem as a time to show solidarity in our diverse campus community was made by the team's seniors and captains, not athletic department officials.