Cleveland State Athletics Releases 2023-24 Department Annual Report
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland State Department of Athletics has released its 2023-24 Annual Report, recapping all of the highlights and celebrating the numerous achievements from the past year.
 
2023-24 ANNUAL REPORT {PDF VERSION} | 2023-24 ANNUAL REPORT {ISSUU VERSION}
 
Viking Family,
It is an honor to present our 2023-24 Cleveland State University Athletics Annual Report to CSU alumni, supporters, fans, and all Vikings across Northeast Ohio and beyond! I have had the privilege of serving as your Director of Athletics these last seven months, and enjoy connecting with each and every one of you as we        continue our work to deliver champions in the classroom, in the community and through competition.
 
We are once again extremely proud of what our student-athletes were able to achieve in and out of competition during the 2023-24 academic year. The 365+ Cleveland State student-athletes posted back-to-back semesters with over a 3.0 cumulative GPA – extending the streak to 35 straight semesters – recorded countless hours of community service in the greater Cleveland area, and combined for 11 individual and team league championships behind 17 major all-league honors.
 
Your increased event attendance, engagement with Viking teams and student-athletes across social media, and all-time high donations to CSU Athletics through team fundraisers, facility campaigns, Giving Day, and Viking Fund memberships continues to support our coaches and staff as they deliver a transformational student-athlete experience in so many ways.
 
We look forward to your continued loyalty and support as we embark on the opportunity to log an even better year in 2024-25!
 
Thank you and Go Vikes!

Kelsie Gory Harkey | Cleveland State Athletics Director
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Take a look below for a summary of CSU Athletics accomplishments from the year, or CLICK HERE to view the complete 2023-24 Annual Report.
 
DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS
The Cleveland State Department of Athletics had a number of record-breaking performances throughout 2023-24, including 45,000+ fans in attendance at athletic events, 350,000+ viewers on national TV and streaming platforms, and over $1.3 million raised in philanthropic support. Throughout the year, the Vikings put an emphasis on student-athlete engagement, providing programming with Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives, Name, Image, Likeness educational sessions, professional development, and more. In addition, the athletic department hosted various alumni gatherings during the year, welcoming back over 150 former Vikings to games, meet & greets and other outings.
 
ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS
For the 35^th straight semester Cleveland State recorded a department GPA of 3.00 or higher, with 280 student-athletes owning a 3.25+ grade point average. The Vikings combined for 32 conference All-Academic honors on the year, while Kiersten Clark (women's soccer) and Jenna Deang (softball) were named Valedictorians of the Washkewicz College of Engineering and Monte Ahuja College of Business, respectively. In Fall of 2023, the Vikings unveiled renovations and enhancements to the Academic Centers in the Wolstein Center and PE Building, providing new-look study hall areas, collaboration spaces and conference room updates in addition to updated technology, signage and graphics.
 
CAMPUS + COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HIGHLIGHTS
Cleveland State student-athletes completed over 900 community service hours throughout the 2023-24 academic year, led by the ESports program earning the MEC Social Impact Award for their work with various initiatives throughout the season. In addition, the Vikings had a major impact on Cleveland area schools, hosting various youth days, camps and clinics, and the annual Health + Hoops Game that welcomed over 3,000 fans to the Wolstein Center.
 
ATHLETIC COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS
Behind 18 major awards – including five coach of the year honors – and numerous All-League accolades, the Vikings combined for over 160 wins during 2023-24, capturing 11 team and individual league championships. Men's tennis and softball won their respective Horizon League Tournaments and made appearances in the NCAA Tournament, while women's basketball, women's tennis and ESports each won regular season titles. In addition, five Vikings captured individual championships during the year; Grace Chelf (women's swim & dive), Grace Frye (outdoor track & field), Jesse Ndjeka (men's fencing), Jackson Nester (men's swim & dive), and Ben Smith (wrestling).