Established in 1910 by the State of Ohio as a teachers' training college, Kent State Normal School rapidly evolved into a major research university during the first half of the 20th century. Kent State University Athletics chronicles the highlights of sports history during the institution's first 100 years. As athletics evolved from its close relation to physical education training and intramural play to varsity intercollegiate programs competing at the Division I level, a number of outstanding athletes, teams, and coaches arose, including several Olympic competitors and future professional athletes.