The upperclassmen have seen the growth firsthand. Over their last three to four years on campus, there’s been an increasing buzz…a noticeable uptick in the community support and excitement around the Kent Denver athletic program. 

“It’s gotten a lot bigger,” said Kinaree Eichner ’25, a four-year varsity athlete in volleyball and the student representative for the KDS Board of Trustees. “The peer support has gotten better. That’s been a common trend, and it’s pointing upwards.”

From the support of student leadership, to the launch of new community athletic events, the explosion of our student-run sports network, Athletic Media Days, bigger crowds and enhanced social media coverage, the spotlight has never been brighter for varsity student-athletes on campus. 

“It definitely helps a lot being on the court,” Kinaree said. “Having that always makes you play better. And you’re having a lot of fun.”

Student Leadership

Stepping into her new student leadership role as a senior, while also competing as a star on the school’s varsity volleyball team, Kinaree has seen the game change from both sides of the action. 

Building on the momentum of recent years, the Class of 2025 has done a great job rallying the community in support of our sports teams—from generating excitement for big games and state playoff runs to developing and expanding traditions and celebrations like the Homecoming Pep Rally. 

Whether she’s leading cheers herself at a football or basketball game, or feeling the roar of the crowd from her fellow classmates, Kinaree says the difference in energy from her freshman year to now is palpable. 

“There’s a lot that student leadership is doing to get people excited about our sports games,” said Kinaree, who will be continuing her volleyball career at Middlebury College this fall. “We’re constantly thinking of new ideas and new activities to promote a greater sense of community behind our core athletics.”

New Traditions

Community engagement was top of mind last year when Kent Denver Athletics announced the creation of the Showdown Series. The new event takes place each athletic season, when the Sun Devils play rival Colorado Academy in a collection of games across all sports, all in one singular place, over the course of one or two days.

“It’s a perfect opportunity for our two schools to build community through sport in a healthy, competitive environment,” KDS Athletic Director Jeff Hollway said in the announcement. 

The inaugural Winter Showdown last January took place at the University of Denver and was a tremendous success. Large crowds of students, parents and alumni from both schools ventured over to DU’s campus to watch three thrilling games featuring varsity boys basketball, girls basketball and ice hockey. 

Then on April 12, Colorado Academy hosted the Spring Showdown Series on its campus—featuring exciting matchups in baseball, girls tennis, girls soccer and boys lacrosse. 

The biggest event yet came this fall—when Kent Denver was the host for an especially memorable Homecoming Weekend that included competition between the Sun Devils and Mustangs in cross country, boys soccer, boys tennis, field hockey and volleyball. 

The series now continues into its second year with another round of winter games at the University of Denver on Tuesday, February 4, and we hope the alumni community will come cheer on our Sun Devils.

“We’re so excited to continue to build up this incredible rivalry and give our athletes the showcase they deserve,” said Mr. Hollway. “Being in the arena or on the field for these great matchups, you really feel the excitement in the air. Having that big stage to perform and compete in front of classmates, families and the greater community is an experience we hope these students can cherish for years to come—especially when they come back to campus and continue to watch and support our teams after they graduate.”

Student Sports Network

Spectators at the Showdown Series and other athletic events throughout the year have probably noticed student reporters on the scene—cameras and microphones in hand. 

The school is now in year three of its very own student-run broadcast media signature program, the Kent Denver Sports Network. What started out as a random idea in class was later fleshed out and developed into a club by students under the direction of history teacher Dr. Sam Gubitz 

Eilee Matsuyama ’25—one of the three founders of KDSN, along with Maggie Frampton ‘25 and Parker Swanson ‘25—remembers how it all began. 

“Maggie and I were in Dr. Gubtiz’s history class freshman year, and I was just talking to her about how, as a freshman, what I had been thinking about for my high school experience—going to games and feeling that school spirit—my personal experience at the time was a little bit less than I expected,” Eilee recalls.  “(That school spirit) was something I wanted to create more of at the school because I thought it would create a tighter-knit community and one where students would be better recognized for their athletic achievements.”

Dr. Gubitz, who had just arrived at Kent Denver and was already overseeing the school’s student-run newspaper, The Sun Devils’ Advocate, overheard their conversation and talked them through it. A year later, KDSN was born. Both the broadcast network and school newspaper are advised by Dr. Gubitz and English teacher Ms. Sydney Lang.

“School spirit is really fun, and we should embrace all the things that make (Kent Denver) what it is,” said Eilee. “It’s honestly crazy to think that we created something that has helped with school spirit so much.” 

The digital sports media network has continued to evolve over the last three years, and now features a variety of fun athletics coverage throughout each season. That includes pre- and post-game video interviews, fun behind-the-scenes videos with athletes, promotional and celebratory social media posts and pictures on Instagram, occasional livestreaming and play-by-play of select big games and, most recently, the launch of a new bi-weekly podcast called Speak of the Devil. 

While the founding seniors are getting ready for graduation, the future of the program is in good hands—with a new crop of leaders who are ready to build on that foundation and take the program to even greater heights.

The newest senior producer is Brady Smith ’26, who has been heavily involved with the network since its inception his freshman year. 

“It’s great to see the growth it’s had because the larger something is, the more people it reaches, and the more people can be a part of it and discover a new passion,” said Brady, who is a co-host for the Speak of the Devil podcast and hopes to one day pursue a career in sports media. “It’s this sense of accomplishment for student-athletes to know that they are seen and valued. KDSN is a great way for us to shine a light on the program.” 

It’s also helpful as a recruiting tool, as students often share their video highlights with classmates who are looking to bolster their portfolio as they pursue college athletics. That benefits current students, like the 12 KDS seniors who recently announced their plans to play at the next level, and prospective families.  

“The more we can grow Kent Denver’s athletic presence, the more we can attract new students,” Brady said. “It shows, ‘Hey, we have a great sports program.’”

Media Day

Perhaps a big reason why Kent Denver student-athletes perform well in the big games is because they’re already used to the bright lights…literally. 

A big initiative the past few years from Kent Denver Athletics has been the growth of Athletics Media Day. The event takes place every sports season, where varsity athletes from each team get to step in front of a green screen and the accompanying lights and cameras of the production.

“Our goal is to promote the student-athletes at Kent Denver by using these photos and videos for game-day graphics, hype videos and more,” said Athletics Resident William Russum, who has spearheaded the effort the last two years. “It’s a fun way to encourage students, parents and members of the community to support the Sun Devils throughout the school year. It also shows the personality of our players, as we encourage the students at media day to have fun and be themselves.” 

The content from these media days has been a big driver for the social media presence of KDS Athletics, which has skyrocketed in recent years. 

“It’s super fun,” said Kinaree, who has participated in the last two fall media days with the volleyball team. “It’s a great way to form team bonding. Even when it’s embarrassing, everybody is in it together. But it’s a lot of fun, and it sparks conversations from friends when you see the posts on Instagram.” 

The overall growth in athletic coverage on social media—Instagram in particular for the official KDS Athletics account and student-run channels like Kent Denver Sports Network—has helped spread awareness with the greater community, parents and, of course, the students who are playing. 

“It’s a lot easier to get our message out,” Eilee said. “We (at KDSN) try to make posts that are funny and engaging that people can get excited about. Students really appreciate it because they get coverage not just as a student and as an athlete, but as a person.”

The spotlight is strong, and the community support is even stronger—as the school looks forward to an exciting future ahead for Kent Denver Athletics.