'We don't really have somebody like that': Why Kent State basketball covets Caitlyn Holmes

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'We don't really have somebody like that': Why Kent State basketball covets Caitlyn Holmes

Nate Ulrich, Akron Beacon Journal · Akron Beacon Journal

Fri, Feb 28, 2025 ·

8 min read

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KENT — Online driving directions from Ellet Community Learning Center to the M.A.C. Center at Kent State University list the distance between Caitlyn Holmes' high school and future college home basketball courts as 11 miles.

One of the most decorated players in City Series girls hoops history, Holmes recently closed the book on her Ellet career with the program's first appearance in a district final, a season-ending 55-37 loss to Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy on Saturday in Division III, Northeast 4.

What lies ahead for Holmes a short way down Interstate 76 from Akron's east side is highly anticipated by Kent State women's basketball coach Todd Starkey and his staff.

"Based on some of the intangibles and some of the things that she can do, she has a chance to be a very good college player," Starkey told the Beacon Journal during an interview in his office Monday.

At least one intangible jumps off the screen. Whenever Starkey would attend Ellet games to watch Holmes, she would send him text messages afterward to ask for coaching tips.

"Kids that really want to be critiqued, want coaching, you find that less and less these days," Starkey said. "There's a lot of fertile ground there for growth when a player really seeks that out.

"That's not a typical thing for high school kids to just ask questions about how they can improve their game all the time, so she's unique. She loves to play. She's got a love for the game. She's a great teammate, and I think she's just really excited about the next level."

Holmes is a basketball junkie. She frequently watches herself on game film, but she also routinely studies undersized guards, including Elliot Cadeau of the University of North Carolina, Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks and Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks .

"I just want to get better," Holmes told the Beacon Journal by phone Wednesday. "I just want to be really good, and I want to make a name for myself in college."

Ellet's Caitlyn Holmes eyes a free throw against Garfield on Jan. 30, 2025, in Akron, Ohio.

How Kent State basketball recruited Akron Ellet star Caitlyn Holmes

Starkey said he believes KSU assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Alexa Golden is the first person who put Holmes on his radar.

"She's an explosive guard with a ball in her hands," Starkey said. "She's what we really refer to as a playmaking guard. You can't pigeonhole her as a point guard or a scoring guard or a two guard or an off guard. She's a dynamic player with a ball in her hands, and she's so good in the open court. When there isn't set defense, she really has the ability to attack baseline to baseline and operate very effectively in space and just has some instincts in the open court that are uncommon.

"We saw that, and we were like, 'Well, we don't really have somebody like that currently on the roster, and moving forward as players graduate and stuff, we're going to need some players that we feel like can be an impact.' So we started the process of recruiting her."

Kent State coach Todd Starkey on the sidelines as the Golden Flashes battle Ball State in a MAC Tournament semifinal on Friday, March 15, 2024, in Cleveland.

Starkey and his staff got to know Holmes and Ellet coach Nick Harris. Shortly before her sophomore season began, Holmes attended Kent State's game against Florida State on Nov. 10, 2022, and received an offer from KSU afterward. She verbally committed on Dec. 14, 2023, and signed late last year with fellow guards Anna Campanelli (Huntley, Illinois) and Rylee Kalocay (Pittsburgh).

"All three of them could play on the court at the same time and be really good," Starkey said. "When you're putting recruiting classes in — how are they going to complement each other? — I think all three of them really complement each other in the way they play."

Holmes wanted to stay close to home and chose Kent State over offers from Akron, Ball State, Cleveland State, Dayton, Western Michigan and California-Irvine. KSU offered her first.

Kent State coach Todd Starkey signals for the confetti to fall as his players celebrate winning the Mid-American Conference Tournament women's championship Saturday in Cleveland.

Kent State and Akron will play in women's basketball Wagon Wheel rivalry game Saturday at Rhodes Arena

In Starkey's ninth season at the helm at KSU, the Golden Flashes are 18-10 overall and 10-5 in the Mid-American Conference, coming off a 76-58 win over Northern Illinois (12-15, 5-10) on Wednesday. With the victory, Kent State clinched a berth in the MAC Tournament, which will run March 12 and March 14-15 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland.

Kent State will visit Akron (9-19, 3-12) for a Wagon Wheel rivalry game at noon Saturday, with two more regular-season games to follow.

Holmes committed to Kent State before it won the 2024 MAC Tournament and made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 22 years. Although No. 15 seed KSU lost 81-67 at No. 2 Notre Dame in the first round, advancing to March Madness put the team in the national spotlight.

"I'm glad to soon be a part of a program like that," Holmes said. "All the coaching staff's been great. I want to go to the MAC championship, too. I want to contribute to something like that, and hopefully I'm able to do that once I get there."

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Kent State Golden Flashes guard Jenna Batsch (12) shoots over Akron Zips guard Alexus Mobley (2) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Kent, Ohio.

In the meantime, Kent State is looking to repeat in the MAC tourney. The Golden Flashes' top scorers are senior guard Jenna Batsch (16.4 average), sophomore guard Mya Babbitt (12.1) and sophomore center Janae Tyler (11.2). Senior forward Bridget Dunn leads KSU in rebounding (9.9). Pacing the team in assists are junior guard Dionna Gray (5) and Batsch (4.1).

Gray led Kent State with 14 point and nine assists Wednesday against NIU. Dunn produced 11 points and 15 rebounds. Tyler scored 13 points. Batsch added 11 as she surpassed 1,000 career points.

Batsch had a game-high 18 points, and Babbitt set a single-season school record for 3-pointers Saturday in a 60-54 upset win at Ball State (21-7, 13-2). Babbitt went 4-of-5 shooting on 3s to reach 72 this season and break the previous record held by Melissa DeGrate (2004-05).

Kent State women's basketball coach Todd Starkey reacts to a call during the first half, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Kent.

Starkey said KSU has been "a little bit inconsistent, a little bit rocky" this season partly because the 2024-25 Golden Flashes have endured more injuries than any other team during his coaching career.

Still, Kent State snapping Ball State's streak of 15 consecutive home wins against MAC opponents this past weekend showed the Golden Flashes possess the potential to make postseason noise.

"I fully believe that this team feels as though we have the capability of doing that again," Starkey said, "but it's not a predetermined thing."

Ellet's Caitlyn Holmes, left, takes the ball up the court against Hoban guard Mackenzie Edingburgh during the first half of a Division I district semifinal basketball game at Ravenna High School, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, in Ravenna, Ohio.

How will Caitlyn Holmes approaching her freshman year at Kent State?

Nothing is guaranteed, either, when it comes to incoming freshmen transitioning to college sports.

"There's players that have come in that I was like, 'I think they're going to need time to develop,' and then boom — they're ready to go," Starkey said. "Then we've had … some state players of the year, Gatorade players of the year, come here and have taken some time. It's an adjustment. A lot of it has to do with how they fit specifically into your team, what your needs are, who's playing in front of them, who graduates. So there's a lot of factors."

Holmes averaged 19 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 4.5 steals as a senior. With 1,725 points, she owns Ellet's all-time career scoring record for girls or boys basketball.

Kent State women's basketball: Jenna Batsch, the Golden Flashes' new leader, looks to repeat as MAC champions

Despite Holmes' individual excellence in high school, she realizes college represents a significant leap.

"For Ellet, I'm pretty happy with how my career went," Holmes said. "It was a very good four years. I've learned so much there, and I'm happy with all the success that we brought. It was a great run, and I'm proud of everything. For Kent, I'm excited. I am really going to work hard this offseason.

"My mindset is going really hard in the summer and soaking up as much information as I can and adjusting to the pace, practicing against the girls every day and just learning and watching film as much as I can. I think I'll be able to hopefully adjust. Obviously, it's going to be really hard. I know the pace is a lot faster and everything, but I'm pretty confident. It'll be a lot of work, but I'm up for it."

What's certain is the next chapter of Holmes' basketball journey will begin close to home.

"We've had a couple players from Cleveland suburbs and stuff like that who have played for us, players from over in the Youngstown area," Starkey said. "But to get a local player that's right here, I think it's great for us."

Ellet fans won't need to travel far to continue to follow Holmes.

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Kent State basketball eager for Caitlyn Holmes' next chapter

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