Kennesaw State University is in Kennesaw, Georgia, and the Owls are Gonzaga’s first-round opponent in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The school reported 51,375 students in its Fall 2025 fast facts, and public college profiles place its acceptance rate at about 69%. Gonzaga and Kennesaw State are set to meet Thursday in Portland.
Readers searching “Where is Kennesaw State?” are often trying to place a March Madness team they only hear about in tournament week. This one comes with some real bracket relevance, because Kennesaw State is still chasing the program’s first NCAA tournament win against a Gonzaga team that is used to playing into the second weekend.
Where is Kennesaw State University?
Kennesaw State is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, in the northwest Atlanta metro area. It is one of the bigger public universities in this group of tournament teams, which makes it a little different from the classic small-school Cinderella profile.
Kennesaw State enrollment and acceptance rate
KSU’s official fast-facts report lists 51,375 total students for Fall 2025. Public admissions profiles put the school’s acceptance rate at roughly 69%. A lot of casual fans know the Owls from Conference USA basketball, but not necessarily the size of the school behind the program.
How did Kennesaw State make the tournament?
Kennesaw State got into the field by winning the Conference USA tournament, earning the league’s automatic bid. That gave the Owls their second NCAA tournament appearance and sent them into a difficult first-round draw against Gonzaga.
That is part of what makes Kennesaw State an interesting March team beyond the basic geography search. The Owls did not just appear out of nowhere on Selection Sunday. They won their conference tournament, earned the automatic bid, and put themselves back in the bracket for the second time in four years. For a program still early in its NCAA Tournament history, that kind of repeat appearance matters. It suggests Kennesaw State is building something more sustainable than a one-year surprise run.
Has Kennesaw State ever won an NCAA tournament game?
No. Kennesaw State entered the 2026 NCAA Tournament 0-1 all-time in NCAA tournament games. The program made its first appearance in 2023, and this year marks its second trip to the bracket. That means the Owls were still looking for the first March Madness win in school history entering Thursday’s game.
Kennesaw State stats and top scorers
Kennesaw State’s key names include Simeon Cottle, RJ Johnson and Frankquon Sherman. ESPN’s matchup page lists Sherman at 8.4 rebounds per game, while recent Kennesaw State game pages show Johnson and Sherman repeatedly at the center of the Owls’ offense during their conference tournament run.
The Owls do not come in with the national profile Gonzaga has, but they have enough guard play and enough activity on the glass to make them annoying if the game stays close early. That is probably the clearest upset path.
Prediction: Can Kennesaw State upset Gonzaga?
Kennesaw State has the kind of story people like to talk themselves into in March, but Gonzaga is still the much safer pick. Prediction: Gonzaga 82, Kennesaw State 66. A competitive first half would not be shocking. A full upset would be.
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