KENNESAW, Ga. – When someone helps you out and gives you a chance, you feel like you owe them something when you get the opportunity.
 
That's exactly how Kelvin McConnell feels after Tony Ingle gave him the chance to walk on the basketball team back in 2007.
 
"Coach Ingle called me into his office and said we don't have a scholarship this year, but he said I could be a walk on and promised me a jersey and some shoes," McConnell said. "I said coach, that's all I need."
 
In his four years wearing an Owls uniform, McConnell did not only earn a scholarship, but his senior season he and his Owl teammates knocked off Georgia Tech 80-63 in the Convocation Center.
 
"After walking on the first year, I earned a scholarship and we had some ups and downs but no one is ever going to forget that Georgia Tech game," McConnell said. "It was big for us, but it was big for the school because it started to put us on the map."
 
Years later after graduating from Kennesaw State with a communications degree, McConnell wanted to give something back to his alma mater. Drawing from his two biggest passions, sports and music, he had the idea of creating a song the football team could run onto the field to at their home games in Fifth Third Bank Stadium.
 
He set a meeting with Director of Marketing and Fan Experience Brandy Chenoweth to pitch his idea and she liked the idea from the start.
 
"Any time you can get alumni involved, particularly former student-athletes, it's a great thing," Chenoweth said. "These are the types of touches that will make our game day atmosphere uniquely Kennesaw State. Kelvin has helped us create something that nobody else in the country will have. I can't wait for the fans and team to hear our Owl Anthem on game day!"
 
Music is something that has been in the McConnell family since his childhood as Kelvin and his brother would hold mini concerts together growing up around Kennesaw. McConnell was always the one to make the warm up mix for the team at home games, and is still involved with producing music now that he has graduated  - making this the perfect way for him to give back to Kennesaw State.
 
"We went to the stadium a couple weeks ago, and I started to get that vision for the first home game on September 12 with the team running out and the crowd going crazy," McConnell said. "Back in 2007 when I got here, they talked about the football team, so as an alumnus it's crazy to see it now."
 
As crazy as it seems, McConnell is excited and feels like the entire University is on the brink of starting to reach its potential as a school and athletics program.
 
"Anybody that comes up here and sees the school and the campus, you'll fall in love with Kennesaw State. As an alumnus, you just want to see the school do well in everything."
 
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