Following a standout collegiate playing career and spending the 2026 AUSL Season with the Carolina Blaze, Dakota Kennedy joined the Arkansas Razorbacks coaching staff as a graduate manager for the 2027 season.
Kennedy made a massive impact during her lone season as a Razorback in 2026. The senior transfer was an integral part of the Hogs’ first trip to the Women’s College World Series in program history. Kennedy led the Razorbacks with a .373 batting average, tallying 60 hits, 13 doubles, one triple, 16 home runs, and 54 RBI while drawing 26 walks and scoring 51 runs. She posted a team-leading .764 slugging percentage and a .466 on-base percentage. Defensively, Kennedy logged a .959 fielding percentage with 46 putouts and one assist in left field. The Sacramento, Calif., product collected 17 multi-hit games and 15 multi-RBI games. She became just the third player in program history to hit 3+ home runs by going 3-for-3 with three home runs and 5 RBI in a win over Kansas on March 1. She joined Danielle Gibson (4, 2/23/19) and Rylin Hedgecock (4/22/23) as the only Hogs to accomplish the feat. Kennedy also had a 3-4 performance that included a solo home run, a grand slam, a double, a walk and seven RBI in a win at Alabama on March 14. She was a First-Team All-SEC selection and a Second-Team NFCA All-Region selection. Kennedy batted a team-leading .339 during SEC contests with 19 hits, four doubles, five home runs, 18 RBI, and 38 total bases while scoring 13 runs and drawing 10 walks. She registered a .679 slugging percentage and .448 on-base percentage while recording five multi-hit games and five multi-RBI games. Defensively, she posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with 27 putouts and one assist in left field.
Prior to her time as a Razorback, Kennedy was a third-team NFCA All-American selection in both 2024 and 2025 at Arizona while also winning the Rawlings Gold Glove in 2024. During her three seasons as a Wildcat, she posted a .399 batting average with 180 hits, 26 doubles, six triples, 28 home runs, 94 RBI, 91 walks, and 302 total bases while scoring 147 runs and stealing 22 bases.
Kennedy made a massive impact during her lone season as a Razorback in 2026. The senior transfer was an integral part of the Hogs’ first trip to the Women’s College World Series in program history. Kennedy led the Razorbacks with a .373 batting average, tallying 60 hits, 13 doubles, one triple, 16 home runs, and 54 RBI while drawing 26 walks and scoring 51 runs. She posted a team-leading .764 slugging percentage and a .466 on-base percentage. Defensively, Kennedy logged a .959 fielding percentage with 46 putouts and one assist in left field. The Sacramento, Calif., product collected 17 multi-hit games and 15 multi-RBI games. She became just the third player in program history to hit 3+ home runs by going 3-for-3 with three home runs and 5 RBI in a win over Kansas on March 1. She joined Danielle Gibson (4, 2/23/19) and Rylin Hedgecock (4/22/23) as the only Hogs to accomplish the feat. Kennedy also had a 3-4 performance that included a solo home run, a grand slam, a double, a walk and seven RBI in a win at Alabama on March 14. She was a First-Team All-SEC selection and a Second-Team NFCA All-Region selection. Kennedy batted a team-leading .339 during SEC contests with 19 hits, four doubles, five home runs, 18 RBI, and 38 total bases while scoring 13 runs and drawing 10 walks. She registered a .679 slugging percentage and .448 on-base percentage while recording five multi-hit games and five multi-RBI games. Defensively, she posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with 27 putouts and one assist in left field.
Prior to her time as a Razorback, Kennedy was a third-team NFCA All-American selection in both 2024 and 2025 at Arizona while also winning the Rawlings Gold Glove in 2024. During her three seasons as a Wildcat, she posted a .399 batting average with 180 hits, 26 doubles, six triples, 28 home runs, 94 RBI, 91 walks, and 302 total bases while scoring 147 runs and stealing 22 bases.