The student newspaper isn't too happy with President Lester Lefton's newest purchase:

President Lester Lefton is finding new, creative ways to spend our tuition dollars, and this one really has us scratching our heads. Spending $15,000 on anything these days, especially when students still have to foot the bill for the Risman Plaza renovations, is questionable.

But spending $15,000 on an electric car ? nearly the cost of a 2010 Toyota Corolla ? is unacceptable. We actually thought it was a joke at first. But it’s not. The administration actually spent thousands of dollars (our dollars) on an over-priced scooter.

We can see why this glorified toy is appealing. The Global Electric Motorcar is enclosed, holds four people and will protect passengers from the winter elements, according to the president’s office. The GEM will primarily be used to transport administration members to on-campus meetings.

That’s great, but every member of the administration has a car and can park wherever he or she chooses on campus. This campus is not that large. Lefton and crew could also consider walking to their meetings like everyone else on campus does.

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As Joshua Cribbs Day quickly approaches, KentStateSports.com is currently auctioning off three authentic Kent State Joshua Cribbs jerseys (blue, white & gold). Each jersey is being auctioned off individually and gives you the opportunity to have it autographed and personalized the way you would like it to read.

This is a great gift or keepsake for any Joshua Cribbs fan out there!

Auctions end Friday at noon. Winners will be emailed to obtain personalized preferences to be written on jerseys.

On Saturday, during halftime of the Kent State - Ball State game, Joshua Cribbs will be on hand as his number "9" jersey is retired. He will also make an appearance at the pre-game Fan Experience in the Kent Field House. Cribbs was just the second player in NCAA history to record a pair of "double-1,000" seasons (passing and rushing).

Also on Sale
A limited number of authentic Kent State Football jerseys with Joshua Cribbs' name and soon to be retired #9 today, are also available for sale this week. They are $200 each and can be purchased with cash or money order. Please contact Casey in the football office at 330-672-3350 or by email at football@kent.edu to purchase your jersey today!

Click here to bid

On Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010, Kent State will honor former quarterback Josh Cribbs by retiring his No. 9 jersey at halftime of the Golden Flashes game against Ball State.

During his media conference on Monday, KSU head coach Doug Martin, Cribbs' offensive coordinator in 2003 and head coach in 2004, discussed Cribbs, on and off the field, and what the Cleveland Browns player has meant to the Golden Flashes.

Be sure to attend the game on Saturday to help the Golden Flashes celebrate one of their best ever!
This post was edited on 10/26 1:16 PM by stevehare Rivals

Video: Flashes to celebrate Josh Cribbs day

Kent State head coach Doug Martin met with the media on Monday to recap Saturday's 30-6 win over Bowling Green and preview the Golden Flashes upcoming contest against Ball State.

Click the link below for Martin's take on the Cardinals.

Video

Kent State's nationally ranked wrestling team held its wrestle-offs this morning to determine its lineup for the start of the season.

Here's a quick look at how things turned out:

133
Freshman Jake McCombs defeated freshman Tyler Small, 4-2.

174
Redshirt freshman Brandonn Johnson defeated fifth-year senior Chris Estep in overtime.

184
Redshirt sophomre Casey Newberg defeated redshirt sophomore Keith Witt, 3-2.

285
Redshirt junior Brendan Barlow defeated freshman Tyler Obringer, 15-3.

Notable: Matt Cathell did not make weight. Cathell transferred to Kent State from Delaware State, where he was a two-time NCAA qualifier. Though he was nationally ranked as high as ninth, he had some troubles at KSU last season. This certainly doesn't help his cause.

BOWLING GREEN-Kent State racked up 351 yards of offense and held Bowling Green to just 135, including minus-10 rushing, in a 30-6 win over the Falcons on Saturday at Doyt L. Perry Stadium.

The Kent State defense sacked Bowling Green's quarterback six times and forced three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble).

Offensively, Spencer Keith played his best game of the season. He completed 26-of-32 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. He did not throw an interception.

Tyshon Goode caught 12 of Keith's passes for 158 yards, both career highs, and scored twice.

Jacquise Terry led all ball carriers with 94 rushing yards on 22 carries.

Click the link below for photos from the game.

Photo Gallery

Official 2010-11 College Basketball Preview

http://sportales.com/sports/official-2010-11-college-basketball-preview/

Click the link for a story and video interview with Josh Cribbs on the James Harrison hit.

Link

Quick...tune to ESPN for the Jim Rome Show. Josh Cribbs will be on wearing his KSU gear! (Friday, 4:30 p.m.)

KENT, Ohio -- Seventh-year Kent State head baseball coach Scott Stricklin announced the program’s 2011 schedule today (Oct. 21).

The 55-game slate features contests against two 2010 NCAA Tournament qualifiers and trips to six different states. KSU will play 21 games from the friendly confines of Olga A. Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium and 34 contests on the road.

“I think our first five weekends are our most challenging yet,” said Stricklin. “Every single weekend is going to be a challenge for our guys. Our goal is to put our players in great venues against great teams to try and prepare them for the postseason.”

The season opening series (Feb. 18-20) will have a distinct Kent State feel to it as the past three head coaches of the Golden Flashes will be on the same field in Atlanta when Kent State and Georgia Tech clash in a three-game set. Georgia Tech skipper Danny Hall led the Flashes from 1988-93 and is assisted by former Kent State head coach Rick Rembielak (1994-04).

“It’s going to be fun,” said Stricklin of facing his predecessors. “We’re all very competitive, and having Coach Hall and Coach Rembielak in that opposing dugout is going to make it even more competitive. Having the three latest Kent State coaches all on the same field is going to be special.”

KSU then heads to the Palmetto State (Feb. 25-27) for the Johnny Gill Memorial Tournament, hosted by Winthrop. The Flashes will take on the Eagles twice and play two against Wagner.

Next up for the Golden Flashes is a weekend series (March 4-6) at defending Big East regular season champion Louisville. The two squads will meet up again on March 22 in Louisville.

Kent State travels to the Carolina shore to partake in the Coastal Carolina Tournament (March 11-13). In addition to squaring off with the host Chanticleers -- a 2010 NCAA Super Regional participant -- Kent State will play Alabama-Birmingham and Notre Dame.

“(Head Coach) Gary Gilmore does an outstanding job with his team year in and year out,” said Stricklin of Coastal Carolina. “They were on the doorstep of the World Series last year. They’ve broken through the regionals, and now they’re trying to take that next step. We’re trying to get to where they are as far as being a team that’s a perennial Super Regional contender.”

Kent State then makes its longest road trip of the season when it travels to Houston for a weekend series (March 18-20) against the Cougars.

The Flashes have scheduled 12 midweek non-conference games. In addition to playing Louisville, Kent State has scheduled home-and-homes against Pittsburgh (March 16 at Pitt, April 6 at home), Xavier (March 23 at Xavier, May 10 at home), Penn State (March 30 at home, April 5 at Penn State), Youngstown State (April 12 at home, April 13 at Youngstown State) and Cleveland State (April 19 at Cleveland State, April 27 at home). Kent State will also host Niagara (April 26).

Kent State’s quest to repeat as Mid-American Conference East Division champions begins with the Flashes’ home opening series against Toledo (March 25-27). Kent State is also slated to host Eastern Michigan (April 8-10), Buffalo (April 22-24), Miami (May 6-8) and Akron (May 19-20). The series against crosstown rival Akron is highlighted by KSU serving as the host team for the Fifth Annual Diamond Classic at Canal Park in Akron on April 20, a contest which benefits Akron Children’s Hospital. Conference road series include Western Michigan (April 1-3), Central Michigan (April 15-17), Ohio (April 29-May 1) and Bowling Green (May 13-15).

“Our conference is always very balanced,” said Stricklin. “From the West Division, I think Toledo and Central Michigan are going to be very good. In the East, Miami is going to be much improved this year.”

The season culminates in the MAC Tournament (May 25-28) in Chillicothe, Ohio. Kent State will be seeking its ninth conference tournament crown and third straight.

“Those first couple games of the tournament, you’ve got to survive,” said Stricklin. “You’ve got to try to get through those first couple games without a loss. We didn’t do a very good job of that last year, but we were able to come back. Our starting pitching was outstanding, and that’s what enabled us to get to the championship game.”

The winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid to the 2011 NCAA Regionals, which are scheduled to be held June 3-6. The survivors of the regionals advance to the NCAA Super Regionals (June 10-13) and set their sights on earning a trip to the College World Series (June 18-29) in Omaha, Neb.

The Golden Flashes earned a second consecutive NCAA Tournament berth in 2010. After wrapping the regular season up with a 39-25 (18-9 MAC) mark and its fourth MAC East Division crown in five years, Kent State won five elimination games in three days to capture the MAC Tournament title and punch a ticket to the NCAA Los Angeles Regional. The Flashes welcome back seven starting position players and three starting pitchers from last year’s squad.

2011 Baseball Schedule

Mel Mellis, a strong supporter of Kent State Athletics, has made a significant donation towards scholarships to be given away at each of the Golden Flashes’ next three home football games.

“I was tremendously impressed by the passion and enthusiasm of the Kent State students at the first two football games this year,” says Mellis, who is an active member of Kent State’s National Athletic Development Council. “This gift gave me an opportunity to reward some of those very students by helping fund their academic pursuits. Student support of athletics is essential to any thriving college campus and this is my way of saying ‘Thank you.’”

Thanks to Mellis’ generous $6,000 gift, any Kent State student who registers through FLASHPerks will be eligible to win a $2,000 scholarship at the Ball State (10/30), Temple (11/6) and Army (11/13) games. That is in addition to the $3,500 that Coca-Cola has already committed to book scholarships over the remainder of the season.

“Mel has been a long-time supporter of our student-athletes and coaches and this is another shining example of his dedication to Golden Flashes Athletics,” says Kent State Director of Athletics Joel Nielsen. “I couldn’t agree more with Mel ? our students have been unbelievable in their support so far this season. They are a vital component as we strive to create a championship atmosphere at Dix Stadium.”

Both the Mellis and Coca-Cola scholarships will be given away prior to the start of the fourth quarter, with the only stipulation being that the winner must be present to claim the award. To register, students must present a valid Kent State ID at the FLASHperks booth located in the pregame Fan Experience in the Field House and in Dix Stadium during the game.

Kent State returns home Saturday, Oct. 30 to host Ball State at 3:30 p.m. as the Flashes celebrate Joshua Cribbs Day. Tailgating lots open at 12:30 p.m. and the Fan Experience begins at 1:00 p.m. At halftime, Cribbs will have his #9 retired in an on-field ceremony.

Iowa State has canceled game with Kent State in 2016, 2017 and 2019. Link below.

Iowa State canceled 3 games with Kent State

The Schedule:

Sept. 3 Kent State

Sept. 10 @ Penn State

Sept. 17 North Texas

Sept. 24 Arkansas

Oct. 1 @ Florida

Oct. 8 Vanderbilt

Oct. 15 @ Mississippi

Oct. 22 Tennessee

Oct. 29 Open

Nov. 5 LSU

Nov. 12 @ Mississippi State

Nov. 19 Georgia Southern

Nov. 26 @ Auburn

Dec. 3 SEC Championship Game

PITTSBURGH (AP) ? Steelers linebacker James Harrison states his objective matter-of-factly: He's out to hurt any opposing player who roams into his vicinity.

If he sees players down on the turf ? as he did Sunday when he sidelined Browns wide receivers Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi with punishing hits only minutes apart during the second quarter ? he feels as if he's done his job.

Harrison said he doesn't want to put any player out of a game or jeopardize his career. The former AP Defensive Player of the Year also realizes it can be difficult to draw a line between merely hurting a player and badly injuring him as plays take place at full speed and hits are delivered with little time to consider the consequences.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I never played organized football but share the same view as Harrison and Lambert. When I had an opportunity to hit someone, I hit him as hard as I could and that was without wearing a helmet or pads. When Lambert was tossed out of the game for hitting Brian Sipe too hard, I thought it was ridiculous. I know Browns fans hated Lambert but I always loved the way he would annihilate opposing players.
This post was edited on 10/19 7:13 AM by nashvillegoldenflash

Steelers' Harrison: I don't care if I hurt players

Temple beat Bowling Green 28-27 today to move to 5-2.

Check it out here:

Temple vs. Bowling Green photos

Today's press conference with Josh Cribbs was to announce the retiring of his #9 KSU jersey.

Can you feel the spirit? Go Flashes!!!

Kent State Homecoming 2010 Highlights

It's not listed on the schedule yet, but Kent State is working to tap into Toledo's video feed tomorrow to provide the feed for K-Zone subscribers.

Elyria High School's Jake Neuschaefer and Wooster Triway's Sawyer Polen have verbally committed to play for Kent State starting in the 2012 season.

Full story

For their efforts in Kent State's 28-17 win over Akron, freshman defensive lineman Roosevelt Nix and junior punter Matt Rinehart have been named MAC East players of the week.

Defensive Player of the Week: Kent State DL Roosevelt Nix

Freshman defensive lineman Roosevelt Nix (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) continued his dominating play along the defensive line, recording five tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a pair of hurries in a 28-17 win over Akron. With the Flashes holding on to a slim four-point lead with just under four minutes remaining in the game, Nix sacked Zips QB Patrick Nicely and forced a fumble that Kent State fell on in the end zone for a touchdown. Meanwhile, his 3.5 sacks tied for the third-most in school history. His 6.5 sacks and 10.0 TFL on the year both rank in the top 10 in the nation.


Special Teams Player of the Week: Kent State P Matt Rinehart

Junior punter Matt Rinehart (Dover, Ohio) had a solid day averaging 41.2 yards on nine punts in a 28-17 win over Akron. More importantly, six of the nine kicks were downed inside the 20 yard line, including a season-long 64-yard blast that went out of bounds at the two yard line. Three plays later, the defense picked off a pass and went 12 yards into the end zone for Kent State's opening touchdown.
This post was edited on 10/11 10:59 AM by stevehare Rivals

Click the link below for photos from Kent State's 28-17 win over Akron on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010.
Sorry for the confusion on the link...the correct one is listed.

This post was edited on 10/11 2:40 PM by stevehare Rivals

Photo Gallery

KENT, Ohio ? Kent State is holding a press conference on Tuesday, Oct. 12 to make a special announcement regarding former Golden Flashes standout Joshua Cribbs.

Kent State Director of Athletics Joel Nielsen and Cribbs will both be available for comment that day. The announcement pertains to events surrounding Joshua Cribbs Day, which is set for Saturday, Oct. 30 when the Flashes host Ball State.

Kent State hosts rival Akron this Saturday (Oct. 9) for Homecoming at 3:30 p.m. in Dix Stadium.

For Immediate Release?October 6, 2010

Cleveland, Ohio ? The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced today the presentation of the Cartwright Award to Kent State University for its program excellence in academics, athletics and citizenship during the 2009-10 school year. The Cartwright Award will be presented to Kent State this Saturday, Oct. 9 during their home football contest against Akron at Dix Stadium.

“Everyone associated with the MAC is proud of the many student-athletes that compete in all of our universities and each of our 23 championship sports,” said Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, commissioner of the MAC. “MAC member institutions value excellence in the classroom, on the field of competition and in society. I commend Kent State University for their recognition by its peers. This is indeed a high honor.”

The Cartwright Award is an institutional award presented annually to one university in the MAC. A committee with representation from all 12 institutions selected the Cartwright Award winner from nominations submitted based upon the criteria of excellence in academics, athletics and citizenship.

“This award is about excellence in academics, athletics and citizenship, and I’m so proud of our student-athletes who demonstrate Kent State’s excellence in action in the classroom, in sport and in our community,” said Kent State President Lester A. Lefton. “I commend our student-athletes and Kent State’s Athletics Department for a remarkable year as we celebrate our centennial, earning both the Reese and Jacoby Trophies, and now adding the Cartwright Award to our impressive list of achievements.”

The Cartwright Award is named in honor of Dr. Carol A. Cartwright, one of the most highly respected voices in higher education. Dr. Cartwright served as the President of Kent State University from 1991-2006. Following her retirement, Dr. Cartwright served as President of Bowling Green State University on an interim basis beginning in July of 2008, before being named President in 2009. Dr. Cartwright previously was the vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of California at Davis and dean for undergraduate programs and vice provost at The Pennsylvania State University. She has served on the NCAA Board of Directors and is a member of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics.

“An honor such as the Cartwright Award further illustrates that our coaches, student-athletes and staff members continue to live up to our championship-caliber expectations on the field, in the classroom and in the community,” said Kent State Director of Athletics, Joel Nielsen. “Our entire university community can take pride in this award because without the strong support from President Lefton, the rest of our administration and our outstanding faculty and staff, none of this would be possible.”

Below is a brief summary of the accomplishments by Kent State University in each of the three areas of academic, athletic and citizenship excellence:

Kent State Academic Summary (2009-10):

-Kent State achieved a department GPA of 3.0 for the first time ever and over 50% of the student-athletes maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.

-Kent State produced a pair of Academic All-Americans in Martina Gavier (third team, women’s golf) and Jacquise Terry (second team, football).

-Kent State also had six CoSIDA Academic All-District honorees, 33 All-MAC Academic selections, six Honorable Mention All-MAC Academic selections and Kent State student-athletes were recognized 16 times as MAC Scholar-Athletes of the Week.

-Two athletic teams, women’s soccer and softball, received national recognition for their team GPAs, as the softball team’s GPA of 3.43 ranked seventh in the nation, and the women’s soccer team’s GPA of 3.52 ranked eighth in the nation.

-Kent State student-athletes outperform the general student body by 14% in the four-class graduation rate, and the exhausted eligibility graduation rate continues to be 94%.

-Kent State women’s basketball team leads the MAC earning a 100% GSR for the last four years.

-Every Kent State athletic team has an APR (Academic Progress Rate) score above 925, with six teams ranked in the top 30 percent nationally when compared to all other sports, and the baseball and women’s cross country teams were publicly recognized in the NCAA Top 10% of their sports.

-Nine teams improved their APR score from the previous year and five teams earned a perfect 1,000 score last year.

-Kent State led the conference in APR scores with 12 of the 18 teams ranking in the top five in the conference.

Kent State Athletic Summary (2009-10):

-Kent State won both the Reese (top men’s athletic program) and Jacoby (top women’s athletic program) Trophies for the first time in the history of the program.

-Kent State had 10 different programs combine to win 11 MAC championships.

-Men’s cross country claimed its first-ever title, women’s track swept the indoor and outdoor competitions, women’s golf earned its 12th consecutive title, the men’s golf team claimed their 18th championship and baseball rounded out the haul with an amazing run through the postseason bracket that included five victories in three days.

-During the regular season, men’s basketball, field hockey and gymnastics claimed overall titles, while baseball and softball finished as the top teams in the East Division.

-Kent State was the top MAC school in the Directors’ Cup (an indicator of success at the NCAA level) for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons and for the 13th time in the 17 years since the award’s inception.

-Diana Dumitrescu (women’s indoor & outdoor track & field), Dustin Kilgore (wrestling), Danny Mitcheff (wrestling), Anthony Gallas (baseball), John Hahn (men’s golf) and Rachel Miller (field hockey) earned All-America accolades.

-Kent State finished first in the nation in the Excellence in Management Cup, conducted by the Laboratory for the Study of Intercollegiate Athletics at Texas A&M University, the Cup ranks athletic departments in accordance to financial expenditures, rewarding departments that win the most conference and national championships, while at the same time keeping expenditures low.

Kent State Citizenship Summary (2009-10):

-In 2009-10, Kent State student-athletes raised over $30,000 to benefit Akron Children’s Hospital, the American Cancer Society and the United Way.

-Each individual team sponsored its own community service project and spent hundreds of volunteer hours in the Kent community. Service projects ranged from the gymnastics ‘Flip for the Cure’ to baseball’s Diamond Classic for Kids to football’s trips to the Family Child Learning Center.

-The eighth annual JOCK JAMS competition was once again a success, as all athletic teams performed on stage to a sold-out crowd and raised $3,700 for cancer research.

-Thirty-two student-athletes were accepted into the Leadership Academy, a program to train student-athletes on communication techniques, conflict management, media training and valuable information on being a leader on their teams and in life.

-The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) experienced a surge in participation from all athletic teams last year, as meetings topped 40 student-athletes in attendance. Football’s Leneric Muldrow led the committee as president as football student-athletes created a student organization, Uplifting Athletes, and are developing a Lift for Life fundraiser for Spring 2011.

-Career Night for junior and senior student-athletes were reorganized and created a career guide and resume-reviewing process.

-Winning Combination courses were also remodeled, as a one-credit introductory course covering issues relevant to student-athletes, such as money management, nutrition and academics.

-The Greeks vs. Jocks competition was created in an effort to spark a healthy community service competition between Greek Life and Athletics. The first event, ‘Who Can Collect the Most Socks, Greeks or Jocks’ was very successful as over 3,000 pairs of socks were collected for relief efforts in Haiti.

I heard Justin Manns was running around the big fight last week with his shirt off and it was at Justin Green's apartment.

Walsh Jesuit senior baseball player Tim Faix will continue his academic and athletic careers at Kent State, Walsh Jesuit announced this week.

Faix, a left-handed pitcher, is the first Warriors player to commit to a college this season and is the 41st Walsh baseball player in 15 years to commit to a Division I school.