I was looking at Rochester's schedule from last year to see what were up against in the exhibition game.

Rochester was 1-1 vs. Case Western last year.

Clear the bench Geno!

Jim Christian used to always call Rod Sherman The Rock. This year as a 5th yr senior he's going to have to be that rock to get this team to gell together.

Kent State's wrestling team has received plenty of respect heading into the 2010-11 wrestling season.

Here are InterMat's pre-season rankings:


Team Tournament-Strength Rankings (October 28, 2010)

1. Cornell 98
2. Boise State 79.5
3. Oklahoma State 65
4. Wisconsin 60
5. Minnesota 54.5
6. Central Michigan 52.5
7. Penn State 47
8. Iowa 35.5
9. Oklahoma 33.5
T10. Arizona State 31.5
T10. Illinois 31.5
12. Nebraska 31
13. Michigan 30
T14. Kent State 27
T14. Missouri 27
T14. Ohio State 27
T17. Lehigh 26.5
T17. Northwestern 26.5
T17. Wyoming 26.5
T20. American 24.5
T20. Rutgers 24.5
22. Virginia 24
T23. Edinboro 23.5
T23. Purdue 23.5
T25. Pittsburgh 23
T25. Virginia Tech 23

Individual Rankings (October 28, 2010)

125
1. Matt McDonough, Iowa, Sophomore
2. Brandon Precin, Northwestern, Senior
3. Anthony Robles, Arizona State, Senior
4. Zach Sanders, Minnesota, Junior
5. Logan Stieber, Ohio State, Freshman
6. Nic Bedelyon, Kent State, Junior
7. Cashe Quiroga, Purdue, Sophomore
8. James Nicholson, Old Dominion, Senior
9. Jarrod Patterson, Oklahoma, Sophomore
10. Jarrod Garnett, Virginia Tech, Junior
11. Ben Kjar, Utah Valley, Senior
12. Frank Perrelli, Cornell, Junior
13. Jason Lara, Oregon State, Junior
14. Anthony Zanetta, Pittsburgh, Sophomore
15. Ryan Mango, Stanford, Sophomore
16. Steve Bonnano, Hofstra, Sophomore
17. Andre Gonazalez, Cal State Fullerton, Senior
18. Frank Lomas, Cal State Bakersfield, Junior
19. Garrett Frey, Princeton, Sophomore
20. Shane Young, West Virginia, Sophomore

133
1. Andrew Hochstrasser, Boise State, Senior
2. Jordan Oliver, Oklahoma State, Sophomore
3. Tyler Graff, Wisconsin, Sophomore
4. Mike Grey, Cornell, Senior
5. Filip Novachkov, Cal Poly, Senior
6. Lou Ruggirello, Hofstra, Senior
7. Scotti Sentes, Central Michigan, Junior
8. Kyle Hutter, Old Dominion, Senior
9. Nate Moore, Iowa, Junior
10. Eric Grajales, Michigan, Freshman
11. Michael Martinez, Wyoming, Junior
12. Rollie Peterkin, Penn, Senior
13. Kelly Kubec, Oregon State, Junior
14. Kevin Smith, Buffalo, Junior
15. Ben Ashmore, Arizona State, Senior
16. Ian Paddock, Ohio State, Sophomore
17. John Trumbetti, Lock Haven, Senior
18. David Thorn, Minnesota, Freshman
19. Danny White, Rutgers, Sophomore
20. Freddie Santiate, Boston, Junior

141
1. Zack Bailey, Oklahoma, Senior
2. Jimmy Kennedy, Illinois, Senior
3. Tyler Nauman, Pittsburgh, Junior
4. Kellen Russell, Michigan, Junior
5. Germane Lindsey, Ohio, Senior
6. Mike Thorn, Minnesota, Senior
7. Cody Cleveland, Chattanooga, Senior
8. Chris Diaz, Virginia Tech, Senior
9. Boris Novachkov, Cal Poly, Junior
10. Adin Duenas, Cal State Fullerton, Senior
11. Mike Mangrum, Oregon State, Sophomore
12. Levi Jones, Boise State, Senior
13. Andrew Alton, Penn State, Freshman
14. Chris Drouin, Iowa State, Senior
15. Chris Villalonga, Cornell, Freshman
16. Nick Nelson, Virginia, Junior
17. Todd Schavrien, Missouri, Senior
18. Elijah Nacita, Cal State Bakersfield, Senior
19. Cole Von Ohlen, Air Force, Sophomore
20. Anwar Goeres, Binghamton, Senior

149
1. Darrion Caldwell, North Carolina State, Senior
2. Kyle Dake, Cornell, Sophomore
3. Frank Molinaro, Penn State, Junior
4. Jason Chamberlain, Boise State, Junior
5. Kevin LeValley, Bucknell, Senior
6. Torsten Gillespie, Edinboro, Senior
7. Kurt Kinser, Indiana, Senior
8. Jamal Parks, Oklahoma State, Junior
9. Brandon Rader, West Virginia, Senior
10. Andrew Nadhir, Northwestern, Senior
11. Desi Green, Buffalo, Junior
12. Corey Jantzen, Harvard, Junior
13. Donnie Vinson, Binghamton, Sophomore
14. Mario Mason, Rutgers, Sophomore
15. David Cheza, Michigan State, Junior
16. Brian Stephens, Virginia Tech, Sophomore
17. Nick Stabile, North Carolina, Senior
18. Justin Accordino, Hofstra, Junior
19. Cole Schmitt, Wisconsin, Sophomore
20. Derek Valenti, Virginia, Junior

157
1. Adam Hall, Boise State, Senior
2. Steve Fittery, American, Senior
3. Bubba Jenkins, Arizona State, Senior
4. Justin Lister, Binghamton, Junior
5. Colt Sponseller, Ohio State, Senior
6. David Taylor, Penn State, Freshman
7. Justin Gaethje, Northern Colorado, Senior
8. Jason Welch, Northwestern, Sophomore
9. Paul Young, Indiana, Senior
10. Jake Deitchler, Minnesota, Freshman
11. Bryce Saddoris, Navy, Senior
12. Derek St. John, Iowa, Freshman
13. Neil Erisman, Oklahoma State, Senior
14. Daryl Cocozzo, Rutgers, Senior
15. Peter Yates, Virginia Tech, Sophomore
16. Colton Salazar, Purdue, Senior
17. Barrett Abel, Cal Poly, Senior
18. Anthony Jones, Michigan State, Junior
19. Joe Booth, Drexel, Sophomore
20. James Fleming, Clarion, Sophomore

165
1. Andrew Howe, Wisconsin, Junior
2. Jordan Burroughs, Nebraska, Senior
3. Mike Miller, Central Michigan, Senior
4. Jarion Beets, Northern Iowa, Senior
5. Josh Asper, Maryland, Sophomore
6. Justin Kerber, Cornell, Senior
7. Scott Winston, Rutgers, Sophomore
8. Shane Onufer, Wyoming, Junior
9. Cody Yohn, Minnesota, Sophomore
10. P.J. Gillespie, Hofstra, Junior
11. Brandon Hatchett, Lehigh, Junior
12. Thomas Scotton, North Carolina, Senior
13. Jedd Moore, Virginia, Sophomore
14. Zach Toal, Missouri, Freshman
15. Matt Epperly, Virginia Tech, Senior
16. Donnie Jones, West Virginia, Senior
17. John Martin Cannon, Buffalo, Junior
18. Dallas Bailey, Oklahoma State, Freshman
19. Aaron Janssen, Iowa, Senior
20. Andrew Sorenson, Iowa State, Senior

174
1. Mack Lewnes, Cornell, Senior
2. Chris Henrich, Virginia, Senior
3. Jordan Blanton, Illinois, Junior
4. Ben Bennett, Central Michigan, Sophomore
5. Jon Reader, Iowa State, Senior
6. Nick Amuchastegui, Stanford, Junior
7. Scott Giffin, Penn, Senior
8. Tyler Caldwell, Oklahoma, Sophomore
9. Scott Glasser, Minnesota, Senior
10. Colby Covington, Oregon State, Senior
11. Mike Letts, Maryland, Senior
12. Luke Manuel, Purdue, Senior
13. Ed Ruth, Penn State, Freshman
14. Dorian Henderson, Missouri, Junior
15. Ryan Patrovich, Hofstra, Junior
16. Justin Zeerip, Michigan, Junior
17. Ben Jordan, Wisconsin, Sophomore
18. Ethen Lofthouse, Iowa, Freshman
19. Alex Caruso, Rutgers, Senior
20. Nick Purdue, Ohio, Junior

184
1. Kirk Smith, Boise State, Senior
2. Joe LeBlanc, Wyoming, Junior
3. Quentin Wright, Penn State, Sophomore
4. Chris Honeycutt, Edinboro, Junior
5. Chris Perry, Oklahoma State, Freshman
6. Steve Bosak, Cornell, Sophomore
7. A.J. Kissel, Purdue, Junior
8. Josh Ihnen, Nebraska, Sophomore
9. Grant Gambrell, Iowa, Sophomore
10. Austin Trotman, Appalachian State, Junior
11. Tommy Spellman, Virginia Tech, Senior
12. Travis Rutt, Wisconsin, Junior
13. Bagna Tovvujav, George Mason, Junior
14. Luke Rebertus, Navy, Junior
15. Robert Hamlin, Lehigh, Sophomore
16. Jimmy Hamel, Buffalo, Senior
17. Andrew Saunders, UNC Greensboro, Senior
18. Nate Schiedel, Binghamton, Sophomore
19. Jason McCroskey, Chattanooga, Sophomore
20. Eric Cameron, Indiana, Senior

197
1. Cam Simaz, Cornell, Junior
2. Trevor Brandvold, Wisconsin, Senior
3. Dustin Kilgore, Kent State, Junior
4. Clayton Foster, Oklahoma State, Senior
5. Anthony Biondo, Michigan, Senior
6. Sonny Yohn, Minnesota, Junior
7. Cayle Byers, George Mason, Junior
8. Brent Haynes, Missouri, Sophomore
9. Logan Brown, Purdue, Senior
10. Jerome Ward, Iowa State, Junior
11. Zack Giesen, Stanford, Senior
12. Zac Thomusseit, Pitt, Junior
13. Luke Lofthouse, Iowa, Senior
14. Cody Mangrum, Ohio State, Sophomore
15. Micah Burak, Penn, Sophomore
16. Erik Schuth, Ohio, Senior
17. Mike Salopek, Virginia, Sophomore
18. Riley Orozco, Cal State Bakersfield, Senior
19. Matt Powless, Indiana, Junior
20. Daniel Mitchell, American, Sophomore

285
1. Zach Rey, Lehigh, Junior
2. Jarod Trice, Central Michigan, Junior
3. Dom Bradley, Missouri, Junior
4. Alan Gelogaev, Oklahoma State, Junior
5. Ben Berhow, Minnesota, Senior
6. D.J. Russo, Rutgers, Senior
7. Tucker Lane, Nebraska, Junior
8. Ryan Flores, American, Junior
9. Cameron Wade, Penn State, Junior
10. Nathan Fernandez, Oklahoma, Senior
11. Ryan Tomei, Pittsburgh, Senior
12. David Marone, Virginia Tech, Junior
13. Clayton Jack, Oregon State, Junior
14. Brendan Barlow, Kent State, Sophomore
15. Ricky Alcala, Indiana, Senior
16. Eric Bugenhagen, Wisconsin, Senior
17. Kurt Klimek, Cal State Fullerton, Senior
18. Christian Brantley, Northern Iowa, Junior
19. Blake Rasing, Iowa, Junior
20. Atticus Disney, Cal Poly, Sophomore

Full Story

Click the link below for highlights of Kent State's intrasquad scrimmage on Monday, Oct. 25, 2010.

Video

Click a link below to listen as each of the Mid-American Conference men's basketball coaches discussed his team and took questions from the media on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2010:

EAST DIVISION

Akron (Keith Dambrot)
Bowling Green (Louis Orr)
Buffalo (Reggie Witherspoon)
Kent State (Geno Ford)[/URL]
Miami (Charlie Coles)
Ohio (John Groce)

WEST DIVISION
Ball State (Billy Taylor)
Central Michigan (Ernie Ziegler)
Eastern Michigan (Charles Ramsey)
Northern Illinois (Ricardo Patton)
Toledo (Tod Kowalczyk)
Western Michigan (Steve Hawkins)

CLEVELAND, OHIO ? Bowling Green and Toledo topped this year’s MAC Preseason Poll as voted on by the leagues head coaches and select members of the media. The Falcons were also picked to claim the tournament title again this season.

2010 MAC Tournament and Regular Season Champion Bowling Green returns 10 letterwinners, including three starters from last year’s team that went 27-7 and 14-2 in conference play. Leading the team is senior, back-to-back MAC Player of the Year Lauren Prochaska. Prochaska scored a school record 609 points last season, averaging 17.9 points per game. She also led the team with 5.7 rebounds per game. Also returning for the Flacons is All-MAC second team selection Tracy Pontius. Pontius was second on the team in scoring, with 11.7 points per game. BGSU opens the season on the road November 11th at Evansville and return for their final season at Anderson Arena on November 15th against Creighton.

Toledo enters the 2010-11 campaign coming off one of the best seasons in the history of the storied program, as the Rockets won the Mid-American Conference West Division title and advanced to post-season play. UT recorded a record of 25-9 overall and 12-4 in the league. A key returner for the Rockets is Naama Shafir who contributed 14.3 points, 6.7 assists (third nationally), 3.6 rebounds and a team-high 2.0 steals in 31.4 min­utes per game in 2009-10, garnering second-team All-MAC accolades. Also returning for the Rockets is Melissa Goodall. Goodall averaged 9.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 26.5 minutes per game last season, earning honorable mention All-MAC accolades. The Rockets open the season at home November 12th against St. Francis (Pa.) in the first round of the Preseason WNIT.

Kent State was picked to finish behind the Falcons in the east division. The Golden Flashes advanced to postseason play for the first time in six seasons with their WNIT berth. Leading the Golden Flashes is All-MAC First Team player Jamilah Humes. Humes led the Golden Flashes with 14.6 points, 3.7 assists and 2.5 steals per game while ranking third on the team in rebounds. Also returning is senior point guard Stephanie Gibson who currently ranks 10th in team history for career assists (324).

Eastern Michigan was voted to finish second in the west. EMU returns 10 letterwinners and four starters from a 2009-10 squad that posted a 22-9 record en route to earning a berth in the Postseason WNIT. EMU became the first MAC women’s basketball team to post a 20-win season following a year in which the team won less than 10 game. Junior guard Tavelyn James leads the Eagles’ offensive attack after leading the MAC in scoring at 20.7 points per game. Senior guard Cassie Schrock again looks to provide a major presence for the Green and White after finished as the league’s runner-up in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio.

Rounding out the East Division are Miami, Akron, Ohio, Buffalo and in the West Division Central Michigan, Ball State, Northern Illinois and Western Michigan, respectfully.

Also being voted on was the All-MAC Preseason Teams. Joining Prochaska and Humes on the east are Kara Murphy of Akron, Kourtney Brown of Buffalo and Kourtney Osborn of Miami. Murphy, an All-MAC Second Team honoree, led the Zips in scoring with 13.8 points per game and averaged 4.6 rebounds per game. Brown, last season’s Defensive Player of the Year and All-MAC First Team honoree set the UB single-season record with 346 total rebounds and is third in the MAC record books. Osborn, MAC Freshman of the Year averaged 16.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 33.6 minutes per game of action. Her 513 points set a new Miami freshman single-season record for points scored and was the fifth-highest single-season total in school history.

For the west, joining Shafir and James were Emily Maggert of Ball State, Marke Freeman of Northern Illinois and Miame Giden of Western Michigan. Maggert holds the BSU record for rebounds in a season with 329 and ranks seventh all time in rebounds with 687 and led the team with 17.0 points per game and 10.6 rebounds. Freeman was named All-MAC Second Team after ranking third in the league in scoring with 18.8 points per game in league play last season. She also totaled 78 steals, the 10th-most in the Huskie record book. Giden led the Broncos in scoring averaging 14.4 points per game. She also led the team in free throws made (96-for-130).


East Division
1. Bowling Green
2. Kent State
3. Miami
4. Akron
5. Ohio
6. Buffalo

West Division
1. Toledo
2. Eastern Michigan
3. Central Michigan
4. Ball State
5. Northern Illinois
6. Western Michigan

Tournament Champion ? Bowling Green

East Division Preseason Team
Kara Murphy, Akron
Lauren Prochaska, Bowling Green
Kourtney Brown, Buffalo
Jamilah Humes, Kent State
Courtney Osborn, Miami

West Division Preseason Team
Emily Maggert, Ball State
Tavelyn James, Eastern Michigan
Marke Freeman, Northern Illinois
Naama Shafir, Toledo
Miame Giden, Western Michigan

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.

Full Story

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