KENT, Ohio – Coming off one of its most successful seasons in program history, which included the school’s seventh MAC Tournament Title and ninth NCAA appearance, Kent State head coach Scott Stricklin announced Friday (Oct. 9) one of the toughest schedules for the Golden Flashes in recent memory.
“We’ve gone to Florida and Alabama in the past, but when you look at the first five weekends, all five trips are really challenging,” said Stricklin. “Playing in great venues is always something that we promised our players. We want to make sure we play great teams in great stadiums.”
“When we do the schedule, we do it two years in advance,” said Stricklin. “We try to talk with people that we know. With Kansas State, that was something that they called us and wanted to see if we wanted to come out there and play. We’re excited about going to Manhattan.”
“I think that the MAC is going to be very balanced as always,” said Stricklin. “I think the league lost a lot of talent, but I also think there is a lot of talent coming in. I think our conference is going to be as competitive as always.”
“I think Toledo is going to jump up and I also think you’re going to see teams that didn’t have as good of years as they would’ve liked to last year like Western Michigan and Northern Illinois get back to where they normally are. They’re very, very good, and they were young last year. All in all, I think it’s very balanced,” he added.
The MAC Tournament will be played May 26-29 in Chillicothe, Ohio with the NCAA Tournament set to begin on June 4.
For the second-straight season, the schedule includes a pair of midweek games against Penn State of the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions travel to Olga Mural Field March 30 while the Golden Flashes travel to State College, Pa. on March 31.
“We’ve had a good relationship with them the last couple years,” explained Stricklin. “They’ve got a very nice stadium, and our kids enjoy going over there. We have five kids on our roster from the state of Pennsylvania. So, we think it’s important to go back over there, and then they return the trip. That’s a good home game for us. A competitive Big Ten team will play us in a home-and-home series. That’s something that says a lot about Penn State.”
Finally, the 2010 slate of games sees the return of familiar foes in Pittsburgh, Cleveland State and Youngstown State.
FEBRUARY
19 Western Kentucky Bowling Green, Ky. 4 p.m.
20 Western Kentucky Bowling Green, Ky. 2 p.m.
21 Western Kentucky Bowling Green, Ky. 2 p.m.
26 – 28 Wake Forest (4 Games) Winston-Salem, N.C. TBD
MARCH
5 – 7 Vanderbilt Tournament (3 Games) with Illinois State and Indiana Nashville, Tenn. TBD
9 NIAGRA KENT, OHIO 3 p.m.
12 – 14 Kansas State (4 games) Manhattan, Kan. TBD
16 DUQUESNE KENT, OHIO 3 p.m.
19 Penn State Rock Hill, S.C. 11 a.m.
19 Columbia Rock Hill, S.C. 2:30 p.m.
20 Winthrop Rock Hill, S.C. 2:30 p.m.
21 CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND Rock Hill, S.C. TBD
23 CLEVELAND STATE KENT, OHIO 3 p.m.
24 YOUNGSTOWN STATE KENT, OHIO 3 p.m.
26 Toledo Toledo, Ohio 3 p.m.
27 Toledo Toledo, Ohio 1 p.m.
28 Toledo Toledo, Ohio 1 p.m.
30 PENN STATE KENT, OHIO 3 p.m.
31 Penn State State College, Pa. 3:35 p.m.
APRIL
2 WESTERN MICHIGAN KENT, OHIO 3 p.m.
3 WESTERN MICHIGAN KENT, OHIO 1 p.m.
4 WESTERN MICHIGAN KENT, OHIO 1 p.m.
6 Duquesne Pittsburgh, Pa. 3 p.m.
7 PITTSBURGH KENT, OHIO 3 p.m.
9 Eastern Michigan Ypsilanti, Mich. 6 p.m.
10 Eastern Michigan Ypsilanti, Mich. 3 p.m.
11 Eastern Michigan Ypsilanti, Mich. 1 p.m.
14 Cleveland State Lorain, Ohio 5 p.m.
16 CENTRAL MICHIGAN KENT, OHIO 3 p.m.
17 CENTRAL MICHIGAN KENT, OHIO 1 p.m.
18 CENTRAL MICHIGAN KENT, OHIO 1 p.m.
20 Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pa. 3 p.m.
23 Buffalo Buffalo, N.Y. 3 p.m.
24 Buffalo Buffalo, N.Y. 1 p.m.
25 Buffalo Buffalo, N.Y. 1 p.m.
27 Youngstown State Niles, Ohio 7 p.m.
30 OHIO KENT, OHIO 3 p.m
MAY
1 OHIO KENT, OHIO 1 p.m.
2 OHIO KENT, OHIO 1 p.m.
7 Miami Oxford, Ohio 6 p.m.
8 Miami Oxford, Ohio 6 p.m.
9 Miami Oxford, Ohio 1 p.m.
14 BOWLING GREEN KENT, OHIO 3 p.m.
15 BOWLING GREEN KENT, OHIO 1 p.m.
16 BOWLING GREEN KENT, OHIO 1 p.m.
18 vs. Akron (Canal Park) Akron, Ohio 6 p.m.
20 Akron Akron, Ohio 3 p.m.
21 Akron Akron, Ohio 3 p.m.
22 Akron Akron, Ohio 1 p.m.
26-29 MAC Tournament Chillicothe, Ohio TBD
JUNE
4-7 NCAA Regionals TBD TBD
11-14 NCAA Super Regionals TBD TBD
19-30 College World Series Omaha, Neb. TBD
Filed under: Division I
