Back on June 9 NewsFlashes updated you on the non-conference schedule for the men's basketball team for the 2009-2010 season.  Now we can give you the dates for those games.  The official non-conference schedule will probably be released next week.

HOME — Nov. 13 vs. Samford, Nov. 14 vs. UAB, Nov. 15 vs. Wisconsin-Green Bay, Dec. 8 vs. Rochester College, Dec. 20 vs. Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Jan. 4 vs. Norfolk State, Feb. 20 a TBA BracketBuster opponent.

AWAY — Nov. 18 at Youngstown State, Nov. 29 at Morehead State, Dec. 4 at Xavier, Dec. 12 at Pittsburgh, Dec. 22 at Robert Morris, Dec. 29 vs. Wofford at Santa Clara’s Cable Car Classic, Dec. 30 vs. Santa Clara or Northeastern at the Cable Car Classic.

The Kent State Athletics Communications official website, www.kentstatesports.com, has released an update on many of its members of the 2009 MAC Tournament Championship team.  Brad Stillings (Minnesota), Jon Pokorny (Milwaukee), Greg Rohan (Chicago Cubs), Chris Tremblay (San Diego), and Jason Patton (Tampa Bay) have all signed professional contracts with their respective organizations.  Earlier in the week we told you that Kyle Smith had signed with the Indians.

Read the full release here. 

Former Kent State right handed pitcher Kyle Smith (Louisville) has signed to a deal with the Indians.  The Indians selected Smith in the 20th round of the June draft.  Smith went 4-2 with a 4.79 ERA in 11 starts in 2009.  He was bothered by shoulder problems for much of the season.  Smith was the winning pitcher in the MAC Championship game as Kent State defeated Toledo 5-3 to win its seventh tournament championship in program history.

Former Kent State right handed pitcher J.J. Pacella has joined former Golden Flashes Andrew Davis and Drew Saylor playing for the Lake Erie Crushers in Avon, Ohio.  The Crushers compete in the Frontier League and are an independent team.  Davis is playing third base and batting .296 with 2 HR and 19 RBI while Saylor is playing second base and batting .282 with 4 HR and 22 RBI.  The team is 16-13 going into tonight.   

The Medina Gazette had featured Saylor a few weeks ago here.

DeAndre Haynes is one of 14 former Kent State men's basketball players playing professional basketball in a foreign country.  This past season Haynes played in Hungary.  Haynes is in town to help out at the Golden Flashes' summer basketball camp for kids.  Dave Carducci from the Record Courier has the story with the 2006 MAC Player of the Year and some of his experiences, both good and bad, playing professional basketball overseas.  

The Plain Dealer recently interviewed new Mid-American Conference Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher.  Steinbrecher, the former Commissioner of the Ohio Valley Conference and Mid-Continent Conference, took over on May 1.  "What I want to make sure we're doing, at virtually every meeting, basketball is the topic of conversation," Steinbrecher said.  Read the full Q and A here. 

Dave Carducci from the Record Courier checks in today with some news and notes. 

-Currently the football program has 64 players on campus to participate in the summer strength and conditioning program. 

-The Kent State men's basketball program has seven players on campus for the "Summer I" session of summer school.  The first year players will not be permitted to practice this summer or go on the trip to Italy in late August.  Freshmen-to-be are not permitted to go on the trip. 

-Geno Ford isn't exactly thrilled about the new definition of the always difficult block/charge call that officials have to make.

-Men's golfers John Hahn and Brett Cairns have been honored several times in their career at Kent State and that has continued.

Kim Hamilton took 5th place at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.  She tossed the javelin a career best 50.80 meters on Friday. 

The Kent State Athletic Department is very proud after eight teams earned a GPA of 3.00 or higher during the spring semester.  Overall the athletic department compiled a 2.96 GPA during the spring to equal KSU's highest semester GPA since 1983 when official records were first kept by the university.

Dix Stadium will host Football University this weekend for the second straight year.  Football University was founded by Rich McGuiness, the president of the New Jersey based company SportsLink.  This football camp offers instruction by former and current professional players.  More than 150 athletes have registered for Football University which will last Friday-Sunday.  The Plain Dealer's Tim Rogers has the full story. 

Kent State baseball has had seven players selected in the first-year player draft, tying the 1994 class for the most draftees ever.

Kent State right handed pitcher Brad Stillings was selected by the Minnesota Twins with the No. 222 pick.

Left handed relief pitcher Jon Pokorny (Parma Normandy) was picked at No. 286 by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Shortstop Chris Tremblay was selected at No. 564 by the San Diego Padres.

Right handed pitcher Kyle Smith (Louisville) was selected by the Cleveland Indians with the No. 605 pick.

First basemen Greg Rohan was selected by the Chicago Cubs with the No. 650 pick.

Right handed pitcher Robert Sabo was selected in the 38th round (1145th overall) by the Cleveland Indians.

Outfielder Jason Patton was selected in the 47th round (1429 overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays.

In addition to the current KSU players, two KSU signees were also drafted.  Jason Bagoly, a catcher from Austintown-Fitch High School was drafted in the 40th round by the Colorado Rockies and Addison Dunn, a right handed pitcher from Warren Area High School in Pennsylvania, was selected in the 45th round by the Chicago Cubs.

Dave Carducci caught up with Brad Stillings and his head coach Scott Stricklin.