Beaver Falls, PA – It has been 13 years since Jerry Slocum paced the sidelines for the Geneva College men’s basketball program. These days Slocum is still pacing for the Division I Youngstown State Penguins. In a last minute scheduling change, Geneva will be facing Slocum’s YSU club in Youngstown on November 24. The Golden Tornadoes have twice visited YSU in years past in a pair of exhibition games but the 2009 showdown will be within the regular season and count on the record for both teams. As for Geneva, it will be the second game against a Division I opponent in the past three years. The Golden Tornadoes lost to Cleveland State University back in 2007.

The addition of Youngstown State to the upcoming schedule has prompted some other changes to the schedule. Most notably, Geneva has cancelled its season opening home game against Malone College that was originally scheduled for November 17. Also, Geneva will move its game at Baldwin-Wallace to November 23 giving the Golden Tornadoes a challenging back to back road test during Thanksgiving week.

“We are very excited to have been given this opportunity,” said Geneva head coach Jeff Santarsiero. “It will undoubtedly be a tremendous challenge for our basketball program, but we thoroughly enjoy having the chance to line-up against Division I talent.” Santarsiero is also excited about going head to head with his former boss. He served as Jerry Slocum’s assistant at Geneva from 1989-1996. “Jerry and I are still great friends,” said Santarsiero. “Much of what I have in coaching is because of Jerry and I certainly have all the respect in the world for him and his program. It will be a lot of fun having the chance to line-up against him and his ball club again this year.”

The start time for the Geneva-YSU game will be announced later this fall. The Golden Tornadoes will now open their season at the annual tip-off tournament hosted by Geneva College on the weekend of November 20-21.

Geneva College is a comprehensive Christian college of the arts, sciences and professional studies. Founded in the tradition of the Reformed Christian faith, Geneva prepares students to serve Christ in all areas of society: work, family and the church. Geneva College’s philosophy of education is based on the Foundational Concepts of Christian Higher Education. Geneva is a founding member of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU).