KEENE, N.H. 10/21/09 - Keene State will hold its annual Midnight Madness celebration at Spaulding Gym on Friday night. Members of the college and Keene community are encouraged to attend. Doors are scheduled to open at 10:30 p.m., with festivities getting under way at 11. The first 1,800 students that come through the door will receive a specially designed Madness t-shirt.

The basketballs and the stars are aligned for what promises to be a fun and enjoyable night for the 13th annual event this Halloween weekend. Program highlights include unusual contests, incredible prizes and giveaways, and performances by the KSC cheerleading and dance squads, leading up to the introduction of this year's men's and women's basketball teams at the stroke of midnight.

The excitement is filtering through campus, especially when it comes to the prizes, which include a pair of $10,000 shots, airline vouchers, iPod and computer giveaways, a $300 Synergy gift certificate, and bookstore and meal-plan awards. "It's like the Keene State version of Let's Make a Deal," said KSC women's basketball coach Keith Boucher.

Following the games, the Keene State men's and women's basketball teams take the floor and entertain the crowd with slam dunk and shooting contests.

Madness is something special, even for veteran members of the teams. "It's the kick-off to our season and a great way to get things rolling," said senior forward Cameron Fisk of Keene. "The student turnout is unreal, and a great eye-opener for our new guys. Madness is a tradition and a great event that is so much fun for our team, fans, and friends."

"I'm really looking forward to Friday night," said sophomore guard Sara Laudano from North Haven, Conn. "The support from the student body and Keene community is great."

Both young teams will have members experiencing Madness for the very first time. "I've talked to upperclassmen about Midnight Madness, and they've said its going to be wild with a packed gym and screaming fans," said Ryan Boyle, a freshman from Brattleboro, Vt. "I'm looking forward to seeing the crowd and watching the dunk contest. I think the Snowman (Cody Snow) has planned something big for this year."

"Every year I realize how much the players look forward to Midnight Madness," said Colbert. "It's an opportunity for them to participate in one of the biggest student events on campus. "It's nice for the players to know how well they're supported on campus and in the community."

Midnight Madness is sponsored by KSC athletics, the Lloyd P. Young Student Center, the Vice-President's Office for Student Affairs, and Keene State Student Government.

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