The MSU Athletics Hall of Fame inducted eight new members on Thursday, with former MSU punter Mike Sadler being one of the inductees.
MSU head football coach Mark Dantonio spoke at the induction ceremony and had many good things to say about Sadler.
“Mike was one those guys that, first of all, had a great demeanor about him," Mark Dantonio said at the ceremony. "He was extremely competitive, he was a guy that liked to have fun, very intelligent individual.”
Sadler died on July 23 in a car accident in which Sadler lost control of his vehicle and struck a tree. Nebraska punter Sam Foltz was also killed in the accident and Louisiana State University kick Colby Delahoussaye was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.
Sadler finished his time with Spartan football as an all-time leader in punts, a two-time first team Academic All-American, as well as the school's first four time Academic All-American.
With Sadler's contributions to the university academically and athletically, Hall of Fame Committee and the MSU Board of Trustees and administration bypassed the rule of having to be 10 years removed from MSU to be inducted, by giving him the honor of being the youngest MSU hall of fame member.
“I am so thrilled, he worked really hard to establish a reputation, and this is so deserving for him, I just wish he could see it,” Sadler’s mother, Karen said.
Karen Sadler accepted the honor on Mike Sadler's behalf at the induction ceremony. She talked about her son's decision to commit to MSU, and the impact MSU had on him in his five years on and off the field. She said Mike Sadler used his platform to make a difference by helping the community around him and anyone in need.
"Michael didn’t know that July 23, almost two months ago now would be his last day," Karen Sadler said. "But it was. And he’s receiving this tonight because he did things right. He lived with integrity.”
MSU also honored Mike Sadler as the Celebrate 2016 weekend continued at the MSU football game against Wisconsin. Members of the MSU football team wore towels with Mike's number on them that said, "R.I.P. #3". Mike Sadler's number 3 was painted into the Spartan logo.
When the varsity letter winners were announced on the field, Athletic Director Mark Hollis stood by Karen Sadler as MSU honored Mike Sadler's accomplishments as MSU's punter. A sold-out crowd of 75,505 people rose to their feet and gave the Sadler family a standing ovation. Fans in attendance were seen holding three fingers in the air, and the MSU student section waved a banner honoring Mike Sadler.
