Recruit stays with Tide
The Spartan football team lost out on a prized community college linebacker.
Derrick Pope, a 6-foot-1, 218-pound linebacker from Garden City Community College in Kansas chose to stay with Alabama on Monday.
Pope verbally committed to Alabama in July, before reconsidering following NCAA sanctions against the university.
Alabama was placed under a five-year probation, which includes a two-year bowl ban for repeated violations. The Crimson Tide is appealing the sanctions.
Pope, who is ranked by Rivals.com as the top JUCO linebacker in the nation, said the sanctions factored into his decision.
“I kind of knew where I was going,” he said. “But I wanted to look and see if there was anything better.”
Pope picked Alabama over MSU, Arkansas and Florida, which he named as the top three candidates Sunday.
He said he was glad to stick with his original commitment and is excited to begin his Division I career at a storied university.
“It’s Alabama football,” he said.
Ryan Wallace
Guard done after season
Junior guard Vnemina Reese, a starter for the women’s basketball team (15-10 overall, 5-9 Big Ten), will not return for her senior season at MSU.
Reese, 21, is on track to graduate in May. Instead of using her final year of eligibility, Reese will get married during the summer and pursue a career in family community services.
Reese received a medical-redshirt in the 1998-99 season. She played in the first six games of her freshman season before tearing her anterior cruciate ligament on Dec. 1, 1998 against Detroit. She had reconstructive surgery on Jan. 5, 1999.
Reese is looking to tie the knot in August with fiancé Omar Cooper. Reese has been raising the couple’s 6-year-old daughter Lamina.
This is the first year Lamina has stayed with Reese on campus. She had lived with Reese’s parents, Charlie Reese Sr. and Janet Reese for the past three years.
“Normally athletes have two focuses - academics and basketball,” Reese said. “And in my situation, I have three.
“It’s been rough all season balancing three.”
Reese will be honored on senior night with fellow teammate Abby Salscheider following Wednesday’s game against Iowa (15-9, 8-6).
This season Reese is averaging 6.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.
Chris Mackinder
Charity game at Munn
Even with three consecutive road contests up next on MSU’s schedule, fans still can catch the hockey team live at Munn Ice Arena tonight.The team’s 26th annual charity broomball game - against the Legal Eagles, a men’s league team of area lawyers - will face off at 7 tonight in Munn.
Tickets for the event are $4 and are available at the MSU Athletic Ticket Office in Jenison Field House, Sparrow Hospital or from area Kiwanis Club members. Tickets also will be available tonight at the door.
Proceeds from the event benefit Sparrow’s Coaches for Kids foundation, of which MSU head coach Ron Mason is an honorary chairman.
“It’s something our guys have a lot of fun with,” Mason said. “It’s raised a lot of money over the years - first for the Boys and Girls Club - and now for the Children’s Miracle Network.”
Judge Charles Filice of the 54A District Court has coached the Eagles since the event’s inception in 1977 and will do so again tonight. The Eagles tied MSU 3-3 last year.
The MSU Blue Line Club auctioned off the right to be MSU’s honorary goaltender to Okemos resident Tony Coble, who paid $1,100 for the honor, Blue Line Club member Tamara Corrie said.
Also appearing tonight will be the MSU Precision Skating team and individual figure skaters, who will perform during breaks in the broomball action.
Local youth hockey players are also slated to play an exhibition game during an intermission break.
Music will be provided by the Lansing Eastern High School pep band and a “celebrity silent auction” is also scheduled.
James Jahnke
Tennis takes 2 on road
The women’s tennis team swept its weekend competition with a 5-2 win against Miami (Ohio) on Saturday and a 6-1 win against Ball State on Sunday.The Spartans (6-2) won four of six singles matches and two of three doubles matches to defeat the Redhawks (4-3) in Miami, Ohio.
Freshman Dora Vastag beat Melissa Roach for the first place singles title.
MSU won five of six singles matches and all three doubles matches in its 6-2 rout of the Cardinals in Muncie, Ind.
On Sunday the team played Ball State (1-2) and improved its record to 6-2.
Junior Asa Linden has a seven-match winning streak in singles play.
E. Claire Lepine
