When it comes to weight rooms, size is an issue for first-year MSU head coach Rick Comley.
That’s why his hockey team has been commuting to the Duffy Daugherty Football Building for lifting sessions every Monday and Wednesday this year.
Under former coach Ron Mason, the team lifted a group at a time in Munn Ice Arena’s weight room, located next to the locker room.
But Comley and the rest of the coaching staff have taken to the football building’s expansive 9,000-square-foot facility, which dwarfs Munn’s 500-square-foot room.
“At Munn, we trained in more of an assembly-line fashion where players would get off the ice and we would move them through their routines at different times,” said Mike Vorkapich, the team’s strength and conditioning coach.
“Duffy provides more of a team atmosphere, where everybody sees everybody working, and they can get after each other a little bit.”
Sophomore left wing Brock Radunske doesn’t know whether the team will keep walking to the football building through the cold winter months, but he agreed that the bigger facility makes things easier.
“There’s just more of everything and more advanced equipment,” Radunske said. “Two or three people can be on the same piece of equipment at the same time, so it just speeds things up.”
And since the football building has at least temporarily stolen Munn’s weight-lifting clientele, the main purpose of the Munn weight room has been biking and other cardiovascular work.
Ultimately, Comley said he wants to revamp Munn’s entire infrastructure, which includes MSU’s locker room, weight room, equipment room, training room, showers, various coaching offices and other facilities.
“I think we need a whole facelift,” Comley said. “I’d like to see offices moved up and out. I’d like to see everything remodeled to make the locker room bigger, the weight room bigger - that type of thing - to keep it competitive with the new buildings going up around the country.
“Right now, it’s just a wish list. But Christmas is coming up.”
Unlucky 13?
Despite not playing last weekend, the Spartans (4-2-0 overall, 3-1-0 CCHA) fell a spot to No. 13 in both national polls this week.
In both instances, MSU was demoted to make room for the surprising Ferris State Bulldogs, who are now 7-1-0 overall and 6-0-0 in the league.
No. 12 Ferris leapfrogged the Spartans after sweeping Alaska-Fairbanks last weekend. The Bulldogs’ only loss came to St. Cloud State in the season opener for both teams.
Donning Ron
Senior defenseman John-Michael Liles got at least one teammate’s vote for “Best Halloween Costume” when he dressed up as athletics director and former hockey coach, Ron Mason last Thursday.
“He actually looked pretty similar - he pulled it off,” Radunske said. “Everybody liked that one.”
However, Liles declined to accept the honor of best costume, deferring to former defenseman Mike Porter’s Kid Rock get-up.
Miscellany
The Spartans are the healthiest they have been all year, Comley said. Nobody is expected to miss this weekend’s series against Niagara due to injury.
MSU plays the Purple Eagles (3-7-0) at 7:05 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Munn.
Tickets are still available for Friday’s game for $20 to the public and $8 to students. Saturday’s game is sold out, but standing-room passes are available for $10.
Call (517)355-1610 or (800)GO-STATE for more ticket information.
