Spartans to speak to children on campus
About 1,000 Lansing-area elementary students will be on hand for the National Student-Athlete Day Rally today at Jenison Field House.

The event recognizes the work of elementary students in the Young Spartan Program.

Members participated in a card writing program, where MSU student-athletes went to area schools and helped children write encouragement letters for hospital patients.

MSU football team senior center DeMarco Monroe will be on hand, and MSU women's head basketball coach Joanne P. McCallie will deliver a speech.

The event runs from 9:30-11 a.m.
Kristofer Karol

Sluggers start Big Ten play against Gophers
The MSU baseball team opens up its Big Ten season today with a four-game series at Minnesota. The Spartans (5-13) are coming off a 6-4, ninth-inning victory at Bowling Green on Tuesday.

The Golden Gophers (10-10) were the 2002 Big Ten regular season champs with an 18-10 record and beat MSU in the 2002 Big Ten Tournament. Minnesota leads the all-time series 69-29 and have played against four ranked teams this season.

Both teams will first square off today at 4 p.m. at Siebert Field. Saturday's double-header begins at 2 p.m. and the two clubs will close out the series at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Kristofer Karol

Hockey team to have annual awards dinner
The 2003 MSU hockey bust is set for April 17 at the Holiday Inn South - Convention Center, 6820 S. Cedar St. in Lansing. The event features dinner and team awards.

Tickets are $50 per person and can be bought by calling (517)355-8257.

The Spartans ended its season with a 23-14-2 mark and fell to Northern Michigan in the CCHA Super Six quarterfinals last week.
Kristofer Karol

Clutten makes splash
Freshman swimmer Ian Clutten will represent MSU at the 2003 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving National Championships.

Clutten will swim both the 100 and 200 meter breaststroke.

Clutten qualified for each event and finished 23rd and 35th in the 100 and 200, respectively.

The 100 meter breaststroke is slated for today, while the 200 takes place on Saturday. The championships will be held at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swim Center in Austin.
Jason Carmel Davis

Softball has first home games of season
The MSU softball team opens up both its home and Big Ten schedules this weekend.

The Spartans (18-8) open up conference play with games against No. 22 Northwestern (17-6) at 3 p.m. and 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday, respectively. A doubleheader between MSU and Illinois (19-5) is slated to begin at noon Sunday. Old College Field will house each of the weekend's games.

MSU hopes to build on its last win. The Spartans have posted a morbid 6-15 record in conference openers since softball became a Big Ten sport in 1982.
Jason Carmel Davis

Tennis hits the road
The MSU men's tennis team hits the road this weekend for Big Ten action.

After losing 5-2 at Louisville, the Spartans (9-8 overall, 0-2 Big Ten) square off against Iowa (4-6, 0-3) and No. 13 Minnesota (11-3, 2-1) this weekend.

MSU finished its nonconference schedule with a 9-6 mark, which marks the second consecutive season the Spartans went into Big Ten play above .500. The team went 12-3 in 2002 against nonconference opponents.

The matchup with the Hawkeyes takes place tonight in Iowa City, while the battle with the Gophers is slated for Sunday in Minneapolis.
Jason Carmel Davis

Track starts outdoor season competition
The MSU women's track team opens its outdoor season this weekend.

The majority of the team will compete in the Raleigh Relays, while juniors Jamie Krzyminski, Cindy Durocher and Sarah Pepera travel to Palo Alto, Calif. for the Stanford Invitational.

Krzyminski and Durocher will attempt to qualify for the NCAA Championships in the 10,000 meters, while Pepera will compete in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Both events take place Friday and Saturday.
Jason Carmel Davis

Tennis takes on foes
The MSU women's tennis team hosts two Big Ten foes this weekend. The Spartans (8-7 overall, 0-3 Big Ten) square off against Iowa (5-10, 1-2) in their conference home opener, and continue Big Ten play with a match against Minnesota (9-5, 2-1). The matchup with the Hawkeyes takes place at 10 a.m. Saturday, while the meet with the Gophers begins at 10 a.m. Sunday. Both matches can be seen at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility.
Jason Carmel Davis