Butts follows former coach to Kentucky
After one year of serving as an assistant coach on the women's basketball team, Niya Butts announced she is leaving for an assistant coaching position at Kentucky.
Butts will be joining new Wildcat head coach Mickie DeMoss, who was named Kentucky's head coach after 18 years as an assistant and associate head coach at Tennessee. Butts played on two national championship teams under DeMoss at Tennessee and was a four-year letter winner.
Golfers gearing up for Big Ten Tournament
"Niya is an outstanding person and has done a terrific job at Michigan State," said MSU women's basketball head coach Joanne P. McCalliein a statement. "But when one's mentor comes calling, I think it's appropriate that we wish for what's best for her."
A replacement for Butts has not been named.
The MSU women's golf team is looking to capture the Big Ten Championship this weekend at the Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City, Iowa.
The tournament format has each golfer playing 72 holes. Friday, all will play 36 holes, followed by 18 holes on Saturday and Sunday.
Led by senior Jessica Till, junior Allison Fouch, junior Sarah Martin and junior Ann Marie Kersten, the No. 35 Spartans have had a successful 2002-03 season. Fouch leads MSU with a 76.7 stroke average, ranking 10th in MSU's single-season record books.
Last year, the Spartans finished fourth in the Big Ten Championships.
The MSU women's tennis team's season ended Thursday with a 4-0 loss to Wisconsin in the first round of the Big Ten Championships.
Women's tennis gets shut out in tourney
Traditionally, matches have seven points, but winning the first four matches guaranteed a Badger win. The Spartans were losing the other three matches at the time of abandonment.
It was the 11th consecutive loss in conference play for the Spartans (8-15 overall, 0-11 Big Ten).
"Overall, we are disappointed with our team record, but taking in account everything we've had to deal with this season, I saw some incredible individual achievements," said head coach Tim Bauer.
"We've made some great strides individually."
Briefs by Chris Mackinder
