Craig Trudell
MSU hockey’s junior goaltender did it all this season. He was a Hobey Baker finalist and a top-five finalist for the Sullivan Award, which is given to the top amateur athlete in the country. On top of that, he was named to the All-CCHA First Team and the CCHA Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Lerg led his team to a 3-1 upset win over Colorado College in the NCAA Tournament. In 2008, Lerg recorded a 1.92 goals-against average with a .938 save percentage and four shutouts.
Matt Bishop says: Nov. 10, 2007 was a strange day for MSU hockey, as it was Bobby Jarosz and not Jeff Lerg in goal for MSU. Going into that game, Lerg had started 63 straight contests. Refreshed from his night off, he promptly started every game for MSU after that. Despite playing nearly every game this season, Lerg still maintained the high level of play expected (and needed) of him. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Lerg was the most important MSU athlete on campus this year — and his legend will only continue to grow as he heads into his senior season.
It makes sense that Drew Naymick would receive an award denoting excellence in both the classroom and on the basketball court — majoring in finance to obtain a doctorate while being the glue that held the Spartans together. Whatever Naymick needed to do in order to help the team, he did. Grab rebounds and defend an all-star center? He’s the guy. Step out and hit the 12-foot jumper? No problem. Naymick’s character and soft-spoken attitude didn’t show in games — ripping down a misleading 4.1 rebounds a game, as well as scoring 4.3 points per contest. Naymick played in all 36 games, starting 23 of them.
Sean Ely says: It’s tough to think of a more distinguished overall person than Drew Naymick. After speaking with him multiple times throughout the season, I got a real feel for the solid personality everyone mentioned. It was obvious — Naymick always wanted to make everyone else’s life easier, being interviewed at length even after heart-shattering losses. This award shows more about Naymick’s personality and general intelligence than anything else. Don’t get me wrong, the boy can play. But he is too much of gentleman to not at least mention how well he balances his work load.
Riding high off of a win at Purdue, the Spartans football team headed into senior night at Spartan Stadium against Penn State looking to get a seventh win and solidify a bowl game bid — something they hadn’t accomplished since 2003.
The first half didn’t give fans much confidence, with quarterback Brian Hoyer throwing two interceptions, and the Spartans found themselves in a 24-7 hole at the start of the third quarter.
The whisper of “Same Old Spartans” seemed to echo throughout the stadium.
Then Hoyer led an offensive onslaught with deep bombs to wide receiver Devin Thomas, combined with running back Jehuu Caulcrick bull rushing his way to the pay dirt — resulting in a run to give the Spartans a 35-31 comeback victory.
In the end: The seniors walk off the field as winners, the Spartans eventually receive a bid to the Champs Sports Bowl, and the cries of “SOS” were silenced — for now.
Craig Trudell says: “Show me a good loser, and I’ll show you a loser.” Vince Lombardi’s words seemed to stick to this team like the Spartans decal on their helmets.
But this game changed the way this team will be remembered.
It wasn’t the win-loss column that made the Spartans good losers — the team entered their season finale with the Nittany Lions with a guaranteed .500 record. It was that the team’s five losses came by an average of fewer than 6 points.
Four touchdowns in the second half propelled MSU to a matchup with Boston College, a team that was a win in the ACC Championship game away from the National Championship game, and made the season a success.
Banda-Scott’s perfect 10 came on the perfect night — Senior Night.
She dominated the vault against New Hampshire on March 9, 2008, to launch her team to victory. Her perfect 10 was only the second in Spartans history. Sophomore teammate Rochelle Robinson recorded the other perfect score as a freshman at the Fox Run Invitational on Feb. 10, 2007.
Cash Kruth says: You probably haven’t heard her name before, but that doesn’t take away from what an enormous accomplishment scoring a perfect 10 was for Banda-Scott. Every athlete dreams of going out on a high note, and nothing beats what Banda-Scott was able to do in her final meet at Jenison Field House.
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For evidence of Devin Thomas’ breakout season, just look at his production turnaround during the past two seasons.
In 2006, Thomas played a minimal role under former head coach John L. Smith, and his stats showed it — six catches for 90 yards and one touchdown in 10 games, along with one punt return for 17 yards and no kick returns.
But the record books are still sore from the pounding Thomas gave them in 2007. He started at wide receiver and quickly emerged as the Spartans’ go-to guy.
He caught 79 passes for 1,260 yards and eight touchdowns, and returned 39 kicks for 1,135 yards — breaking Charles Rogers’ MSU record for catches in a single season, and also breaking the Big Ten single-season record for kick return yards.
John L. Smith is likely to be seen slapping himself somewhere.
Jon Schultz says: This time last year, Devin “Showtime” Thomas was about as well-known as a low-budget independent movie. He was on nearly no one’s radar, and while some may have seen his potential, no one could have foreseen how much of an impact he would make in one season.
He brought excitement every time the ball was kicked to him, and he caught enough passes and impressed enough scouts to be projected as taken in the first round of Saturday’s NFL Draft.
Thomas embodied the phrase “diamond in the rough.”
It just goes to show that when given the right opportunity and when the coaches make proper use of their personnel — amazing things can happen.
Hey, maybe the Lions will even draft him. They really like wide receivers.
When his MSU career ended in Houston, Drew Neitzel far surpassed any of the standards that were set by him in the men’s basketball program. Now, he goes down with the 14th-most career points and toward the top of the list for 3-pointers and assists. By the end of the season, the Spartans proved that they could win without Neitzel putting them on his back. Stay tuned.
Sean Ely says: For the past two years, when MSU men’s basketball is brought up in conversation, Drew Neitzel’s name is almost always the main topic of discussion. Can you even imagine a starting lineup announced without “Drrrewww Neeittzel!” echoing off Breslin Center’s walls? I’m sure many can’t. But the Grand Rapids native has been the catalyst for some unbelievable statistics in his four-year journey.
It’s been magical, as he’s made mention of before. And although he’s passing the torch on to a group of dazzling freshmen, Neitzel’s southpaw 3-point form and tenacity made him a unique asset that will be missed.
Kalin Lucas, a starry-eyed but never-say-die six-footer out of the Detroit area, came out of the woodwork for Tom Izzo when he needed him most. At times when the Spartans were missing Neitzel or sophomore forward Raymar Morgan, Lucas called for the ball. Izzo doesn’t hesitate to drop his name in association with “Mateen” as Lucas had the fourth-most points and assists for an MSU freshman.
Matt Bishop says: Like 22,000 other people, I knew Kalin Lucas would be big during MSU’s game against Texas at The Palace of Auburn Hills before Christmas. I told my friend who came with me, and rarely watches MSU, to watch Lucas because “he’s pretty fast.” Little did I know how fast Lucas would be that day, carving up the Longhorns to the tune of 18 points with six rebounds and six assists. It was truly his coming out party and better yet? His best is still to come.
Cash Kruth says: If you’ve been to any MSU baseball game the past two and a half seasons, you’ve seen Kyle Day play — unless you happened to catch the one game out of 142 that he didn’t play in. It’s one thing to come to the ballpark and play everyday, but it’s a whole different thing to come out and produce like Day, who is leading the Spartans in hitting (.341), home runs (5), RBIs (34), hits (42) and runs (28). If you haven’t checked out Day, your chance may be running out as it is expected he will be drafted in the MLB Amateur Draft in June.
