Men’s basketball junior forward Draymond Green speaks at the Izzone Campout on Friday night at Munn field. The campout has been a tradition in Spartan basketball for more than a decade.
Students tossed footballs and roasted hot dogs over bonfires among the multicolored rows of tents, which filled Munn field Friday night.
There were more than 650 tents at the annual Izzone Campout, where students slept outside to earn prime seating in the basketball student section, known as the Izzone.
Spanish freshman Lauren Vermeulen said she’s known about the Izzone her entire life.
“I came home from the hospital in an MSU onesie,” she said. “I definitely bleed green and white, so I knew about the Izzone.”
Education freshman Anne Castillo and no-preference freshman Liz Witcher, who shared a tent with Vermeulen, also knew about the Izzone from a young age. The three arrived at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Munn field to set up their tent.
“I’m really excited,” Castillo said. “It’s crazy here. It’s really impressive with all the tents.”
Witcher said if it wasn’t for the Izzone, she likely would not be at MSU at all.
“The Izzone is one of the reasons I chose Michigan State as a college,” she said. “My parents both went to MSU and I grew up watching basketball.”
Construction management junior Thomas Wolf is a veteran of the Izzone. This was his third year camping out.
“It’s different,” he said of the campout. “Last year it started more in the day, this year it starts later.”
Students spent the night grilling, dancing and playing games for prizes. When the men’s and women’s basketball teams arrived, students had the opportunity to take pictures and get autographs from their favorite players.
Men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo addressed the crowd to thank them for attending and to answer questions.
“One thing I’ve learned is that a job is going to be a job,” he said. “But if I can tell you one thing, enjoy what you have now. There may not be a better time than being in college.”
Another group of students came to the campout, but not to get their season tickets.
About 50 students from the Coalition Against Sexual Violence went to protest a reported sexual assault, allegedly committed by two basketball players against a female student at the end of August.
Comparative cultures and politics sophomore Karin Bashir said the protest was aimed at raising awareness and to convince the university to take action.
“People have this misconception that we’re against the team,” she said. “That’s not true. We support the team and we love basketball. We want to be proud of the school we go to.”
At the end of the campout, Izzo left the students with a promise.
“We’re going to try our hardest and give you a championship effort,” he said. “You give us effort and we’ll give you some. We’re kicking some ass.”
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
