The magazine recently ranked MSU third on its list of the 25 Fittest Colleges in America, based on three different criteria: a fitness index, nutrition index and campus index.

Rick McNeil, director of MSU’s Recreational Sports and Fitness Services, believes making an effort to stay in shape is important for college students.

“A lot of students are active in high school with extracurricular and co-curricular athletic activities as well as active demands of parents in terms of what they do,” McNeil said. “Now, when any high school senior comes to college they are 100 percent responsible for their decision making … so the physical activity component is one piece that is part of a total life of a college student.”

MSU’s ranking came in behind No. 1 The Ohio State University and No. 2 University of California, Los Angeles. In the rest of the Big Ten, Indiana University, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska, University of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania State University and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign also made the top 25.

In the magazine’s rankings, the fitness index accounted for the number of workout facilities, the number of NCAA titles the university has won and whether a fitness course was required for graduation at each of the universities.

The nutrition index looked at whether or not a nutritionist was available for students and the number of fast-food restaurants and bars close to campus.

The campus index determined how many health and fitness majors the school offered and the average weather temperatures and level of sunshine.

The Men’s Fitness article took special note of IM Sports-West and its 175,600 square feet of fitness space, including seven basketball courts, a turf arena, pools and a two-story weight room. With Lake Lansing just a short drive away, the magazine said students at MSU also have a unique opportunity to partake in kayaking, rowing or hiking along nearby trails.

Forestry junior Alex Grieve was pleasantly surprised when he heard of MSU’s ranking, especially when taking into account the reputation some cities in Michigan have.

“I’m pretty stoked because Detroit is supposed to be considered pretty ‘fat,’” Grieve said. “(The ranking) makes sense though because I see lots of people running.”

One of those runners is child development junior Haley Brewster, who works out five days a week and said she takes full advantage of the IM-West Sports facility and its location.

“It’s in the perfect spot,” Brewster said. “I go there between classes, and it’s really convenient because I don’t have to drive there.”

According to the IM sports website, the fitness locations on campus provide a wide array of classes from power yoga and kick-boxing to salsa and merengue dancing.

The magazine also said although MSU’s mascot isn’t creatively named, he is a symbol of strength on campus.

“MSU mascot Sparty the Spartan doesn’t get any points for name originality, but he does have two tickets to the gun show,” the magazine said.