To fully understand this, we need the context of such fandom and the effects that it brings. Many of you — the readers — likely have unique stories about how you became loyal to the green and white. For me, it was this: 

I entered the Breslin Center with tickets gifted to me by my uncle following my ninth birthday — tickets to watch the so-called Spartan men’s basketball team take on some smaller school that I have no business remembering. At the time, I could not have cared less about anything related to MSU, but after witnessing the graces of Gary Harris and Denzel Valentine in a resounding yet predictable victory, I was hooked.

Following that victory, I solemnly swore my fandom allegiance to the Spartans of MSU and never looked back. There was a gritty football team led by Mark Dantonio. A championship chasing men’s basketball team. A consistent Suzy Merchant women's basketball team. A dominant gymnastics program. Even MSU hockey had its moments- rare, but memorable. It was an era when fans across the world proudly bled green and white, and I was fully onboard.

So, when I arrived in East Lansing to attend this fine and pristine university in hopes to pursue a higher education — and of course, witness Spartan athletic greatness — I was disappointed.   

My first year spelled the opposite of what I once witnessed as a boy. It was marked by loss, embarrassment, and a noticeable lack of fandom. It was the year of the Mel Tucker scandal, an overhyped but underperforming men’s basketball team, a rebuilding women’s basketball program, and another disappointing season for Spartan baseball.

But hey, at least we had hockey. Even that seemed to be quickly written off after a 5-2 loss to Michigan in the NCAA tournament, disfiguring any good feelings one may have possessed for that season. 

So naturally upon returning to MSU for my second year, the hope, thrill and excitement that Spartan sports once brought was nonexistent. The phrases "national championships," "Final Fours," and "conference titles" felt like distant relics of a forgotten past — as did winning seasons.

Just as the pillar of Spartan fandom seemed to be painfully crashing down alongside the rest of the athletic department, the resurgence of MSU sports emerged from the sorry depths of Loserville. 

It all started with hockey. Of course, we all knew that this would be a given. Head coach Adam Nightingale and company had turned the team around like someone flipping an abandoned house. With a preseason ranking of No. 4, the only thing that could stop them was themselves.

As we know, that collapse did not come promptly. At the time of publication, MSU sits comfortably at the No. 2 spot in the NCAA polls, hoisting a 20-3-3 record. With this success comes the buzz of Munn Ice Area and the Munsters inside, screaming their way to victory after victory. Last year’s 5-2 season-ending loss, which dashed Frozen Four hopes, now feels like a nightmare that never occurred. In its place is the dream of not only reaching the Frozen Four, but perhaps bringing home MSU’s first national championship since 2007.

This dream is the hope of countless MSU students and alumni. For English junior Kate Jeffery, spending Friday nights at Munn Ice Arena has become a tradition as she watches this dream take shape.

"It’s an exhilarating environment, and watching them thrive has been so amazing," Jeffery said. "Having hockey really brings out this sort of school spirit, and I just love the crowd and the players. It’s been so great."

My take? MSU hockey is destined to bring home some hardware this season. Jeffery agrees, noting that the Spartans have a legitimate shot at raising a national championship banner by season’s end.

So how about the other bright spot that shined (some) light upon MSU athletics last year? Well, for MSU women's basketball, it seems that they’re here to stay. Displaying a 17-3 record and a soon to be No. 21 ranking, this team doesn’t get enough credit. 

For starters, women’s basketball is no longer a background sport. It’s tough, competitive and fun to watch, and Spartan fans are starting to take notice. With every win comes even more captivation, proving that the dominance this team continues to produce is something special.

It’s like how Nightingale turned the hockey team around, except this story is written by second year head coach Robyn Fralick. She has hauled MSU women’s basketball out of murky waters, turning the program into one of the best in the country. Just a mere two years ago they were 16-14, now the team is on pace to be a top five seed in the NCAA tournament. The question isn’t whether they’ll make the tournament—it’s how far they can go.

The same question applies to head coach Tom Izzo and his men’s basketball team. With last year's embarrassing falloff (ranked No. 4 in the preseason only to finish the season unranked) Izzo and company have returned with a fiery vengeance. The team has beat down every other Big Ten team that has stepped in their path thus far. This is the best they’ve looked since the Winston days, and a familiar feeling of victory has returned to the Breslin Center. 

Is this another year of upsets, or is this team the real deal? Could it be another Sweet 16? How about The Elite Eight? Maybe the Final Four? With a 17-2 record and a No. 8 ranking, all successes, even that sought after national championship, seem within close grasps of the Spartans' reach, kicking off Izzo’s race for number two. 

Of course, I am not the only one dreaming of a national championship. When I sat down and spoke with Assistant Athletic Director for Business Development and NIL strategy, Darien Harris about MSU athletics’ recent success, he emphasized that this team has a chance to go all the way — as long as they focus on one game at a time.

"Any team that has Tom Izzo at the helm has a chance, he's a legend for a reason and a Hall of Famer for a reason," Harris said. "Their defensive tenacity, their ability to play through adversity, and the leadership that we've seen come through with multiple guys on the team, that's what gives you an opportunity to win any game against anybody." 

It’s not just these three sports that are doing well. If that were the case, the green light for this column wouldn’t have been given. Women’s gymnastics is also performing well this season. Sitting high at the No. 4 spot in the nation with a 5-1 record-one of the wins resulting from a match against No. 20 rival University of Michigan- the gymnastics team is a fierce competitor. 

Then there’s men’s tennis, which continues to shine under head coach Harry Jadun. So far in their young season, the Spartans are off to a 4-0 start, including a win over No. 7 Kentucky, and they currently hold the No. 17 ranking.

Lastly, there's women’s golf. According to the preseason rankings that dropped earlier in the week, the Spartans sit at No. 21. Their season will kick off in a few days. While they may not have teed off yet, the expectations are high, with hopes to match the winning culture of the five sports above. 

Six teams ranked. It’s impressive, and it should not be overshadowed. Such success shows that MSU is not a one-trick pony. Instead, it proves that Michigan State University is an everything school. And remember, it’s not just the popular sports succeeding, it's also the less-funded programs, bringing a much-needed diversity to the MSU athletic department. 

This should mean something, and to me and many other students at MSU, it does. The culture around campus has suddenly shifted back into a winning one, and if this keeps up, other sports can feed off of it. With each win that a singular sport gathers, a distinguishable air of recognition and camaraderie is created, meaning better results. In essence, Spartan fandom can once again relish what it means to win.

"I think there's that sense of pride across Spartan nation," Harris said. "We have 500,000-plus living alumni across the world that represent green and white and are proud of these programs. And to see it happen across multiple sports is exciting as well. You have men's sports, and you have women's sports, and it seems like everybody's moving on the same path."

Michigan State’s rise in athletics is a testament to Spartan fandom — a collective spirit that turns victories into milestones and unites a community that thrives together.