Thursday, January 15, 2026

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

Sports

SPORTS

Jim Bibbs, first black coach at MSU, still an inspiration

Ryan Squanda
January 13, 2016

It’s a cloudy Saturday afternoon in January as Jim Bibbs walks into an empty Jenison Field House, the building which housed his track teams for so many years. “This was my home,” said Bibbs, the 86-year-old former head track coach at MSU. And it was in this home some of Bibbs’ favorite memories took place during his 27-year career at MSU, such as the time in 1972 when MSU sprinters Marshall Dill and Herb Washington set a pair of world records in the same night -- Dill, a 29.5 in the 300-yard dash, and Washington, a 5.8 in the 60-yard dash. “That is certainly one of the most memorable nights in my career,” Bibbs said. Simply put, Bibbs is a legend.

SPORTS

MSU wrestling and gymnastics to host 'Tumbles and Takedowns' joint meet Friday

Josh Thall
January 13, 2016

The MSU gymnastics team will host its home opener this Friday against Iowa after beginning its season with a loss at Arizona. This will be no ordinary competition as the MSU wrestling team and MSU gymnastics team will be competing at the same time.  "Tumbles and Take Downs," as the MSU Athletic Department is calling it, will take place at 7 p.m. on Jan. 15. at Jenison Field House. The event is free for all MSU students with tickets being $5 for adults, $3 for youth or seniors and free for children 8-years-old and under. 

ICE HOCKEY

Swedish MSU hockey player Villiam Haag finds home at State

Stephen Olschanski
January 13, 2016

For talented hockey players in Sweden, there is a pretty standard route to making it big. First, they play for junior or youth teams operated by professional clubs. And next, if they are good enough, they advance to the professional level of club play. That wasn’t the case for MSU junior forward Villiam Haag, though, because he packed his bags and moved 4,007 miles and six time zones away from his hometown of Gothenburg.

FOOTBALL

MSU football finishes No. 6 in the final AP Top 25 Poll

Ryan Kryska
January 12, 2016

After Alabama defeated Clemson in the national championship, 45-40, the Associated Press released its final college football poll of the 2015 season. MSU wound up ranked No. 6 overall, which is a three-spot drop after losing to the Crismon Tide 38-0 in the College Football Playoff Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Eve.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Valentine is questionable to return Sunday against Penn State, Izzo says

Ryan Squanda
January 8, 2016

It's been an interesting few weeks for MSU head basketball coach Tom Izzo as his No. 5 MSU basketball team has navigated the beginning part of its Big Ten season without the services of star senior guard Denzel Valentine. On Thursday, the Spartans defeated the Illinois Fighting Illini, 79-54, in their fourth consecutive game without Valentine, who's currently sitting two-to-three weeks to recover from a minor knee surgery he had a few days before Christmas.