Tuesday, January 13, 2026

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Sports

SPORTS

Team wants to contend

After a first NCAA Tournament berth in school history, the MSU women's soccer team has its sights set on a Big Ten Championship. Junior midfielder Ashley Lawson said losing just two starters to graduation leaves her team with an advantage for the upcoming year. "Obviously the seniors will be missed," she said.

SPORTS

Rogers begins NFL career

Detroit - As Charles Rogers stepped out from behind a closed door on Ford Field's concourse level, camera bulbs popped and hundreds of heads turned to catch a glimpse of the Saginaw native and former Spartan star clad in Honolulu blue and silver."It's nice for me, being a prospect from Michigan," said Rogers, while sitting down to sign autographs.

VOLLEYBALL

Seniors spark team workouts

Summer is usually a time to relax, but not in the case of the MSU volleyball team. Usually preseason is the time teams start practicing together, getting a feel for what they will be able to accomplish during the upcoming season. But with four seniors and 11 returning letterwinners, senior co-captain libero Emmy Miller and senior co-captain setter Nikki Colson wanted to get a head start on their competition.

BASKETBALL

Jordan, Bird might play against 'U'

Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Scott Skiles might match up against Tom Izzo's Spartans this fall in what would be the greatest exhibition game played on the Breslin Center hardwood. Rumors circulated Tuesday on campus about the NBA legends competing against the Spartans in the preseason Magic Johnson All-Stars game Nov.

FOOTBALL

Smoker: Great to be back

It used to be a weekly routine for Jeff Smoker - talk football with reporters after practice. But in his first appearance after being reinstated Wednesday as a member of the Spartan football team, the senior signal caller seemed withdrawn and not amused with questions that circled around a substance-abuse problem that led to a suspension last season. Smoker looked so caught up in relief of being back on the squad since October that he headed for the locker room without realizing he had left behind his helmet. Nevertheless, Smoker remained willing to reprove himself and handle the attention of being a quarterback. "I learned to just move on and realized that I was responsible for things that happened last year," Smoker said.

SPORTS

Lugnuts shut out Fort Wayne, 5-0

Lansing - Three straight wins and a 5-0 shutout of the Fort Wayne Wizards on Sunday at Oldsmobile Park have the Lugnuts thinking they've righted the ship.With so much of Lansing's recent slump coming off poor hitting and sloppy play, the Lugnuts combined to score four runs in the eighth off fundamental hitting and base running."Everything that we could do well as a club, we did today," Lansing manager Julio Garcia said.

BASKETBALL

Izzo, Hill still in medal contention at Pan Ams

MSU head basketball coach Tom Izzo and the rest of Team USA faced its second loss at the 2003 Pan American Games on Tuesday, forcing the Americans to move to the bronze medal game. Team USA (2-2) lost to Brazil 92-80 in the last five minutes of the semifinal game.

FOOTBALL

Smith picks lesser-known captains

Three of last season's four football captains were benched, suspended or jailed. The 2002 captains - quarterback Jeff Smoker, center Brian Ottney, safety Thomas Wright and running back Dawan Moss - are a stark contrast to the humble disposition displayed by this year's group, a bunch of linemen and a linebacker. "Last year the guys didn't follow through," senior captain Paul Harker said.

FOOTBALL

Practice kicks off new regime

Staring out at MSU's practice field with bloodshot eyes, panting and swatting flies from his sweaty head, junior defensive tackle Brandon McKinney survived the Spartans' first full day of football practice Wednesday under new head coach John L.

FOOTBALL

Charles ready to charge

Detroit - As Charles Rogers stepped out from behind a closed door on Ford Field's concourse level, camera bulbs popped and hundreds of heads turned to catch a glimpse of the Saginaw native and former Spartan star clad in Honolulu blue and silver. "It's nice for me, being a prospect from Michigan," said Rogers, while sitting down to sign autographs.

SPORTS

Sports briefs

Team USA rallies to beat Argentina, 80-79 In a dramatic opener to the Pan American Games on Saturday, Team USA squeezed out a one-point victory, defeating tournament-favorite Argentina, 80-79. After holding a six-point lead in the first quarter, the Americans (1-0) fell into a slump during the second and trailed by four at halftime.

SPORTS

New classes enrich coaching ability

In an effort to increase knowledge about coaching, MSU is offering three new online courses through the Department of Kinesiology. The classes are graduate-school level but are available to anyone who is a part of the lifelong education program.

BASKETBALL

Hill joins U.S. Pan Am team

MSU junior guard Chris Hill is set to go from MSU baller to representative of the United States. Hill was among 12 college players chosen nationwide for the USA Basketball Men's Pan American Games Team.

SPORTS

Lugnuts' slump continues with loss to Silver Hawks

Lansing- If the Lugnuts had their wish, baseball games would have one less inning. Another bad inning cost the Lugnuts the game, with its 4-1 loss to the South Bend Silver Hawks on Sunday afternoonThe Lugnuts (15-22) have struggled lately to put together an entire game.

ICE HOCKEY

Icer schedule released for 2003-04 season

Head coach Rick Comley finds this year's schedule to be an improvement over last year's. The 2003-04 ice hockey schedule, released Wednesday, offers numerous chances to see the Spartans at Munn Ice Arena. "Last year we only had 17 home games," Comley said.

SPORTS

Lugnuts win in last inning

Lansing - The Lansing Lugnuts stole the game from the Fort Wayne Wizards on Wednesday by sacrificing their way to a 3-2 win at Oldsmobile Park. After plating only one run on five hits through eight innings, the Lugnuts (15-18) went back to the basics.