FOOTBALL
Sweep of Nittany Lions earns U No. 3 seed
With a four-game sweep of Penn State, the MSU baseball team solidified the No. 3 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. “We played well.
SPORTS
Coaches to discuss minority issues at U
Individuals from around the college and professional sports world will meet at MSU on Tuesday to discuss minority issues. The seminar is specifically focusing on minorities lack of representation in higher positions, such as head coaching positions. The topics for discussion will include enforcement of affirmative action laws and methods to get more minorities into the athletic program through the graduate assistant ranks. MSU’s football head coach Bobby Williams is one of only four minorities to hold the head coaching position for a NCAA Division I-A football team.
SPORTS
Jorgensen will represent Spartans in NCAAs
The MSU men’s golf team saved the best for last at the NCAA East Regional, but it still was not enough to advance to the NCAA Championship.The Spartans shot a 301 in the final round of the three-day tournament in Roswell, Ga., on Saturday to finish with a score of 914 overall.
SPORTS
Womens golf team prepares for NCAAs
The MSU women’s golf team will make its third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championship on Tuesday at Washington. MSU will be one of 24 teams to battle at the Washington National Golf Club for 72 holes over a four-day span in Auburn. The Spartans made the national tournament with an eighth-place finish in the NCAA Central Regional at Forest Acres West Golf Course in East Lansing. Last year, the Spartans finished in 12th-place at nationals, which was the highest finish in MSU history. MSU will look to improve upon that performance behind the clubs of seniors Emily Bastel and Stacy Snider.
BASEBALL
Spartans fall at home to Falcons
The last home game of the season ended in disappointment for the MSU baseball team.The Spartans (32-17 overall, 12-12 Big Ten) lost 7-6 to the Bowling Green Falcons (27-20) on Wednesday at Kobs Field.MSU entered the sixth inning up 6-2, then proceeded to give up back-to-back home runs to tie the game.
SPORTS
U helps NFL develop manuals for youth coaches
MSU didn’t sit the bench when the NFL needed assistance. In an effort to help improve youth football, the NFL enlisted the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, the Red Cross/USOC Sports Training Program and MSU to create manuals for youth and high school coaches. “The objective is to help volunteer coaches,” said John Powell, assistant professor of kinesiology at MSU.
ICE HOCKEY
Recruits make good on verbal commitment
The MSU hockey team didn’t surprise anyone when it announced the signings of two recruits Tuesday.Defenseman Evan Shaw and left wing David Booth, each of whom verbally committed to the Spartans during the winter, officially signed National Letters of Intent last week.
SPORTS
Women repeat as champs with sudden-death goal
If the difficulty of conquering a task makes the conquest more fulfilling, then the MSU women’s water polo team may have achieved lifetime fulfillment in its water polo careers.The Spartans needed overtime and two sudden-death frames to win their second Women’s National Collegiate Club Water Polo Championship in as many years.
SPORTS
State champion signs with Spartans
The MSU wrestling team added another state champion to its 2002-03 recruiting class this week.Michael Escobedo of Lake Central High in Crown Point, Ind., signed with the Spartans on Monday.
SPORTS
Boat takes Big Ten title
The varsity four-crew team upset top-seeded Michigan with a time of 7:29.5 en route to its first Big Ten Championship on Saturday May 4.
SOFTBALL
U finishes on skid
The softball team finished its season with a 1-0 loss to Michigan at Old College Field May 5. Senior right-hander Becky Gray (13-18) finished just two strikeouts shy of MSU’s all-time strikeout record.
SPORTS
Lugnuts fall to Rattlers
Lansing dropped the first of four-game series to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 9-1 Sunday at Wisconsin. The Lugnuts (16-20) took three of four at home against the first place Michigan Battle Cats before taking to the road. Lansing scored first, after infielder Corey Slavik scored on a passed ball.
BASEBALL
Rain benches Spartan sluggers
The MSU baseball team’s biggest challenge this weekend at Oldsmobile park was Mother Nature.The Spartans (31-16 overall, 12-12 Big Ten) managed to play just two of the four-game series with Ohio State (30-16-1, 16-9) as the rain kept both teams off the field.MSU won 12-5 Friday, then lost 6-4 Saturday.
SPORTS
Runners break records
The men’s and women’s track and field teams have been busy breaking records and claiming new honors. On April 27, at the Hillsdale Relays, sophomore Sarah Adelaine broke the school record in hammer throw with a mark of 168’03”. The mark was good enough for fourth place. On May 4, at the Central Michigan Collegiate, junior Sherita Williams finished first in the long jump.
SPORTS
Golfers head to regional
Coming off a fifth-place finish at the Big Ten Championship, the men’s golf team earned an invitation to play in the NCAA East Regional in Roswell, Ga., May 16-18.
BASEBALL
Spartans loss to Ohio State costs team chance at regular-season Big Ten title
Lansing - With a 6-4 loss to Ohio State on Saturday, the MSU baseball team was mathematically eliminated from the regular-season Big Ten title. The Buckeyes (30-16 overall, 16-9 Big Ten) evened the four-game series at one apiece after a three-hour rain delay at Oldsmobile Park.
BASEBALL
Win at Oldsmobile Park keeps Spartans in tie for second
Lansing - Hosting the Ohio State Buckeyes, the MSU baseball team shined Friday night under the lights at Oldsmobile Park. The 12-5 win keeps the Spartans (31-15 overall, 12-11 Big Ten) in a tie with Indiana (30-15, 12-11) for third place in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers defeated Purdue (21-26, 11-14) Friday night in West Lafayette,15-5 . Ohio State (29-16, 15-9) ranks second in the conference, but MSU showed no fear to start the four-game series. Back-to-back home runs from junior right fielder Bob Malek and senior center fielder Chris McCuiston led to a five-run second inning, and a 6-1 lead. With two outs and two on, Malek had no doubt his blast was headed over the wall in right field.
BASEBALL
Spartans split doubleheader with Illinois, look ahead to Sunday
The MSU baseball team split a Saturday doubleheader against Illinois at Kobs Field. The Spartans (29-13 overall, 11-10 Big Ten) won game one 3-2, then fell to the Fighting Illini (26-13, 10-11) 8-4 in game two. MSU entered the doubleheader averaging more than eight runs a ballgame, but failed to score a combined eight runs on the day. The Split came after Illinois took Friday’s series opener 3-2. “We haven’t been getting the run support we usually do lately,” senior pitcher Nick Bates said.
SOFTBALL
Spartans in danger of missing Big Ten Tournament
The MSU softball team enters the backstretch of its 12-game road trip fighting for its postseason life, while preparing for finals.“It’s a critical weekend for us in terms of our season,” head coach Jacquie Joseph said.
SPORTS
Coach Crean to sing at Wrigley Field
Ex-MSU assistant and current Marquette men’s basketball coach Tom Crean will now be able to say he has something in common with the late Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Carey, Mike Ditka, Muhammad Ali and Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder. During the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers game at Wrigley Field this afternoon, Crean will lead the crowd in a rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” during the seventh inning stretch. For the past five years, the Cubs have had celebrities from all walks of life lead the crowd in singing, a task Carey had before his passing.