Friday, January 9, 2026

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

Sports

ICE HOCKEY

Womens hockey varsity status all about money

The MSU women’s hockey club is seeking to join Wayne State as the only universities in Michigan to have a women’s varsity ice hockey teams. MSU has 11 women’s varsity sports, and each is budgeted a certain amount of money each year. From July 1, 2000 to June 30, the women’s basketball team had revenues amounting to $109,296 and expenses totaling $1,374,930. During the same year all other women’s teams brought in $416,968 compared to expenses totaling $4,769,835. The hockey club team first applied for varsity status in 1996.

SPORTS

Sports briefs

Recruit stays with TideThe Spartan football team lost out on a prized community college linebacker. Derrick Pope, a 6-foot-1, 218-pound linebacker from Garden City Community College in Kansas chose to stay with Alabama on Monday. Pope verbally committed to Alabama in July, before reconsidering following NCAA sanctions against the university. Alabama was placed under a five-year probation, which includes a two-year bowl ban for repeated violations.

ICE HOCKEY

Team looks within to move on minus Mason

Colton Fretter, 19, is standing firm in his decision to play hockey for MSU next season. The high-scoring forward from Harrow, Ontario, signed a National Letter of Intent with the university back in November after choosing the Spartans over Bowling Green, Miami (Ohio) and other suitors. But November was a much different time in Spartan hockey.

BASKETBALL

Threes plague Purdue

West Lafayette, Ind. - Purdue’s love for the three-point basket was clear Saturday night, but Valentine’s Day had long passed. “It killed us tonight,” Boilermaker forward Rodney Smith said.

SPORTS

No question, CBC is heaven

The Olympics provide athletes with a chance to shine on the global stage with a myriad of nations covering the Winter Games.

FOOTBALL

Spartans among top linebackers final prospects

The No. 1 community college linebacker in America may come to MSU, and his decision could come as early as today. Rivals.com has Derrick Pope, a 6-foot-1, 218-pound linebacker from Garden City Community College in Kansas, the top Juco linebacker in the nation. Sunday, Pope listed MSU, Arkansas and Florida as his finalists.

SPORTS

Gymnasts set history

Led by several record-setting events, the MSU gymnastics team outscored Rutgers University 195.735-to-191.350 Saturday. The Spartans’ score was the fourth highest in school history. MSU took first place in all four events.

ICE HOCKEY

Victory at Joe breaks season tie

Detroit - Fifth-ranked MSU finally broke its season-long, head-to-head stalemate against Michigan and claimed a 3-1 victory in front of 20,058 fans at Joe Louis Arena on Saturday. The Spartans (21-6-5 overall, 15-5-4 CCHA) raced to a 2-1 lead in a wild opening five minutes, and then clamped down on the No.

SPORTS

Sports briefs

Wrestling The No. 18 wrestling team host Northwestern at 7:30 p.m. today at Jenison Field House. MSU (4-8 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) holds a 23-14-1 edge over the Wildcats (7-10, 0-5) all-time. The Spartans then travel to Penn State (5-9, 2-3) for a 1 p.m.

BASKETBALL

U looking to rebound

After a disappointing effort its last time out, the Spartan men’s basketball team travels to West Lafayette, Ind., to take on Purdue at 7 p.m.

FOOTBALL

Coach leaves for Panthers

After one year, MSU’s linebackers and special teams coach has decided to move on to the next level. Spartan head coach Bobby Williams announced Wednesday that Sal Sunseri has resigned.

SPORTS

Opportunities abound at U

For many MSU athletes, their homes and families are not that distant. But for some, they are a world away.As a member of the Spartans swimming and diving team (6-5 overall, 1-4 Big Ten), Ildiko Szekely is one of those athletes.The interdisciplinary studies and international relations senior has spent most of her MSU years away from her family in Budapest, Hungary.“They love that I have this opportunity here in the U.S.,” Szekely said.

BASKETBALL

Spartans tournament future on bubble

After losing 63-61 to No. 18 Illinois on Tuesday night, the MSU men’s basketball team was forced to add a new word to its dictionary - bubble.Unless the Spartans win the Big Ten Tournament, they will likely be on the fringe of the 65-team pool in March’s NCAA Tournament.