Women's soccer coach Tom Saxton says MSU will "have to play a complete game" against Wisconsin on Friday

The women’s soccer team will take its undefeated record into the opening weekend of Big Ten conference play. And if it hopes to keep the loss column empty, it will have to defeat two very difficult opponents. MSU (6-0 overall) will take on No. 9 Wisconsin (6-0 overall) on Friday at 3:30 p.m. On Sunday, they will be back it against Minnesota (3-3 overall) at noon. Both games will be home for the Spartans at DeMartin Stadium.

Drinking culture

Alcohol has fueled celebrations, riots, holidays and in some cases, trips to the hospital. But what do students who attend MSU really think about the drinking culture here?

New salon brings the heat to East Lansing

With overwhelming schedules that govern students' lives, setting aside time to

Fraternity rolls colorful six-foot ball around campus for charity

From the Sparty statue to Beaumont Tower, a large multicolored ball could be seen making its way through campus, occasionally stopping so onlookers could leave their signature on the ball.For their philanthropy event, the men of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity rolled the giant ball across campus all week to raise awareness and money for the Children’s Miracle Network.The Children’s Miracle Network is a non-profit organization which raises money for children’s hospitals across the nation in addition to funding for medical research of health issues.The “Get on the Ball” campaign, as it is known, is a national initiative of all Zeta Beta Tau, or ZBT, chapters in the nation.Founding brother and ecology senior Jake Stone said the point of the philanthropic event is to capture attention.Since ZBT is a newer fraternity which came to campus in 2012, Stone added having the ball on campus for the first time is exciting.“This is our first time participating in the national philanthropy and our biggest deal,” Stone said.As the men pushed the ball, people were allowed to sign it and then approached about donating money for Children’s Miracle Network.

Students by day, shepherds by night

For animal science senior Justin Shaver and animal science sophomore David Scales, living and working at the MSU Sheep Teaching and Research Center is not that baaaaad of a gig.

Dantonio says Connor Cook has to be more clutch, Penn State's reinstatement is a "good thing" during Thursday presser

Head coach Mark Dantonio addressed the media on Thursday, giving his thoughts on what went wrong last week against the Ducks and the recent news on Penn State once again eligible to play for a bowl game.

[View the story "Inked Spartans" on Storify]

Volleyball prepares for Oregon road trip

The No. 23 Spartans (4-2) will try and get the taste of defeat out of their mouth this week when they head to the west coast to face No.

MSU ranked No. 9 in ESPN College Basketball Future Power Rankings

Even in the heart of football season, ESPN has begun turning its eyes to colder weather, and college basketball.MSU was ranked No. 9 in a recent future power rankings analysis, behind ESPN's paywall. The Spartans lost last season in the elite eight of the NCAA tournament to eventual champion Connecticut.

Sankofa Graduate Association sounds off on sentencing in Renisha McBride case

The memory of Renisha McBride’s murder might have faded away since it happened a little less than a year ago, but it has recently re-gathered media attention, as the man convicted of her murder, Theodore Wafer, was sentenced to 17 years in prison.McBride, a 19-year-old black woman, was shot to death on Wafer’s porch in metro Detroit while seeking help after a car accident.The Sankofa Graduate Association has been actively spreading awareness on the case since it took place.

Mac 'n' Cheese restaurant to open by Monday

Sweet Lorraine’s Fabulous Mac N’ Cheez plans to open its doors by Monday, Sept. 15, offering 14 varieties of macaroni and cheese to residents.

Students adjust to community bathrooms

Suites. Singles. Doubles. Apartments. Many different housing options on campus allow students to choose which residence hall best suits their needs so their transition to college can be a comfortable one.

Not all study abroad programs are popular

With over 275 different programs and over 60 countries to choose from, MSU’s study abroad program is the largest in the nation ? but some programs are more popular than others. According to the Office of Study Abroad, MSU students touched down in all seven continents of the world last year ? including 15 students that went to Antarctica.Europe, MSU’s most popular continent for Study Abroad travels, was flooded with 1,475 Spartans in 2012-2013.In the 2014 summer semester, the top two most travelled to countries for MSU students were the United Kingdom and Italy.Zoology senior and peer advisor for the Office of Study Abroad Devyn Porath spent a semester in Australia as an exchange student for La Trobe University, where she took classes and participated in different volunteer programs.http://studyabroad.isp.msu.edu/about/participation_statistics.pdf

Conquering college — and mental health

Research from the National Alliance on Mental Illness shows that the stigma surrounding mental health is the main reason college students don’t address potential disorders.

Obama sees declining approval rating, younger voters turning away

Last week, President Obama’s approval rating reached its lowest point. In a Gallup survey, only 38 percent of respondents said they approve of how he is handling his job. And during Obama’s presidency, his approval rating sunk to that mark seven times.

Inked

As the popularity of body art and modification rises, hiring practices and views on tattoos and piercings have begun to see a shift as well.

Valparaiso will challenge MSU at home on Thursday

After starting the season 2-0-1, the men’s soccer team will look to improve upon that record with two games this week. The Spartans will take on Valparaiso on Sept. 11, followed by Loyola-Chicago on Sept. 14.

Cost of parking per hour increases at meters across campus

Students parking on MSU’s campus might have noticed the meter rate this school year has increased from $1.50 per hour to $1.80 per hour.The meter rates have not been increased in the past 10 years ? not since July 2004, when they went from $1.25 per hour to $1.50 per hour.

Students celebrate Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival

Chinese communities around the world celebrated the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival on Monday.

Freshman Forward Jamie Cheslik emerges as offensive weapon for women's soccer

With four goals in her first six collegiate games, freshman forward Jamie Cheslik has been on a tear.