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Sports | 1117

SPORTS

Tom Minkel entering last season as head wrestling coach

Jake Allen
July 1, 2015

When his mother got him involved with the sport in fifth grade Tom Minkel, head coach of the MSU Wrestling team, knew wrestling would be a big part of his life. Minkel said it has been “heavy in his blood” since the beginning. Growing up with a father, who was an administrator at MSU, and a mother, involved in the music program at MSU, as well as attending former MSU Wrestling Head Coach Grady Peninger’s wrestling camp at IM Sports-West as a kid, Minkel found that MSU has also always been a big part of his life.

SPORTS

Wrestling head coach Tom Minkel to retire

Jake Allen
July 1, 2015

A succession plan for the MSU wrestling program has been announced, which includes the retiring of  Head Coach Tom Minkel. Minkel, who has been with the program since 1991, will retire following the 2015-16 season and 25 years as the head coach at MSU.  Roger Chandler, who has been with the program for 18 seasons and was promoted to assistant coach in 2011, will assume head coaching position after Minkel's retirement.  "I'm excited about the future of Michigan State wrestling," said Mark Hollis, MSU athletic director in a news release.

SPORTS

Former MSU track star Leah O'Connor signs with Adidas

Ryan Squanda
June 26, 2015

Former MSU track and cross country runner Leah O’Connor announced her post-collegiate running plans Thursday evening after advancing to the finals of the women’s 3,000 steeplechase at the USA Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore. But after running her last ever race in an MSU uniform, the announcement didn’t come exactly how she pictured it. “They put me as an Adidas athlete in the results ... I was gonna do a whole picture thing tomorrow but I guess it’s not a secret,” O’Connor told reporters after the race.

SOFTBALL

Lawyers release statement on behalf of softball head coach

Matthew Argillander
June 15, 2015

In the midst of an investigation into softball assistant coach Jessica Bograkos and the program as a whole, a statement has now come on behalf of head coach Jacquie Joseph from her attorney Shirlee Bobryk’s of White, Schneider, Young & Chiodini. The statement opens with Bobryk stating that she would like to respond to the allegations made by former softball player Alyssa McBride that she was targeted with pitches after stating she wished she had played at another school due to the amount of losing she endured in her time at MSU. The bulk of the statement consists of two quotes from Joseph: "I have devoted my past 22 years as MSU head softball coach to guiding and mentoring student-athletes in the type of ideals, values and skills necessary to achieve success on the field, in their careers, and throughout their lives," the statement read.

SPORTS

UPDATE: MSU Track and Field finish NCAA Championships

Matthew Argillander
June 12, 2015

The men and women's track and field teams are representing MSU admirably in the NCAA championships thus far. Sophomore Tim Ehrhardt moved five spaces in the standings from 10th to fifth earning All-American honors in the decathlon. Senior Leah O'Connor qualified for the championship finishing sixth overall and winning heat one of the 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 9:55.58.

FOOTBALL

MSU football adds four new commits to defensive line

Matthew Argillander
June 9, 2015

It was a big weekend for MSU football on the recruiting trail—just last week the class of 2016 had no defensive lineman and in a span of four days the Spartans have received verbal commitments from two defensive ends and two defensive tackles in what could be an impressive front four in the years to come. Shortly before the first commitment of the weekend four-star wide receiver commit Cameron Chambers gave a hint that some recruiting news would be on the way. Chambers and the other members of the class of 2016 or the "dream team" as they've dubbed themselves have been pushing hard for other recruits to commit to MSU.