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Sports | 1117

VOLLEYBALL

Junior transfer redshirted for season, postseason in jeopardy

Chris Mackinder
November 13, 2002

Junior outside hitter Sara Villwock, who has been sidelined with a foot injury since the end of September, will be given a medical redshirt for this season. MSU head coach Chuck Erbe said he thought long and hard about the decision, making it within the last week. "She's making good progress, but for her to be back in time to really play a substantiative role for our team - she's not going to be in any position to do that," Erbe said. "She's still not cleared to go full-bore and jump and be in practice.

FOOTBALL

Spartans rolling with confidence

Eric Mckinney
November 13, 2002

With plenty of dark clouds looming above the Spartans, a win was just what they needed to help brighten things up around East Lansing. And winning by the score of 56-21 made it that much better. "I think our team feels much better," junior wide receiver Charles Rogers said.

ICE HOCKEY

Sophomore's lineage of toughness leads Spartans

James Jahnke
November 12, 2002

Sophomore center Jim Slater was the meat in a hockey player sandwich Friday night - and his left elbow paid the price. As Slater released a wrist shot in the third period of MSU's 2-1 loss to Niagara, a pair of Purple Eagles smashed him from both sides.

FOOTBALL

Youthful backfield steps up

Andrew Fifer
November 12, 2002

With senior tailback Dawan Moss serving an indefinite suspension, the MSU football team was forced to call on the future of its running attack - and the call was answered. In the Spartans' 56-21 thrashing of Indiana, freshmen tailbacks David Richard and Jaren Hayes showcased their version of "thunder and lightning" as they combined for 224 yards and three touchdowns.

SPORTS

HARDY:Spartan season turning into daytime drama

Daytime television couldn’t have written a better script with more dramatic flair for 100 men who dress in green and white each fall Saturday. These are the games of our lives. Previously on “All My Spartans”: Bobby discovers Jeff’s substance abuse problem, confronts the junior signal caller and suspends him indefinitely.

VOLLEYBALL

Weekend trip puts damper on teams chances

Chris Mackinder
November 11, 2002

Columbus, Ohio - It wasn’t the prettiest of weekends, and for the MSU volleyball team, it was downright ugly. The Spartans dropped both of its matches this weekend, losing in three games to Indiana on Friday night, and then falling in four games to Ohio State on Saturday night. Going into the weekend, the Spartans were hoping to pick up a pair of wins escalating to the forefront of the conference.

SPORTS

Grapplers place 8 in tourney

Dawn Klemish
November 11, 2002

The MSU wrestling team got a good look at its competition by hosting 18 teams and about 400 wrestlers at the MSU Open this weekend at Jenison Field House. And head coach Tom Minkel said he was very pleased with where his team stands after its second tournament of the year. “The level was really high and intense this weekend.

FOOTBALL

Rogers sets career record for receiving touchdowns

Eric Mckinney
November 11, 2002

As the Spartans rolled over the Indiana Hoosiers 56-21, junior wide receiver Charles Rogers returned to his early season form that shattered records and had many whispering Heisman. On Saturday, the 6-4, 205-pounder compiled 168 yards of total offense with two touchdowns on just seven touches.

BASKETBALL

Freshman out 4-6 weeks with fracture

Chris Mackinder
November 8, 2002

Freshman guard Maurice Ager suffered a stress fracture in his right foot Wednesday night and will be out for four to six weeks. Ager won’t be needing surgery, but will wear a boot for the next couple of weeks. “I’m getting tired of stress fractures,” MSU head coach Tom Izzo said.

SPORTS

Watts next for U

Andrew Fifer
November 8, 2002

Interim head coach Morris Watts has 42 years of coaching experience - not one of them as a head coach, though. He’ll get three games as the Spartans’ football season winds down.

SPORTS

Michigan hopes to repeat weekend success

No. 13 Michigan at MinnesotaFresh off a 49-3 mauling of MSU, Michigan looks for its 14th consecutive win over Minnesota.But more than the “Little Brown Jug” will be at stake Saturday when the Wolverines and Golden Gophers meet.

SPORTS

Moss no longer dismissed

Krista Latham  and  Andrew Fifer
November 8, 2002

Senior tailback Dawan Moss has been reinstated on the MSU football team, according to junior linebacker Monquiz Wedlow. MSU Sports Information Director John Lewandowski said at interim head coach Morris Watts’ discretion, Moss is now suspended indefinitely. Wedlow, speaking at the Black Student Alliances’ town hall meeting Thursday night in the Union, said Watts made the decision at a team meeting Thursday, allowing Moss to rejoin the team.

SPORTS

Team reels from Williams firing

Eric Mckinney
November 8, 2002

Not much has gone right for MSU this season, and the result was Monday’s firing of head coach Bobby Williams. The Spartans (3-6 overall, 1-4 Big Ten) have struggled with high expectations from day one.

SPORTS

Bottom feeders look to improve status in conference ranks

Andrew Fifer
November 8, 2002

Coming into the 10th game of the season, the MSU football team has lost a great deal - three more games than it’s won, two team co-captains and a head coach.The Spartans (3-6 overall, 1-4 Big Ten) will be playing without junior quarterback Jeff Smoker (indefinitely suspended) for the third-straight game, senior tailback Dawan Moss (dismissed from the team) and head coach Bobby Williams (fired Monday night).Williams was adored by many of the players and some are wondering if interim head coach Morris Watts, the offensive coordinator, can get the troops to rally behind him.MSU junior linebacker Monquiz Wedlow said the team is not going to give up and still has intentions on finishing the season strong.

SPORTS

Heisman watch

Eric Mckinney
November 8, 2002

Last week was a crazy one for college football. But it helped Heisman voters sort through the contenders and pretenders.Dark horses such as N.C.

SPORTS

Williams, despite his struggles in third year as Spartan head coach, could recruit like no other

If there’s one thing Bobby Williams will be remembered for during his almost three-year tenure at MSU, it’s that the man could recruit.Williams, running backs coach and associate coach for 10 years before taking over for Nick Saban at the 2000 Citrus Bowl, was influential in bringing in a bulk of the talent the team has today.During those years as an assistant coach, he went on several recruiting visits, talking to families, high school coaches and the student-athletes about the opportunities MSU had to offer.Williams never had head coaching experience.

VOLLEYBALL

Spartans hit road for two games

Chris Mackinder
November 8, 2002

The MSU volleyball team doesn’t like being in the middle of the Big Ten standings, and players said this is a great weekend to do something about that. The Spartans (15-7 overall, 7-5 Big Ten) are stuck in fifth place, but a pair of wins would bump them up in the conference.