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Sports | Basketball Men's 1027

SPORTS

WNIT run suggests bright future for Spartans

Chris Mackinder
March 27, 2002

After making the Women’s National Invitation Tournament final four, the MSU women’s basketball team has Spartan faithful excited for next season.Recent WNIT history may prove to be a blessing for the Spartans (19-13). Of the previous 16 WNIT final four teams, seven made the NCAA Tournament the following year and only two of those teams failed to win a tournament game.“Ultimately, we’re going to pursue the same goal we pursued this year - to be one of 64 and to make a run and pursue championships,” Spartan head coach Joanne P.

ICE HOCKEY

Comley era begins; changes expected

James Jahnke
March 27, 2002

Some fans were grinding their teeth just as hard as the MSU hockey team was trying to grind out a goal during the NCAA Tournament West Regional on Friday in Ann Arbor. In the end, the toil didn’t pay off for the Spartans - who wrapped up their season with a 2-0 loss to Colorado College that day.

SPORTS

Coach retires after nearly 4 decades

John Ostler
March 26, 2002

After 37 years as MSU’s head diving coach, John Narcy will finally leave the pool. Narcy, 66, brought closure to his collegiate coaching career at the 2002 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in Austin, Texas, on Saturday. The Spartan’s only diving representative, senior Carly Weiden, placed 11th in the one-meter dive and 24th in the three-meter dive. “I had a great farewell,” Narcy said.

ICE HOCKEY

Longtime assistants in search of other options

James Jahnke
March 26, 2002

A big chunk of the uncertainty surrounding the MSU hockey program’s future ended Monday with the hiring of Northern Michigan head coach Rick Comley.But the uncertainty for Tom Newton and Dave McAuliffe is just beginning.The two Spartan assistant coaches are in a precarious position.

SPORTS

Sports briefs

Andrew Fifer
March 26, 2002

Wrestler finishes 7th Junior Gray Maynard earned All-America honors with a seventh-place finish at the 2002 NCAA Championships on Saturday. “It feels all right,” the two-time All-American said.

SPORTS

Ducks prove too tough; U falls in semifinals

Chris Mackinder
March 25, 2002

Eugene, Ore. - Hope of a Women’s National Invitation Tournament title came to an end Saturday for the MSU women’s basketball team. The Spartans (19-13) lost 65-54 to Oregon (21-13) in the WNIT semifinals. Playing in front of 5,304 fans at McArthur Court in Eugene, Ore., gave the Ducks a decisive advantage. “They had a great crowd tonight with a lot of energy tonight,” sophomore forward Julie Pagel said after Saturday’s game.

BASEBALL

The hitting machine

Andrew Fifer
March 25, 2002

With a keen eye and a swift bat, Bob Malek has made a name for himself on the baseball field.The junior right fielder raised eyebrows last season when he set MSU’s single-season hits record at 88 and boasted a .427 average at the plate.For the two-time All-American, winning is what matters most.“I just want to win,” Malek said.

SPORTS

MHSAA plans for girls seasons unveiled

Ryan Wallace
March 22, 2002

The Michigan High School Athletics Association presented three working plans Thursday to make boys’ and girls’ sports seasons equal.But none of the plans included changing the seasons for girls’ basketball or volleyball.Tom Wilson, the initiator of the Michigan Gender Equity Team, said the plans are not fair.“I don’t think it will work,” Wilson said, referring to all of the plans.

ICE HOCKEY

Tigers present classic rematch

James Jahnke
March 21, 2002

Senior defenseman Jon Insana remembers being overwhelmed during MSU’s game against Colorado College in the NCAA Tournament West Regional in Madison, Wis., on March 28, 1999. MSU was trailing the Tigers 3-2 late in the third period and, with less than two minutes separating the Spartans from a disappointing end to their season, emotions started to burst out. “I remember (former defenseman Brad) Hodgins on the bench, literally in tears,” said Insana, who was a freshman at the time.

SPORTS

Women rewriting records as McCallie works with just 9 players

Chris Mackinder
March 21, 2002

After the Spartans defeated DePaul 87-76 in the first round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament it was clear MSU had finally meshed. It was sophomore forward Julie Pagel’s 20th birthday, and the entire MSU team gathered at midcourt to sing “Happy Birthday.” “I wish the team would do more of that,” Spartan head coach Joanne P.

SPORTS

Grapplers ready for NCAAs

Andrew Fifer
March 21, 2002

The 2002 NCAA Wrestling Championships start today in Albany, N.Y., and five Spartans are looking to claim titles. Senior Chris Williams and juniors Karl Nadolsky, Gray Maynard, Rashad Evans and John Wechter will take the mat representing the green and white on the national stage. It will take five-straight decisions for each Spartan to claim the NCAA Championship, but a top-eight finish is enough to garner All-America honors. Spartan head coach Tom Minkel is confident each wrestler has a chance at becoming an All-American. “I think all five of them have the potential to have an outstanding NCAA Tournament,” Minkel said. Last season, the Spartans sent five wrestlers to nationals and four returned with All-America honors - graduate Pat McNamara, junior Nik Fekete, Williams and Maynard. Nadolsky (24-12) was the only Spartan participating in last year’s nationals not to earn All-America honors.

SOCCER

NCAA considers overtime rule change

Ryan Wallace
March 21, 2002

A new proposal by the NCAA may change the way overtime games in men’s and women’s soccer will be decided.During its annual meeting in February, the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Soccer Rules Committee proposed to eliminate ties by shortening the sudden-victory overtime periods and implementing penalty kicks if the game has not been decided.Currently, men and women play two 45-minute halves.

SPORTS

Spartans prove their versatility

Chris Mackinder
March 21, 2002

With another high-scoring win against Alabama on Tuesday night, the Spartans continue to prove they can win playing both offensive and defensive styles of basketball.Early in the season, the MSU women’s basketball team (19-12) was known for shutting down its opponents defensively.