MSU freshman catcher Sean Walker was named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American baseball team. Walker started 48 of 54 games for MSU, while hitting .288 with 29 RBI's and 28 runs scored.
The first woman to have ever served in the Big Ten Conference as a faculty athletic representative, Gwendolyn Norell, died on Tuesday at age 84. A counselor to minority students and others in need of special assistance, Norell was valued for her important contributions to those around her. "She was a leader in outreach efforts in the Detroit-area in terms of diversity interests and played an important role in the Honors College," said Lee June, vice president of student affairs and services.
MSU basketball players, junior Maurice Ager and sophomore Shannon Brown, are scheduled to attend training camp in mid-July to prepare them for competition at the 2004 USA Basketball Men's National Team Trials. The two will compete along with 22 other players from across the country for 12 positions on the 2004 USA Basketball World Championship for players 20 years old or younger.
Auburn Hills- The Detroit Pistons are in the NBA finals for the first time in 14 years and the fans are enjoying every minute of it. The excitement around the Palace this weekend hit a new high as fans flooded Auburn Hills to be a part of history.
John-Michael Liles, former Spartan and two-time All-America hockey defenseman, was named to the National Hockey League 2003-04 All-Rookie Team.
Two members of the MSU women's track team earned All-American honors this weekend at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Seniors Sherita Williams in the triple jump and Jamie Kryzminski in the 10,000 meter race, each finished in the top 10 of their competitions to earn the honor. Kryzminski finished third, earning her third straight year of All-America honors.
Playing in Australia for the 2004 Big Ten Women's Basketball Foreign Tour, MSU junior guard Lindsay Bowen is having success. Contributing with a team-high of 16.5 points per game, Bowen has scored double-figures in both games.
In 2003, Duke defeated the Spartans 72-50 at the Breslin Center. It was MSU's sole loss in the BigTen/ACC Challenge to date. MSU has an overall 3-1 record in its history at the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
A record number of Lansing Lugnuts have been selected for the Midwest League All-Star Game. Wednesday, eight Lansing players were named to the team, the most for any team in the league and a new franchise record. Four position players were chosen including three named as starters.
Former Spartan hockey defender, Andrew Hutchinson, won the Calder Cup with the Milwaukee Admirals, completing a four game sweep against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The Calder Cup is the minor league equivalent to the Stanley Cup for the American Hockey League.
MSU juniors, right fielder Travis Gulick and catcher Erik Morris were selected in the 2004 Major League Baseball draft, Tuesday. The draft spans over two days and 50 rounds. For Gulick, the two days of sitting in front of his computer listening to the 2004 MLB draft online seemed endless until his name was finally called Tuesday afternoon. Gulick was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 23rd round of the Major League Baseball Draft, the 686th pick overall. "It's been a long process," Gulick said.
After 20 years with the Spartans, Jim Stintzi, Spartans men's and women's cross country head coach, will move to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to become the head coach of the men's and women's track teams. Stintzi, whose alma mater is Wisconsin, will be only the second track coach in Wisconsin's history, replacing Peter Tegen who had been with Wisconsin for 30 years.
For the second time in three years, MSU will send four track and field athletes to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Senior shot put thrower Steve Manz, senior long and triple jumper Sherita Williams, senior distance runner Jamie Krzyminski and freshman sprinter Cynetheia Rooks will represent the Spartans beginning Wednesday in Austin, Texas. "This whole last month has been amazing," Manz said. Manz is seeded fifth, qualified for the NCAA Championship after placing second at the NCAA Mideast Regional with throwing 63-4 1/4. At the NCAA Championships last year, Manz placed 11th and said he is hopeful that his experience from a year ago would be the difference. "I'm looking to throw big and get into the top three and scare some people," Manz said. With four Spartans going to the championships, the reputation and notoriety of MSU's Track and Field program is growing, according to women's track coach Angela Goodman.
Wanted: Any male Americans who have an ounce of basketball talent for the USA Olympic men's basketball team. If you can shoot, defend, or even dribble a basketball, your country could use you this summer in Athens, Greece. USA Basketball is having difficulty finding players to fill its roster.
Two members of the MSU women's track and cross county teams and two members of the men's track and cross country teams made the 2004 Academic All-District teams for Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee. Seniors Michelle Carson and Jamie Krzyminski from the women's teams, both earned first-team honors and are in the running for Academic All-American consideration. From the men's teams, junior runner Nathan Egger was selected to the first-team.
The summer is not usually a time of change for the MSU women's basketball team. For head coach Joanne P.
Lansing - It was a home run kind of night at Oldsmobile Park. Even if one of them didn't count. Lansing first baseman Brian Dopirak hit what some might describe as the longest no-pitch ever.
The MSU baseball team exceeded most peoples expectations this season, but was unable to meet its own goals of winning a Big Ten title. The Spartans fell short in both the regular season and the Big Ten Tournament.
I hate Lakers fans. And I'm not talking about Jack Nicholson and Justin Timberlake, I'm talking about you -the Eastern Conference Lakers fan. Sure, you were overjoyed Tuesday night when the Pistons put the Pacers away to advance to their first NBA Finals since the Bad Boys in 1990, but it was a fake joy.
Chicago - Mark Prior will return back to the major league, making his first start with the Chicago Cubs on Friday after spending the first two months of the season on the disabled list. Prior, who has been sidelined with an inflamed right Achilles' tendon and sore right elbow, was impressive in his third rehab start Sunday when he allowed three hits and two runs while striking out 10 in 5 1-3 innings for Triple-A Iowa. Prior pitched the first two games of his rehab tour with the Lansing Lugnuts and defied conservative estimates - pitching an extra inning in his second game to help the 'Nuts turn the tables on the West Michigan Whitecaps to win 7-6. During both games with the 'Nuts, Prior allowed just one hit and one walk, and threw 13 strikeouts in a combined 7 1/3 innings. Now, he's ready to return to the Cubs and will face the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday at Wrigley Field.