Gymnasts place 5th in last meet of season The MSU gymnastics team placed fifth out of six teams at the NCAA Central Regional on Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Spartans amassed a total score of 194.575 to finish above Kent State, but behind Alabama, Auburn, Central Michigan and Oklahoma.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Stanton is starting to leave his mark on teammates and, most importantly, MSU football head coach John L.
Sluggers go on road to take on Hoosiers The MSU baseball team will look to gain some ground in the Big Ten this weekend with four games. The Spartans will face Indiana in a four-game series beginning today at 3 p.m.
If the MSU softball team expects to continue its hot start, then it needs to be at its best at the plate. The Spartans (24-9, 4-1 Big Ten) face some of the conference's top pitchers when it travels to face Minnesota (26-10, 4-2) and Wisconsin (13-16, 2-4) this weekend.
Spring fever has hit the Lansing Lugnuts. Of course it doesn't help that it's eight days into the season and the team has yet to play a full game. The squad made it through the first three South Bend batters during its April 3 home opener before driving rain forced fans and players to scurry for cover. Since then, snow, near-freezing weather and poor field conditions have caused the cancellation of seven games - the Lugnuts' entire home-opening stand. Lansing travels to South Bend, Ind., today for a 7:30 p.m.
Sigh. After meticulously counting down the moments until Opening Day arrived at Comerica Park, sitting through a 9-19 showing in spring training and returning north for eight miserable losses, I remember now why I was so eager to forget the last Tigers baseball season. Call me crazy (and I'm sure you will), but when Detroit finished 55-106 last year, I really, really thought this year couldn't be any worse. It was the worst season Detroit had since 1996.
Seasons past have produced the likes of Kirk Gibson, Andre Rison, Muhsin Muhammad and Charles Rogers.
He's No. 1 on MSU's wide receiver depth chart, his coaches love his speed and his teammates are lauding his leadership - but he is yet to catch one pass in a game of college football. After former Spartan standout Charles Rogers broke the MSU record books and entered the NFL Draft, MSU's depleted receiving corps is forced to look for a fresh start.
When the eyes of the college gymnastics world focus on the NCAA Championships in Lincoln, Neb., in two weeks, head coach Kathie Klages doesn't expect her MSU gymnastics team to be there. Sure, the Spartans have a chance.
After much speculation, MSU basketball associate head coach Brian Gregory accepted the head-coaching position at Dayton on Wednesday afternoon."I'm honored and excited to be named the head basketball coach at the University of Dayton," Gregory said at a press conference.
MSU (23-14-2) wasn't an elite hockey team this season, but it wasn't for a lack of elite players. Two Spartans - senior defensemen John-Michael Liles and Brad Fast - were named to the JOFA All-American teams announced Wednesday by the American Hockey Coaches Association. Liles made the West First Team, while Fast was named to the West Second Team. Of the 24 players honored Wednesday, only three were on teams that didn't qualify for the NCAA Tournament - Liles, Fast and Yale forward Chris Higgins. "In order to have a good individual season, you often need to be on a successful team," Liles said.
Eight Spartan athletes were honored at the combined awards banquet for the men's and women's cross country and track and field teams this weekend. On the cross country side, sophomore Chris Toloff and junior Michelle Carson were named the teams' most valuable performers, while juniors Andrew Marsh and Sarah Pepera were voted as the most improved runners. For the track and field teams, juniors Steve Manz (throws) and Jamie Krzyminski (distance) were dubbed team MVPs.
"On the Road Again."That is the tune the MSU baseball team is singing after a short week of home games.
Experience, hard work and a new attitude have led to the MSU softball team's excellent start this season.After going 24-35 overall and 4-15 in the Big Ten in 2002, the Spartans (24-9 overall, 4-1 Big Ten) need just one win to eclipse last season's overall and conference win totals.
Spartan athletics officials say the switch from a free to a pay service for watching games online has improved coverage of Spartan sports, including press conferences and extra content of less visible teams.Since the fall, www.msuspartans.com has been charging a fee to users for the right to view athletic events online.
On April Fool's Day, senior centerfielder Sandy Lewis approached Old College Field for softball practice wearing a boot and brandishing a signed letter from the head trainer stating she would be out of action 4 to 6 weeks.
MSU football head coach John L. Smith has his players on their toes this spring.From his casual stride around the Duffy Daugherty Football Building and his approachable, personable demeanor, it wouldn't be expected that Smith is forcing his players to keep one eye open for him at all times."Some of the time, you think he's around," sophomore wide receiver Kyle Brown said, shifting his eyes for emphasis.
Several players snagged honors at the annual field hockey banquet. The squad's Most Valuable Player award went to senior midfielder Cynthia Martin, while sophomore midfielder Annebet Beerman and sophomore back Judith van Haeringen were chosen as Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively. Rookie of the Year accolades went to goalkeeper Christina Kirkaldy.
So, Marquette lost by 33 points in the Final Four to Kansas Saturday evening, so what? Yeah, the Golden Eagle players like Dwyane Wade and coaches like special assistant Trey Schwab were probably all very distraught afterwards, but they'll be smiling again soon, hopefully. You see, most teams can celebrate a Final Four appearance by thinking, "Wow, next year we'll be back, we'll be better." But then again, most teams aren't like Marquette. While Wade, Marquette's star guard, was working on his game all season in hopes of leading his team to victory against the major programs in the tournament, Schwab was working out in hopes of gaining his strength back after undergoing constant tests and treatments as he prepared to do battle with a deadly disease. Just over two years ago, Schwab was told he'd have a 40 percent chance of living to see the end of this year. But that didn't stop him from heading to New Orleans this past weekend. Plain and simple, the man has courage, just like his team. He is an underdog and has been fighting an uphill battle for years, just like his team fought its way through a tough season and into the Final Four. Yet there is one major difference between the Golden Eagles future and Schwab's: Because the team lost, they will return next year with hopes of returning to the Big Dance.
With no single player emerging as a favorite for MSU's vacant starting quarterback position, a dead heat is on.With two spring scrimmages under the Spartans' belt, incumbent junior quarterback Damon Dowdell is battling redshirt freshman Drew Stanton for MSU's starting spot in the Aug.