Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Sports | Hockey

SPORTS

WEB ONLY: Big Ten Tourney awaits No. 7 Simmons, Spartan grapplers

After posting just a 2-12 record on the season, the MSU wrestling team will look for better results at the Big Ten Championships this weekend, enjoying three pre-seeded contenders. Redshirt freshman Andy Simmons, sophomore Darren McKnight and senior Nate Mesyn each were selected as preliminary seeds in their respective weight classes. "I think Andy's seed is the best seed on our team," head coach Tom Minkel said.

SPORTS

2 seniors play last home game before going different ways

One wants to continue playing hockey while the other wants to become a surgeon. The two graduating seniors for the Spartans hockey team couldn't be going on a more different path after finishing their careers at MSU. Defenseman Joe Markusen and forward Steve Swistak will be honored in tonight's Senior Day festivities before facing off against Michigan at 8:05. Markusen, a general management major, doesn't have definite plans of what he'll do, but hopes the plans include playing hockey somewhere - wherever that might be. "Hopefully, I can get picked up somewhere, do that for a while and see where it goes - other than that, I guess I'm really not sure," the Park River, N.D., native said. Markusen said it's a little "nerve-racking, but at the same time exciting" to not know what he might be doing. "It'll be fun to see what happens, where I'll end up.

SPORTS

Title hopes remain alive for Spartans

The MSU hockey and men's basketball teams shared one common goal when the week began - capture the regular-season title for their respective conferences. While the basketball team's loss Tuesday will make it tougher to claim a share of the title, the No.

SPORTS

Breslin Center might host 2006 tourney

MSU now is one of 30 finalists in the running to host the first and second rounds for the 2006 NCAA women's basketball tournament. Breslin Center, which seats 14,759 people, already hosts the Michigan High School Athletic Association Boys' Basketball finals each year and is home to MSU men's and women's basketball.

SPORTS

Underclassmen receive Big Ten accolades

Four players on the No. 25 MSU women's basketball team received honors Tuesday for their accomplishments throughout the season. Sophomore guard Lindsay Bowen, sophomore forward Liz Shimek, junior guard Kristin Haynie and freshman guard Rene Haynes all were recognized by the Big Ten.

SPORTS

Fans flock to support teams, win prizes

Spartan spirit was alive and well Monday night in the Wonders Hall Kiva as about 150 to 200 fans came to the "Spartan Spirit 2004 Pep Rally" hosted by members of the Wonders Hall Student Government and Wonders resident mentors. MSU basketball fans showed their support for the men's and women's basketball teams on their way to tournament seasons.

SPORTS

Men's track team 9th in indoor competition

The MSU men's track and field team finished the Big Ten Indoor Championship competition in ninth place overall at Michigan on Saturday. MSU finished the competition, which was held Saturday and Sunday, with a total of 27 points - more than double its 11 total points from last season's Big Ten Championship.

SPORTS

Women's track team 6th at tournament

The MSU women's track and field team finished the Big Ten Indoor Championship on Sunday in sixth place overall. The Spartans finished with 65 total points for the competition, held at Iowa. Senior Jamie Krzyminski won the indoor event title in the 5,000-meter run for the third year in a row, while freshman sprinter Cynetheia Rooks qualified for the NCAA Tournament in both the 400-meter dash and the 200-meter dash, placing second and third, respectively.

FOOTBALL

Colleges consider another BCS bowl game

College football spectators can anticipate watching a fifth top-level bowl game starting in 2006 after an agreement Sunday would add one more bowl game in addition to the existing four. The announcement came from Miami by presidents of colleges representing teams that are part of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and those from teams outside it. Oregon president David Frohnmayer called the change "positive" and "significant." "We have substantially increased the opportunities for Division I-A colleges to participate in BCS bowl games," he said.

SPORTS

All-time record set in meet win

Rolling, tumbling and jumping their way to victory, the MSU gymnastics team scored 196.775 and defeated Ohio State and West Virginia to break an all-time university scoring record on Saturday. While a crowd of 1,049 at Jenison Field House watched, the team took titles in every event but vault and eclipsed the previous MSU all-time record of 196.575, a score they had tied Feb.

BASKETBALL

Badgers last roadblock in championship race

State College, Pa. - Sharpen the scissors and get the ladders out of storage, because MSU is playing for a Big Ten Championship - and a chance to cut down the nets - Tuesday against Wisconsin at Breslin Center. The Spartans (17-9 overall, 12-3 Big Ten) beat Penn State, 67-42, on Saturday night, guaranteeing them at least a share of the Big Ten Championship if they win their regular season finale against the Badgers. "Everything now is one and done," head coach Tom Izzo said.

SPORTS

'U' alum lifts NHL's Predators, 2-1, in OT

Former Spartans defenseman Andrew Hutchinson's power-play goal in overtime lifted the Nashville Predators over the New York Rangers on Saturday, 2-1. Hutchinson was called up Wednesday from the Milwaukee Admirals, Nashville's minor-league affiliate, after Nashville defenseman Jason York fractured a cheekbone. Hutchinson, who played at MSU from 1998 to 2002, tallied 78 total points and 160 penalty minutes.