Monday, January 12, 2026

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

Sports | Volleyball 1000

ICE HOCKEY

Hildebrand, Yanakeff battle for playing time, opportunities

When Jake Hildebrand was looking at different college hockey programs, he wanted to know if he would have the opportunity to play. The MSU hockey freshman goaltender said he asked head coach Tom Anastos if he would be given that chance as a Spartan, and Anastos said he responded by telling him if he earned ice time, he would be given it.

FOOTBALL

Bell, Maxwell eyeing bowl appearance as season winds down

For Le’Veon Bell, there is no doubt. The Spartans will make a bowl game, and he won’t be convinced otherwise. As the MSU football team (5-5 overall, 2-4 Big Ten) prepares for its home finale against Northwestern (7-3, 3-3) on Saturday (noon, ESPN2), it will look to extend its bowl streak to six consecutive seasons.

MEN'S SOCCER

Men's soccer prepares for NCAA Tournament

Just a day after receiving a Big Ten Tournament championship title, the MSU men’s soccer team (11-9-1 overall, 3-3-0 Big Ten) had to move on from its glory and look ahead to what’s next: an NCAA Tournament.

VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball hopes to continue win streak

With the recent success of the MSU volleyball team, it’s hard not to think about how clear the postseason picture is becoming. The Spartans (21-7 overall, 9-7 Big Ten) are fresh off of beating then-No. 4 Nebraska and No. 10 Minnesota in back-to-back weekends, giving head coach Cathy George confidence in the team’s postseason plans.

BASKETBALL

No. 14 Spartans defeated by UConn in Germany

Starting yet another season in an unfamiliar locale, the MSU men’s basketball team suffered a gut-wrenching result to kick off its 2012-13 campaign. After being defeated in the first outdoor college basketball game on an aircraft carrier a season ago, the No. 14 Spartans didn’t have much better luck on Friday, falling to Connecticut, or UConn, 66-62 in the Sears Armed Forces Classic at the U.S. Air Force Base in Ramstein, Germany.

BASKETBALL

Bell, Pickrel stand out as leaders in win over UT-Arlington

Every team needs a good leader, and in the case of the MSU women’s basketball team, the players still are trying to find who that person will be for them. In MSU’s season-opening 83-39 trouncing of UT Arlington on Sunday afternoon, two players stood out as potential candidates to fill the leadership void. Junior guard Klarissa Bell led the team in points (19), rebounds (8) and assists (6), and junior forward Annalise Pickrel also had a strong game, recording 18 points along with hitting four of her seven 3-pointers.