Friday, August 21, 2026

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

Sports

SPORTS

U graduate enjoys taking a plunge into his future

Krista Latham
October 19, 2000

East Lansing resident Luther Kurtz can do something no class at MSU could teach him - he can fly.Kurtz, who graduated from MSU in the two-year electrical technician program in 1997, is an avid skydiver, and this month he won second place as part of a 10-way skydiving team at a national competition in California.After completing 550 dives, Kurtz said jumping out of a plane isn’t scary at all.“Initially, I liked the rush of jumping out of an airplane,” he said.

SPORTS

Students seek B-ball tickets

James Jahnke
October 19, 2000

Expecting an overwhelming demand for tickets to see the men’s basketball team defend its national championship, the MSU Athletic Ticket Office announced they might have to split student season tickets into two packages. This would not affect students in the Izzone cheering section. The deadline to apply for student season tickets is Friday, and if more than 3,000 students apply, the season will be split into Green and White packages, said Chris Besanceney, assistant ticket manager. Approximately 560 seats in the lower bowl of Breslin Student Events Center and 2,440 in the upper deck are available to students not in the Izzone. Last year more than 3,500 students requested season tickets and Besanceney expects more applications this season. “We’re taking orders from everyone for a full season (of basketball tickets),” Besanceney said.

SPORTS

Breslin Student Events Center to welcome former cagers, Pistons

James Jahnke
October 18, 2000

Five days after MSU’s Homecoming, Mateen Cleaves and Antonio Smith will return to their old stomping ground Thursday night.The two former Spartan basketball players will return to Breslin Student Events Center with their new team, the Detroit Pistons, for an NBA exhibition game against the Utah Jazz.After leading MSU to its first national championship in 21 years last season, the Pistons drafted Cleaves with the 14th pick in the first round of June’s NBA draft.

SPORTS

Fans will get chance to purchase Izzone tickets

Krista Latham
October 18, 2000

If you have a tarp, $132 and a whole lot of determination, by Sunday you could also have a ticket to sit in the largest student basketball fan section in the nation. On Saturday morning, MSU students who dream of watching sophomore guard Jason Richardson dunk and senior guard Charlie Bell speed down the court from the Izzone can begin roughing it out to claim tickets, Izzone co-director Brad Johanson said. The 250-odd remaining tickets - a $132 package that includes courtside seating at all 12 home games, a T-shirt, traveling options and other perks - go on sale at 1 p.m.

SPORTS

Even mediocre athletes can get thrills from running 26.2 miles

Eric Lacy
October 17, 2000

He’s an elite athlete from Kenya; I’m a beer-drinking college kid from the Midwest. But for some reason, I knew how he felt cruising past me on the Ambassador Bridge in the opposite direction - six miles ahead of me. Joseph Maina, who won Sunday’s 23rd annual Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank International Marathon with a career-best time of 2:24:47 trotted past me like a gazelle, and I could only look on. Many sports journalists think they have athletics all figured out. They believe they provide “insight” even though they might have never played a competitive sport in their lives.

SPORTS

Star spiker out with injury

Eric Mckinney
October 16, 2000

EVANSTON, Ill. - Co-captain and preseason All-Big Ten senior middle Jessica Sanborn suffered a broken left foot Saturday at Northwestern.Sanborn told MSU trainers she felt a pain when she pushed off during warm-up before the volleyball team’s match against the Wildcats.MSU athletic trainer Lianna Lee said the severity of the injury won’t be known until further tests today.“We know it’s a break, but that’s all we know right now,” she said.

SPORTS

Spikers struggle with injuries, mistakes

Eric Mckinney
October 16, 2000

Injuries and inconsistent play have forced MSU volleyball head coach Chuck Erbe to make unexpected lineup changes the last two weeks.Two starters have been sidelined with injuries and an abundance of serving errors have prompted Erbe to make substitutions, including substituting players only to serve.Erbe said a positive note the last two weeks is the play of freshman outside hitter Jenny Rood.

SPORTS

Kickers steal victory, 'trophy' in overtime

Justin A. Rice
October 16, 2000

ANN ARBOR - While the MSU football team prepares to meet its biggest rival Saturday, and faithful fans prepare to guard Sparty against vandals, the MSU men’s soccer team began the week on a good note with a 2-1 victory over the Wolverines in double overtime.After winning the national club championship the last two years, Michigan (4-6) is in its inaugural varsity season.

SPORTS

Spartans end weekend with wins

James Jahnke
October 16, 2000

Ice HockeyThe men’s ice hockey team is undefeated after its first weekend of regular season play.The seventh-ranked Spartans beat Alaska-Anchorage 5-4 on Friday night and tied Merrimack 1-1 on Saturday night at the Johnson Nissan Classic in Anchorage, Alaska.For tournament purposes, the game against Merrimack went to a shoot-out, which MSU won 2-0.

SPORTS

Defense couldnt save Spartans

Jeff Karzen
October 16, 2000

For 59:31 of the game, MSU defenders dominated Wisconsin’s offense. Speedy Badger running back Michael Bennett entered Spartan Stadium as the nation’s second leading rusher, and left with only 59 yards on 23 carries and no touchdowns.

SPORTS

U teams gear up for another weekend of competition

James Jahnke
October 13, 2000

Ice HockeyThe men’s ice hockey team has been practicing at The Summit, 9410 Davis Highway in Lansing, all week preparing for the Olympic-size ice at the Johnson Nissan Classic in Anchorage, Alaska this weekend.Seventh-ranked MSU will face host Alaska-Anchorage at midnight tonight and Merrimack on Saturday at 8:05 p.m.