FOOTBALL

Dueling column: MSU's recent success means nothing at national level

Michael Florek

October 13, 2011

For the 115 years since you started playing football, you’ve been obsessed with waging an imaginary battle against Michigan. Your original fight song included lines of “smash through that line of blue” and “Michigan is weakening.” Your name as the Spartans came as a direct response to Michigan being called the “Athens of the Midwest” (Athens and Sparta were rival city-states in ancient Greece. Wikipedia it. I hear that always works for class.).

FOOTBALL

Gov. Rick Snyder surprised by Sparty

Ian Kullgren

October 13, 2011

Gov. Rick Snyder got an unexpected surprise Thursday — one he likely wasn’t happy about. Sparty, a rival of Snyder’s University of Michigan Wolverines, paid an unannounced visit to the governor’s office when he was between meetings Thursday.

BASKETBALL

New leaders ready to take over women's basketball team

Jesse O'Brien

October 13, 2011

After winning the Big Ten outright for the first time in program history, the Spartans are looking to continue that success with a much younger squad this season. Thursday afternoon, head coach Suzy Merchant and members of the team met with members of the media to discuss the team’s upcoming season.

VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball set for 2 tough road matchups

Jesse O'Brien

October 13, 2011

The MSU volleyball team will face its biggest test of the season when it travels to Champaign, Ill., on Saturday to take on the No. 1 Illinois Fighting Illini, but the Spartans are not looking past Friday when they will face the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston, Ill.

SPORTS

Field hockey looks for 1st Big Ten win against No. 18 Ohio State

Jesse O'Brien

October 13, 2011

The Spartans (6-9 overall, 0-3 Big Ten) are coming off a tough 4-2 loss against Indiana while the Buckeyes will be looking to rebound from a 3-0 shutout at home from No. 17 Iowa.

ICE HOCKEY

Hockey heads north to take on Lake Superior State

Dillon Davis

October 13, 2011

The Spartans will open up a two-game road series this weekend at Taffy Abel Arena in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., against Lake Superior State.

BASKETBALL

Fans invited to Midnight Madness to tip off basketball season

Julia Nagy

October 13, 2011

Friday, the annual Midnight Madness will tip off the 2011-12 basketball season at Breslin Center. Doors will open at 9:30 p.m., and admission is free.

SOCCER

Women's soccer earns shutout win over Michigan

Dillon Davis

October 12, 2011

With her first goal of the season, Megan Marsack snapped a winless streak against Michigan that dated back to before she even stepped on campus.

ICE HOCKEY

Anastos pleased with direction of Spartans

Dillon Davis

October 12, 2011

After a weekend of play, the chemistry continues to grow between Tom Anastos and the MSU hockey team.

SPORTS

Powers named Big Ten Golfer of the Week

Julia Nagy

October 12, 2011

MSU junior Caroline Powers was named Big Ten Golfer of the Week, the conference announced Wednesday, after turning in a school-record 54-hole score on Oct. 9 at the Tar Heel Invitational.

FOOTBALL

Word on the street

Julia Nagy

October 11, 2011

The Spartans (4-1) will take on their Wolverine rivals Saturday night. MSU has walked away as the victor the past three years.

SOCCER

Spartans remain in conference mix despite slow start

Pat Evans

October 11, 2011

The Spartans (4-6-2 overall, 1-1-1 Big Ten) struggled to find a rhythm early in the season but now are riding a two-game winning streak, as they enter the meat of their Big Ten schedule.

Anthony Odoardi ·

FOOTBALL

U-M's Robinson to be main focus in practice

Michelle Martinelli

October 11, 2011

Prior to the MSU football team’s matchup last season against Michigan, the Spartans did everything in their power to anticipate Wolverine quarterback Denard Robinson’s every move and be adequately prepared to face the dynamic leader.

Julia Nagy ·

SOCCER

Women's soccer recognizes importance of rivalry matchup

Dillon Davis

October 11, 2011

For Katelin Chaklos and the seniors of the MSU women’s soccer team, the motivation to beat Michigan is greater than ever.

SPORTS

Abby Barker named field hockey co-Big Ten Freshman of the Week

Jesse O'Brien

October 11, 2011

MSU field hockey freshman forward Abby Barker was named Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Week after anchoring the Spartans’ offense this past weekend.

FOOTBALL

William Gholston draws inspiration from memory of late grandmother

Anthony Odoardi

October 10, 2011

Staring down at the grass, sophomore defensive end William Gholston was holding back tears. The 6-foot-7, 280-pound lineman was not just MSU’s five-star recruit but a man who was experiencing more pain than any football game could cause him.

FOOTBALL

Marcus Rush making impact in first season

Michelle Martinelli

October 10, 2011

Looking to play college football, Marcus Rush had options coming out of high school, and although his several options included Michigan and Nebraska, the now-redshirt freshman defensive end chose MSU.

SOCCER

Barone named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week

Pat Evans

October 10, 2011

The Big Ten Conference announced Monday that MSU men’s soccer senior defender Mark Barone was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Week.

SPORTS

MSU men's basketball coach Tom Izzo, wife donate $1M to MSU Athletics

Pat Evans

October 10, 2011

MSU men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo and his wife Lupe donated $1 million to the MSU Athletics Department, a release from the athletics department said Monday.

SOCCER

MSU sneaks past Penn State on Barone goal

Pat Evans

October 9, 2011

The MSU men’s soccer team came away with an emotional win against Penn State on Sunday afternoon at DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field. Riding a first-half goal by senior defender Mark Barone, the Spartans (4-6-2 overall, 1-1-1 Big Ten) took the 1-0 victory against the Nittany Lions (6-4-2, 0-3-0) with more than 75 alumni in attendance on an unusually warm October afternoon. “It was just one of those culminations of it being a great day for Michigan State Spartan soccer,” head coach Damon Rensing said.