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SPORTS

Field to improve through $4 million fund-raiser

Steve Eder
April 19, 2005

MSU's oldest athletic facility might get a $4 million facelift. Old College Field, the field that hosts baseball, softball and soccer games, is expected to be renovated using funds from drives co-chaired by former MSU baseball stars Kirk Gibson and Mark Mulder in a campaign dubbed "New Life for Old College Field." Originally bought for about $1,137 in 1900, Old College Field first served the MSU football team from 1902-22. More than a century later, Gibson and Mulder hope to help raise at least $4 million for improvements to the field including new stands, lighting, covered hitting facilities, outfield fencing and an enhanced entranceway. "There's great tradition at Old College Field, and these improvements have been on the back burner for some time," MSU Athletics Director Ron Mason said in a statement.

SPORTS

3 changes could make NHL more fun for fans

I was sitting uncomfortably on my seat Saturday at Munn Ice Arena watching a charity hockey game thinking, "Man, the NHL has been succumbed to this because of the current lockout." Former MSU standouts such as Shawn Horcoff, the various Millers, Jason Woolley and Bryan Smolinski were back at the spot of their college glory days.

SPORTS

Spartans capture 1st tourney title of year

Esther Gim
April 18, 2005

The MSU women's golf team won the Lady Buckeye Invitational, its first tournament of the season, by nine strokes Sunday in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State came in second, while Iowa and Kent State were third and fourth, respectively. Sophomore Rachel Meikle's shot of 219 placed her second overall in the tournament, the top performance of her career.

ICE HOCKEY

Spartans add recruit for fall season

Eric Fish
April 18, 2005

Forward Tim Crowder signed a National Letter of Intent and will make his debut as a Spartan in the fall for the 2005-06 season, head coach Rick Comley announced Friday. "He's the final piece to our recruiting," Comley said.

SPORTS

MSU loses on Sunday, still wins series, 3-1

Esther Gim
April 18, 2005

A home run by MSU sophomore first baseman Sean Walker and a grand slam in the ninth inning that tied the game were not good enough, as the Spartans lost at Ohio State, 8-7. Walker's home run in the seventh inning cut the Spartans' deficit to 7-3.

SPORTS

MSU athletes take part in Project Read

Jennifer Toland
April 18, 2005

The gymnasium of East Lansing's Donley Elementary School was filled with anxious students who were eager to meet some of their local MSU heroes and learn about reading on Friday afternoon. The front of the gymnasium at the school, 2961 E.

ICE HOCKEY

Star-studded event

Eric Fish
April 18, 2005

The last thing on the minds of MSU hockey alumni and professional players that took part in the "Hockey for Hope" all-star charity contest on Saturday at Munn Ice Arena was the final score of the game and the NHL lockout. "Everybody's been disappointed for so long about the NHL," said Kevin Miller, a former MSU star (1984-88) and event organizer.

FOOTBALL

Recruits already in practices, classes

Chris Meagher
April 15, 2005

There are some new big men on campus this semester, and they are not wasting any time stepping into their positions on the MSU football team. Junior defensive tackle Bobby Jones, freshman offensive lineman Brendon Moss, freshman quarterback Domenic Natale and freshman defensive tackle Diego Oquendo have all joined the Spartans this semester and are participating in spring football, getting a jump on the new recruits coming in the fall. Jones, currently behind senior Domata Peko on the depth chart at defensive tackle, said it has been a difficult move, both on the field and in the classroom. "It's a big adjustment trying to make it as I go through spring ball here and this semester," Jones said. He also has switched positions from defensive end, a position he has played his whole life, to defensive tackle. "I'm gonna play where they put me as long as I can get on the field," the 6-foot-4, 296-pound Jones said. MSU head coach John L.

ICE HOCKEY

Former Spartan sets up charity game

Eric Fish
April 15, 2005

Munn Ice Arena is set to host a charity hockey game at 6 p.m. Saturday featuring MSU hockey alumni and other professional players in an all-star contest. The game has been dubbed "Hockey For Hope," with all proceeds made from the night benefiting the Sparrow Foundation Ron Mason Fund and Ingham Regional Medical Center's cancer and cardiology programs. Kevin Miller, who wore the green and white from 1984-88, has been busy organizing the event ever since the NHL season officially was canceled. "It's been a lot of phone calls, a lot of organizing, but it's for a good cause, and hopefully, it'll be just a great night," Miller said. The other Spartans alumni scheduled to appear on Saturday are Kip Miller, Steve Guolla, Shawn Horcoff, Rem Murray, Bryan Smolinski and Jason Woolley. Woolley said he has been active with Kevin Miller in recruiting players to take part in the game and has helped recruit several big-name NHL players such as Nicklas Lidstrom, Derian Hatcher, Manny Legace, Pat Verbeek, Bryan Berard, Ethan Moreau and Shean Donovan to play. Lidstrom, Hatcher and Legace spent last season with Woolley as members of the Detroit Red Wings, and Verbeek is a retired NHLer who spent two seasons with the Wings. Also scheduled to appear are Darryl Sydor, Brad Lukowich and Chris Dingman from the 2004 Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning. "My hat goes off to these guys," Woolley said.

SPORTS

Scholarships to honor ex-MSU star pitcher's son

Tom Keller
April 15, 2005

One of baseball's all-time greats visited MSU on Wednesday to benefit the cause of one of his former teammates. Cal Ripken Jr., who holds the Major League Baseball record for consecutive games played, spoke at the Kellogg Center on Wednesday night at a dinner benefiting the Brian Vander Laan Scholarship Fund, which commemorates the son of former MSU pitcher Steve Vander Laan. Steve Vander Laan, a star pitcher at MSU in the 1970s, spent a year playing with Ripken in the minor leagues.

SPORTS

Haynie anticipating pro draft

Chris Barsotti
April 14, 2005

During her four-year career at MSU, senior guard Kristin Haynie has accomplished quite a bit and it is only fitting that she moves on to the WNBA, which is where she will be heading after the draft on Saturday in New Jersey. "I am just really excited to have the opportunity to play at the next level," Haynie said.

SPORTS

WEB ONLY: University honors student-athletes

Chris Meagher
April 13, 2005

MSU took time to recognize its top student-athletes at the Spartan Academic Excellence Gala on Monday night. Seniors Karen Gustafson and Shane Martin were the recipients of the President's Award, given to the male and female graduating seniors with the highest cumulative grade-point average. Gustafson is a member of the MSU women's tennis team, with a 4.0 GPA.

ICE HOCKEY

Miller unanimously voted captain by team

Eric Fish
April 13, 2005

Forward Drew Miller was voted by his teammates to serve as the MSU hockey team's captain next season for his junior, head coach Rick Comley announced Tuesday. "It's a good group of guys coming back and the freshmen coming in are really talked highly of," Miller said. "I'm excited to lead the team, and I think I have three assistant captains that are all capable of being captain, too, so I think we have a good leadership for the team." Forward Colton Fretter and defensemen Jared Nightingale and Corey Potter will serve as assistants to Miller.

SPORTS

Lugnuts enjoy strong fan base in Lansing

Eric Fish
April 12, 2005

More than 7,000 fans stood and cheered last Thursday when the Lansing Lugnuts recorded the final out of the game to win by a slim score of 1-0 and kick off their 10th season of Class A minor league baseball at Oldsmobile Park. Despite a new affiliate with the Toronto Blue Jays and a completely new roster, fan support remains strong for the Lugnuts and was a surprise on opening day for Lansing's first-year manager Ken Joyce. "The fans are outstanding," he said.

FOOTBALL

Trannon adjusting move back to field

Brian Charlton
April 12, 2005

For the past four months it seems Matt Trannon only was dreaming about basketball as his team headed to the Final Four. The junior forward left his football pads behind and worked his way into MSU head coach Tom Izzo's rotation. But when Trannon went to sleep at night, it was a football he grabbed to tuck in next to him in bed. "I've been doing it since high school -just something I do," he said. Although he was mostly on the hardwood during the winter, he constantly checked in with his football coaches and spent his spare time in the weight room. It was a short break for the two-sport athlete from Flint in preparation for his senior football season. After playing in the Final Four in St.

SPORTS

MSU victorious in 16 events

Brian Charlton
April 11, 2005

For MSU sophomore sprinter Cynetheia Rooks, running the 100-meter dash is one of the least-run races in her arsenal of events. But that didn't stop Rooks from outrunning the competition at the MSU Invitational as she started her season, hoping to build on last year when she qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 200-meter run and placed in the 400-meter run at regionals. "It's not really my main focus, but my competitive spirit kicked in, and I just wanted to win," Rooks said. Rooks placed first in the 100-meter with a time of 11.92 seconds and the 200-meter with a time of 24.43, helping the Spartans win 16 of 19 events on their home track against four other teams - Dayton, Lansing Community College, Oakland Community College and IPFW. After the women's team had the majority of its events at its first outdoor invitational in Florida canceled due to bad weather on March 25, many competitors got their first chance to race and earn spots on the traveling squad, said MSU head coach Angela Goodman. "The team is young," Goodman said.