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NEW COMMIT: Michigan State gets first 2025 commit in QB Leo Hannan: 'I love the staff'

Michigan State has received its first commitment in the 2025 class. California three-star quarterback Leo Hannan, who has long been a top priority target for the Spartans' new coaching staff, announced his verbal pledge to MSU on Monday.

He has built a strong foundation with head coach Jonathan Smith, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Brian Lindgren and several other of the current Michigan State coaches. Hannan has been in constant communication with MSU's coaching staff, which ultimately led to his commitment.

While the Spartans offered Hannan a scholarship to Michigan State in January, the relationship goes back much further than that, as Smith and Lindgren originally offered him in May of 2023, while they were at Oregon State.

"I love the coaching staff, especially Coach Smith and Coach Lindgren," Hannan told Spartans Illustrated when asked why he chose MSU. "I love their coaching style and the amazing culture at Michigan State. There’s a ton of continuity from the staff on the offensive side of the ball for sure.

"Their style of offense is going to fit perfectly in the Big Ten," Hannan said about the Michigan State coaches. "Their attitude and mindset for how they approach football greatly complements Michigan State’s culture — hard-hat guys for a hard-hat place."

Much more here:

BASEBALL Spartans win weekend series against Penn State 2-1

Friday​

Spartans Nip Nittany Lions, 6-5, Under Friday Night Lights​

MSU holds off PSU to win series opener.​

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State baseball took a lead in the middle innings, then withstood a late Penn State rally and held on for a 6-5 Victory for MSU in a nationally televised Big Ten Conference contest under the Friday night lights at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field.

A national audience watching on Big Ten Network and a spirited crowd in attendance on the chilly spring night were treated to a thrilling, tight ballgame. An 8:03 p.m. first pitch made for the second-latest start time in McLane Stadium at Kobs Field history, as the facility has only had lights since 2019, trailing last season's 8:06 p.m. start time on May 18, 2023 vs. Indiana.

Friday was also MSU's Military Appreciation Night, and the Spartans debuted their Military Appreciation black jerseys with camo green font and numbers, with the Sparty logo running with the American flag on the bag just above the numbers.

With the win, MSU improved to 16-19 overall and 4-6 in B1G action, while PSU is 18-16 overall and 5-8 in conference competition. Friday was the Nittany Lions' first visit to East Lansing since 2021, and Friday's result snapped Penn State's seven-game winning streak in the series, as it was the Spartans' first win since 2021. MSU leads the all-time series, 55-44, including 24-17 in East Lansing.

Michigan State scored a run in the second inning before Penn State countered with one in the third and another in the fourth for a 2-1 lead. The Spartans stormed back with a three-run fifth frame and tacked on two in the sixth for a 6-2 lead. The Nittany Lions did not go quietly into the brisk dark night, rallying with three runs in the eighth, before the Spartans snuffed out the rally to secure the Victory for MSU.

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"We've been through a lot this year already and we held onto the lead which was really important for the win," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said.

For the second-straight game, senior outfielder Jack Frank led the way on offense, providing big hits again Friday night.

"I think that we have had a lot of games where you have the opportunity in the close games, some have gone our ways, and some have not," Frank said. "Tonight was a good reminder that we can still win those games and that we are in those games until the very end. We gave up a couple of runs there in the end, but I knew that we would find a way. They weren't beating us out there tonight, we were winning that game, and we should have won that game. It was a good result today but at the end of the day, I know that we are good enough to win these games, even close games and today was a good example. Good to get the first win out of the way."

Despite the late night and chilly temps, both teams had hot bats and big hits, with the teams combining for six extra base hits.

MSU had seven total hits, led by the senior duo of Frank and infielder Dillon Kark. Frank was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Kark was 1-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored.

Graduate catcher Sam Thompson and senior outfielder Greg Ziegler were both 1-for-3, with Thompson posting an RBI and run scored, while Ziegler had a run scored. Junior infielder Sam Busch and freshman infielder Ryan McKay added the Spartans' other hits.

On the mound, sophomore southpaw Joseph Dzierwa went 6.0 IP, ringing up six strikeouts, including three in the second stanza.

"I thought Joseph was good tonight," Boss said. "He really competed but I think that he would tell you that he didn't have his best stuff tonight. He figured out a way to get guys out and I think that ironically, his best inning was the sixth. He felt really good and confident then and was at 99 pitches, but I think it was a gritty performance by Dzierwa, he made one bad pitch but limited the damage. A solo home run doesn't beat you, so I thought Joseph was really good tonight."

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Senior Aaron Mishoulam came on in relief to open the seventh and went 1.2 IP with two Ks, and turned things over to sophomore Nolan Higgins in the eighth after PSU scored three runs to close to 6-5 with Nittany Lions on the corners with two outs. Higgins rang up a swinging strikeout to leave the two runners stranded and keep it 6-5, then went 1-2-3 in the ninth for his first career save.

"I think that Aaron Mishoulam did a really good job for us tonight in the seventh and getting us into the eighth. I'm really happy for Nolan Higgins, he's been up and down a lot this year and his last two outings prior to today were really good. We went back to him today in a big spot and he really showed up for us. I'm really happy for him and that boost from the bullpen really gives the team confidence moving forward. Tomorrow is a new day, we'll enjoy this one and get back at it tomorrow."

The Spartans touched home first in the game with a run in the bottom of the second on an RBI groundout by graduate catcher Sam Thompson. The Nittany Lions evened the score in the third and took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth. MSU countered with a three-run fifth frame, boosted by Kark's two-run double and later a McKay RBI single for a 4-2 lead.

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Thompson jump-started the Spartan rally in the sixth with a leadoff single. Sophomore infielder Randy Seymour laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Thompson to second, and Frank followed by smacking a triple to deep center. Kark came up next and had a sacrifice fly to plate Frank for a 6-2 Spartan advantage.

The Nittany Lions rallied in the eighth with three runs on four hits, including three doubles, to close to 6-5 with two outs and two on, and MSU went to the pen and brought Higgins to the mound. He rang up a strikeout to end the PSU rally and the inning.

Busch knocked a single to start off the eighth, moved to second on a Thompson sac bunt and took third on a Seymour flyout, but was stranded there to end the inning.

Higgins worked a 1-2-3 inning in the ninth to secure the Spartan triumph and spark the celebration.

Recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.

Saturday​

Powers And Opportune Hits Propel MSU Past Penn State Saturday​

Senior southpaw stymies Nittany Lion offense; Spartan bats roll to help Green & White clinch series.​

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Behind Nick Powers' pitching and an offensive output, Michigan State baseball powered past Penn State, 11-5, Saturday afternoon at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field.

The win helped the Spartans clinch the series win over the Nittany Lions, MSU's first series win over PSU since 2016. After Friday night's 6-5 Victory for MSU snapped a seven-game losing skein to PSU, MSU has now won two in a row over PSU to extend its series lead to 56-44, with a 25-17 mark in East Lansing.

Overall, MSU won its third in a row to move to 17-19 on the season and a 5-6 B1G record. PSU slid to 18-17 overall and 5-9 in B1G play.

Senior southpaw Powers went 7.0 innings, ringing up five strikeouts in scattering six hits while allowing just two runs.

"Nick was really good today, outside of walking the first guy and hitting the second guy," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said "He went into damage control early and just gave up the one run (in the first inning), which was a big play in the game. It kept momentum kind of within us and he really settled into it. I think he threw really, really well."

After yielding a run in the first, Powers found his stride and leveled his control, retiring nine Nittany Lions in a row from the third to the sixth stanzas.

Meanwhile the Spartan bats came to life in the third inning and erupted for 16 hits in the game, posting 11 runs for their most in a Big Ten game this season and the most in a conference contest since plating 14 in a 14-2 Victory for MSU at Michigan last season on April 23, 2023.

As part of MSU Heroes Weekend, U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant Andrew Busch, brother of Spartan junior infielder Sam Busch, threw out Saturday's ceremonial first pitch.

"That was pretty neat," Busch said. "I didn't really know until last week that he was going to do it, and I thought it was pretty cool. I went out there and I kind of got a little choked up when I got out there. But it was pretty cool, a really neat moment."

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Of MSU's 11 runs scored on the day, five of them came with two outs, as the Spartan offense was clicking.

"I'd like to get them all with no outs, I guess," Boss said with a chuckle. "But we talked before the game just about a consistent offensive approach and I think we did it again today for the second day in a row. We didn't chase many balls, I thought we stayed alive in at bats, we were able to just string a bunch of hits together a couple different times in those innings and use that momentum moving forward."

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MSU knocked 16 hits, and all nine Spartans in the line-up had at least one hit, with six tallying multiple hits, led by senior infielder Dillon Kark going 3-for-5 with two runs scored, including his team-leading 14th double of the season.

Graduate catcher Sam Thompson and sophomore infielder Randy Seymour were both 2-for-3, with Thompson scoring three times, while Seymour touched home twice and drove in one. Junior outfielder Nick Williams was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, while Busch and senior outfielder Greg Ziegler were both 2-for-5, with Zeigler notching two RBI, while Busch had a ribbie and a run scored. Senior outfielder Jack Frank was 1-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored, freshman infielder Ryan McKay was 1-for-4, and junior designated hitter Christian Williams was 1-for-5 with a run scored.

Ziegler added two stolen bases, and the Spartans had a sacrifice bunt and a sac fly, along with several hit and runs throughout the day.

"I thought we did a nice job on the bases and really putting pressure on those guys," Boss said. "We executed again for the second day in a row. The running game was big, the bunting game was big for us. I'm really proud of the effort that our guys did offensively today."

The Spartans' offensive output was backed by a solid outing by Powers, righting the ship after a rough outing last weekend at Purdue.

"Last week was kind of a down week for me, it's uncharacteristic," Powers said. "I just got to work this week and just got back up onto the mound with all the confidence in the world that I usually have. When you do that, a lot of good things happen and that's what happened today."

After the shaky first frame, Powers got in a groove and rhythm from there on out.

"Yeah, I think so," Powers said about finding his rhythm after the first inning. "I'm usually a guy who likes to work quick and I don't usually take a lot of time between pitches. I get the ball back and I'm on the rubber immediately, and I feel like that plays into it. Hitters, they don't have a lot of time to get ready in between pitches, so I feel like that plays a factor into the success that I have."

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Meanwhile, Busch and the offense also settled in and had success after a quiet first two frames without a hit, but then once the bats got going, they got going in a big way.

"It started in BP; we had good energy and we really had to fine tune our approach the past two days and it showed," Busch said. "We put together a lot of good at bats and got the base runner moving, a couple hit and runs and stuff. We just kind of started rolling."

Penn State scored in its opening at bat of the game, with a run in the top of the first.

After going hitless through the first two frames, the Spartan offense got the bats going in the third, breaking through with three runs on three hits, capitalizing on two PSU errors.

Thompson ignited the rally with a walk and moved to second on a sac bunt by Seymour. Two batters later Kark reached on an infield single to advance Thompson to third. N.Williams reached on a PSU error to plate Thompson, and McKay followed with a single through the left side to drive in Kark. Ziegler then knocked an infield single to score N.Williams for a 3-1 Spartan advantage.

After Penn State got a run back in the top of the sixth on a solo HR with two outs, the Spartans countered by erupting for a five-run sixth inning, their most runs in an inning in a Big Ten game and their 11th big inning of four or more runs this season.

C.Williams sparked the outburst with a double off the wall in left, and Busch followed by smacking a double just inside the first base bag and into the right field corner to drive in C.Williams. After Thompson reached on an infield single, Seymour knocked an RBI infield single to score Busch, and after a PSU pitching change, Frank had a sac fly to drive in Thompson. A Kark single preceded an RBI single to right center by N.Williams to plate Seymour. Ziegler later followed with a single to right to score Kark for the fifth run of the stanza and an 8-2 lead for the home field Spartans.

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After singing and stretching in the middle of the seventh, the Green & White scored three more, with Frank cracking a two-run double into the right field corner, and N.Williams knocking a double to right center.

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PSU scored two in the eighth and one in the ninth to close to 11-5.

Freshmen relievers Gannon Grundman and Logan Pikur threw an inning apiece to secure the Victory for MSU.

Recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.

Sunday​

Michigan State Clipped By Penn State, 11-9, In A Sunday Slugfest​

Spartans rally from 7-0 deficit to tie it, before PSU pulls away late & MSU comeback comes up short.​

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- After rallying from an early big deficit, Michigan State baseball came back to tie it up, before Penn State pulled away late and then the Spartan comeback came up short in an 11-9 slugfest Sunday afternoon at a brisk and breezy but sunny McLane Stadium at Kobs Field.

The loss denied the series sweep, as Michigan State won the series with a 6-5 thrilling Victory for MSU Friday night and an 11-5 triumph on Saturday. It was the Spartans' first series win over the Nittany Lions since 2016, and MSU was going for its first series sweep of any kind over PSU since 2014 and its first series sweep over Penn State in East Lansing since 2011.

However, the Nittany Lions jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the fourth frame. The Spartans rallied with a five-spot on the board in the fourth before plating a pair of runs in the sixth to complete the comeback and tie it up at 7-7, and Michigan State was on threatening to rally from a 7-0 deficit for a Victory for MSU for the first time since April 4, 2021 at Minnesota, rallying from a 7-0 hole after the fifth for a 10-7 comeback win.

PSU and MSU traded runs in the eighth for an 8-8 score, before Penn State scored three runs in the ninth on a three-run home run. The Spartans didn't go quietly into the sunny afternoon, as they rallied with a run in the bottom of the ninth on two hits before the rally and the game came to a close.

"I thought our guys showed a lot of competitiveness, MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "I thought that they stayed in it mentally, it would've been easy to pack in down 7-nothing, but they competed their tails off and I'm proud of them for that. Even in the ninth, we were down three and gave up a three-run home run and that could've taken the wind out of our sails, but we got a couple runners on and pushed one across in the ninth. Again, I'm really happy with the way they competed today, especially after last week, I think they guys did a really nice job of flipping the script after a really bad week last week. Coming in and turning things around to go three and one this week is a testament to those guys."

Michigan State had 10 hits, led by four Spartans posting multiple hits. Junior outfielder Nick Williams was 2-for-2 with three walks, scoring one run and driving in another, while senior outfielders Jack Frank and Greg Ziegler were both 2-for-4 and both scored two runs and both swiped one stolen base apiece, with Frank adding an RBI.

Frank's stolen base was his 17th of the season and 50th of his career, becoming the fifth player in program history with 50 career stolen bases, tying for No. 5 on MSU's career stolen base list with Brandon Hughes (2015-17).

Junior designated hitter Christian Williams was also 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored.

Senior infielder Dillon Kark and freshman infielder Ryan McKay added a hit apiece, with McKay posting one run and one RBI, while Kark added a ribbie. Graduate catcher Sam Thompson added a run after reaching on a PSU and an RBI on the play. Sophomore infielder Randy Seymour added a run scored after drawing a walk.

On the mound, senior Nick Ferazzi (3.2 IP, 1 K) started, before being relieved by freshman Garrett Brewer (0.1 IP, 1 K), senior Aaron Mishoulam (3.0 IP, 4 K), sophomore Nolan Higgins (1.0 IP) and freshman Logan Pikur (1.0 IP).

Sunday concluded MSU Heroes Weekend, honoring local heroes including police, fire, EMT, healthcare workers along with active duty and retired military members all weekend long.

Additionally, Sunday's activities featured a Junior Spartan picnic, along with a Junior Spartan joined by Sparty in throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.

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When the game got going, Penn State burst onto the scoreboard with a four-run third inning with a pair of two-run home runs to right, over the wall and into the Red Cedar River and a 4-0 lead through two-and-a-half innings.

PSU added three more runs in the top of the fourth on another two-run HR by Bobby Marsh, his second in as many innings, and an RBI double, for a 7-0 advantage.

The Spartans came roaring back by hanging a five spot on the board in the home half of the fourth, with three hits, three hits and capitalizing on one Nittany Lion error, with Frank and Kark cracking back-to-back RBI singles down the right field line as MSU closed within, 7-5.

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Michigan State's comeback was completed in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases and Seymour scoring on a wild pitch with McKay at bat, and two pitches later McKay lofted a fly ball to left field for the sac fly to bring Frank in to score and tie it up at 7-all heading to the seventh.

After scoreless stanzas on either side of stretching and singing, Penn State scored on an RBI single, but the Spartans countered with their own RBI single by N.Williams, driving in Frank who smacked a one-out double to right center, leveling the game back up at 8-8.

However, the Nittany Lions took an 11-8 lead on a three-run home run by Bryce Molinaro, PSU's fourth homer of the day and all for multiple RBI.

MSU rallied in the ninth with Ziegler leading off with a single to right and C.Williams following with a single through the left side. A double play moved Ziegler to third and erased C.Williams from the basepaths, and Ziegler later scored on a passed ball to pull MSU within 11-9, however a popup ended the Spartans' comeback and the ballgame.

The Spartans do not have any midweek games scheduled due to Finals Week on campus at MSU. Michigan State returns to action by traveling to Columbus, Ohio for a three-game B1G series at Ohio State, Friday-Sunday April 26-28. Friday's opener at OSU's Bill Davis Stadium is slated for a 6 p.m. ET start time, followed by a 2 p.m. first pitch on Saturday before Sunday's series finale at 1 p.m.

MSU returns home to McLane Stadium at Kobs Field to host Notre Dame on Tuesday, May 30, before hosting Michigan in a three-game B1G series, Friday-Sunday, May 3-5.

Recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.

OTHER MSU SPORTS Men's Tennis: Spartans Drop Regular Season Finale, 2-5 at No. 37 Michigan

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – MSU Men's Tennis dropped the regular season finale on the road at No. 37 Michigan, 5-2 on Saturday afternoon.

The Spartans two points came at the top two courts in singles, by way of sophomore Ozan Baris and redshirt-freshman Aristotelis Thanos. The 12th-ranked Baris came back to beat No. 18 Gavin Young, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, securing his tied team-best 14th win of the season and a perfect 6-0 record in Big Ten play.

After dropping the doubles point, Thanos evened the score for the Spartans with a dominant 6-4, 6-3 straight-set victory in the two slot. The Athens, Greece native's season record improves to 12-2.

MSU finishes the regular season, 21-5, the most wins in program history, and 7-2 in B1G play, the second-most conference wins in program history.

Next weekend, the Spartans will head to the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago, Ill. as the No. 3 seed with their opponent to be determined following the matches around the conference on Sunday. MSU will face off with the No. 6 seed on Friday, April 26 on Northwestern's campus at 5 p.m. ET.

Head Coach Harry Jadun
"Obviously would have hoped for a different result but hats off to them, they played a tough match in a great collegiate atmosphere. In doubles they came out and played really solid, we just have to be better about taking control of the net. In singles they played really well in spots we were confident in. Max [Sheldon] and David [Saye] have been really good for us all year and they came out and dominated. Our guys battled and tried to swing some third sets but at the end of the day Michigan played some really good tennis. We know what we've got to do ahead of the Big Ten Tournament next weekend. When you play these high-level matches there's not much room for error and hopefully we're a hungry and motivated team and whoever we play gets the brunt of it."

Results
No. 18 Michigan State 2, No. 37 Michigan 5

Doubles
1. #25 Gavin Young/Jacob Bickersteth (MICH) def. #11 Ozan Baris/Max Sheldon (MSU) 7-5
2. Will Cooksey/Patron Hanchaikul (MICH) def. Taym Alazmeh/Sebastien Collard (MSU) 6-4
3. Mert Oral/Bjorn Swenson (MICH) vs. Graydon Lair/Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) 4-5, unfinished
Singles
1. #12 Ozan Baris (MSU) def. #18 Gavin Young (MICH) 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
2. Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) def. Jacob Bickersteth (MICH) 6-4, 6-3
3. Bjorn Swenson (MICH) def. #49 Ronald Hohmann (MSU) 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6)
4. Patron Hanchaikul (MICH) def. Sebastien Collard (MSU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
5. Will Cooksey (MICH) def. David Saye (MSU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-0
6. Nicholas Steiglehner (MICH) def. Max Sheldon (MSU) 6-4, 6-4
Match Notes:
Michigan State 21-5; National ranking #18 Michigan 14-11; National ranking #37
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (2,6,5,3,4,1)
https://msuspartans.com/news/2024/4...ular-season-finale-2-5-at-no-37-michigan.aspx
Recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.

OTHER MSU SPORTS MSU Rowing Hosts Open House for New Amenities at the Rowing Training Center

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State Rowing held an open house Saturday, April 13 for the newly-renovated state of the art Rowing Training Center located on Grand River Park in Lansing, Mich., complete with a brand-new team locker room, indoor training space and staff offices.

"It's incredible to have a world-class facility here," Spartan Rowing Head Coach Stacey Rippetoe said. "It really speaks to the commitment that Michigan State makes to its athletes. I think we can get everything done that we need to here and we can take out team to the next level in a united way."

The open house welcomed more than 200 friends of the program with speaker appearances from Michigan State Vice President and Director of Athletics Alan Haller, Assistant Athletic Director and Sport Administrator Jacquie Joseph in addition to Rippetoe.

The first phase of construction at the Rowing Training Center features a first-time space in which the entire team of 75-plus student-athletes can train indoors at once on erg machines. The area also includes a room for athletic training, staff offices and a conference room.



"We feel so supported as student-athletes to have a space to call our own," sophomore rower Alaina Roush said. "After having to split into groups to train on the ergs, to have a space that fits all of us is super special."

In phase two, development was complete on a locker room, which features 80 full-sized lockers and a bathroom with sufficient showers, restrooms, sinks and dressing space.

Spartan Fund has a fundraising campaign underway for the third phase of completion, which will provide indoor tanks for the team to fine-tune proper techniques that can not be practiced on the erg machines, especially when limited to indoor practices during the fall and winter months.

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Release and photos courtesy of MSU Athletics.

OTHER MSU SPORTS Rowing: Spartans Showing Growth With Strong Performances at Big Ten Invite

SARASOTA, Fla. – Returning from a week off from competition, MSU Rowing put together improved results against several ranked opponents at the Big Ten Invite Friday and Saturday.

"I'm pleased with how the team is developing," first year head coach Stacey Rippetoe said. "We have a lot of growth in front of us and my staff and I are happy to see the changes in the team each week."

In the third regatta of the season, the seven Spartans boats' endurance was tested, racing the two kilometers three times in a weekend for the first time.

It was Michigan State's second varsity four that for the third consecutive competition posted the top result, clinching first Saturday by a second at 7:44.23. The second novice eight also shined on the weekend, topping the competitors in Friday's afternoon session, also by a second, and concluding the weekend with a second-place finish on Saturday.

Next, the Spartans will travel to the mitten state's southern neighbor for the highly-touted Dale England Cup on Lake Lemon in Bloomington Indiana on Saturday, April 27.

Complete Regatta Results

Michigan State Results
Varsity Eight:
Friday Morning Session: 1. Clemson 6:40.58; 2. Alabama 6:41.18; 3. Wisconsin 6:42.73; 4. Michigan State 6:47.34
Friday Afternoon Session: 1. Indiana 6:37.14; 2. Notre Dame 6:42.66; 3. Michigan State 6:47.79; 4. SMU 6:50.30
Saturday: 1. Minnesota 6:29.91; 2. UCLA 6:32.60; 3. Clemson 6:32.64; 4. Michigan State 6:37.81; 5. Oklahoma 6:38.00

Second Varsity Eight:
Friday Morning Session: 1. Alabama 6:46.34; 2. Wisconsin 6:50.07; 3. Clemson 6:42.73; 4. Michigan State 6:58.61
Friday Afternoon Session: 1. Indiana 6:44.60; 2. Michigan State 6:56.54; 3. Notre Dame 6:56.76; 4. SMU 6:59.07
Saturday: 1. UCLA 6:40.98; 2. Minnesota 6:32.60; 3. Oklahoma 6:48.34; 4. Clemson 6:53.99; 5. Michigan State 6:58.75

Varsity Four:
Friday Morning Session: 1. Alabama 7:30.62; 2. Clemson 7:34.84; 3. Michigan State 7:48.19; 4. Wisconsin 7:53.84
Friday Afternoon Session: 1. Indiana 7:29.77; 2. Notre Dame 7:31.09; 3. SMU 7:50.47; 4. Michigan State 7:56.07
Saturday: 1. Clemson 7:26.19; 2. UCLA 7:34.90; 3. Michigan State 7:37.56; 4. Minnesota 7:39.23; 5. Oklahoma 7:41.33

Second Varsity Four:
Friday Morning Session: 1. Alabama 7:32.58; 2. Wisconsin 7:38.17; 3. Michigan State 7:45.91; 4. Clemson 7:56.02
Friday Afternoon Session: 1. Notre Dame 7:42.91; 2. Indiana 7:48.54; 3. Michigan State 7:50.27
Saturday: 1. Michigan State 7:44.23; 2. Minnesota 7:45.26; 3. Oklahoma 7:48.68; 4. Clemson 7:50.59; 5. UCLA 7:51.54

Third Varsity Four:
Friday Morning Session: 1. Ohio State 7:35.52; 2. Indiana 7:45.11; 3. Wisconsin 8:09.32; 4. Michigan State 8:16.47
Friday Afternoon Session: 1. Michigan 7:39.22; 2. Iowa 7:46.70; 3. Indiana 7:56.04; 4. Michigan State 8:21.36
Saturday: 1. Iowa 7:38.72; 2. Minnesota 7:51.99; 3. Wisconsin 7:55.36; 4. Michigan State 8:04.57

Third Varsity Eight (First Novice):
Friday Morning Session: 1. Alabama 7:00.23; 2. Clemson 7:01.27; 3. Wisconsin 7:16.46; 4. Michigan State 7:21.39
Friday Afternoon Session: 1. Indiana 7:00.31; 2. Notre Dame 7:03.65; 3. Michigan State 7:21.53
Saturday: 1. UCLA 6:52.50; 2. Oklahoma 6:57.87; 3. Minnesota 7:06.84; 4. Michigan State 7:15.70

Fourth Varsity Eight (Second Novice):
Friday Morning Session: 1. Michigan State 7:15.35; 2. Ohio State 7:16.03; 3. Indiana 7:23.42; 4. Wisconsin 7:37.54
Friday Afternoon Session: 1. Michigan 7:07.86; 2. Iowa 7:09.30; 3. Michigan State 7:27.03; 4. Indiana 7:27.35
Saturday Finals: 1. Iowa 7:03.10; 2. Michigan State 7:13.81; 3. Wisconsin 7:18.66; 4. Minnesota 7:27.87

Lineups
Varsity 8+:
Coxswain – Lizzie Johnston, 8 – Jayden Schmaltz, 7 – Alice Bradley, 6 – Jillian Cox, 5 – Ella Kubas, 4 – Ugne Rudaityte, 3 – Ella McKenzie, 2 – Sophia Ring, B – Maya Elbaranes
Second Varsity 8+:
Coxswain – Sophia Stauffer, 8 – Kaleigh Yunker, 7 – Sophia Parker, 6 – Sabrina Gottschalk, 5 – Carolynn Garner, 4 – Freya Engel, 3 – Claudia Kingma, 2 – Avery Rugg, B – Julie Armstrong
Varsity 4+:
Coxswain – Ellise Flessland, 4 – Lillian Davidson-Walshe, 3 – Kat Borders, 2 – Madisen Holtz, B – Lucy Botting
Second Varsity 4+:
Coxswain – Kendall Gonya, 4 – Ava Woodard, 3 – Sara Hilburger, 2 – Lauren Droska, B – Alaina Roush
Third Varsity 4+:
Coxswain – Kate Galazin, 4 – Haley Rinehart, 3 – Elise Ciantar, 2 – Breanna Berry, B – Isabelle Radakovich
Third Varsity 8+ (Novice):
Coxswain – Delaney Huiskens, 8 – Georgi Hedberg, 7 – Emma Ellis, 6 – Ruby Vanden Boom, 5 – Ava Matz, 4 – Avery Talley, 3 – Samantha Sweeney, 2 – Kendyl Baron, B – Reagan Korte
Fourth Varsity 8+ (Novice):
Coxswain – Haley Sornig, 8 – McKenna Reardon, 7 – Lindsay Farrall, 6 – Emily Crofut, 5 – Katie Delaney, 4 – Colleen Blackwood (Sarah Wood for Friday afternoon and Saturday races), 3 – Sarah Carlson, 2 – Madylin Keigley, B – Kate Lillie
https://msuspartans.com/news/2024/4...th-strong-performances-at-big-ten-invite.aspx
Recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.

OTHER MSU SPORTS Women's Tennis Weekend Recap: Downed by Nebraska and Iowa

Saturday​

MSU Drops Match to Visiting Nebraska, 4-2​


EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State women's tennis team battled against visiting Nebraska on Sunday afternoon, taking two courts in singles competition, but ultimately fell, 4-2, inside the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.

The Huskers (12-9, 3-7 B1G) kicked the day off securing the doubles point making quick work on court No. 2, 6-2. It was a tight match on court No. 3 with Spartan pairing of Nicole Conard and Issey Purser attempted a late comeback surge but came up short, 7-5.

Michigan State (10-15, 1-9 B1G) found itself in a 3-0 hole in singles play after the Huskers won courts No. 1 and No. 3 in straight sets. The Spartans would rally back to bring the score within one (3-2) with straight set victories from Liisa Vehvilainen on court No. 2 (7-6 [7-0], 6-2) and Conard on the sixth court (6-4, 6-3).

Nebraska iced the matchup on court No. 4. Freshman Natalie Stasny jumped to an early advantage, taking the first set (6-3), despite a valiant effort, Maja Pietrowicz would come back to win the next two sets with identical 6-3 sets to end the day.

It will be a quick turnaround for the Spartans as they host Iowa on Sunday, April 21, and will honor their three seniors for Senior Day at the MSU Outdoor Tennis Center. Action will begin at 11 a.m. The Senior Day festivities will be celebrated following doubles play.

Recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.

Sunday​

Spartans Downed by No. 65 Iowa on Senior Day​

EAST LANSING, Mich. – On the final day of the regular season, Michigan State women's tennis team pulls off a ranked victory on the doubles court but fell to No. 65-ranked Iowa 4-1, on Senior Day Sunday afternoon at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.

The Spartans jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, led by the backs of junior Liisa Vehvilainen and senior Ayshe Can knocking off the Hawkeye's lone ITA ranked tandem, No. 81 Daianne Hayashida and Vipasha Mehra, 6-3, on the top court. The Green and White duo began the bout winning five of the six games holding a commanding, 5-1 lead. The Iowa pairing bounced back winning two straight matches, but a double fault was the deciding factor giving Vehvilainen and Can the upset victory.

On court three, graduate student Nicole Conard and sophomore Matilde Morais cruised to a 4-1 lead before being tested by the duo of Marisa Schmidt and Nikita Vishwase, losing two of the next three games. Conard and Morais were able to regroup and cap off the match with a 6-3 victory.

The Hawkeyes (11-11, 6-5 B1G) would rebound from losing the doubles point by sweeping singles competition, taking four courts on three, one, six and four in straight fashion.

Michigan State concluded the season with a 10-15 overall record and a 1-10 B1G mark with an even 7-7 record on its home courts.

The Spartans will now shift their focus to the Big Ten Championships on Wednesday, April 24 at Ann Arbor, Michigan.

POST MATCH QUOTES: HEAD COACH KIM BRUNO

On Ayshe Can and Lissa Vehvilainen connection to pull off the ranked victory…

They played quite a bit together last year and there was some success. They're capable of anything. With Liisa being so crafty and Ayshe being such a force at the net, they make a good tandem. I thought our energy was awesome throughout doubles. I just wished it could have carried over into singles as we got a little undisciplined.

On the young bright spots going into the conference championships and next season…

You have to keep plugging forward. We have to take something from this match, learn from it and go on to the next one. Even through the end, this group is still showing fight and caring. It's easy to throw in the towel and give up, this group hasn't done that.

On the senior class…

It's always an emotional time for coaches. My message to them is, there is always a spot back for them here at the Spartan family. I really appreciate each and every one of them for what they've brought to this program in their own unique ways. I couldn't be any more proud of them, they're going to accomplish unbelievable things.

On seeing Liisa Vehvilainen walking with Ayshe during the senior day ceremony…

That's her family. That's what it means to them. You go through so much in a season and you make certain bonds with certain players. They got to play doubles together today and they showed how much they care for each other. That was fun to see.

Recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.

TRANSFER PORTAL Michigan State wide receiver Antonio Gates Jr., defensive back Sean Brown, running back Davion Primm enter the transfer portal

Rivals has learned that Michigan State redshirt sophomore wide receiver Antonio Gates Jr. and sophomore defensive back Sean Brown have entered the transfer portal.

Brendan will have an article shortly.

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NEW COMMIT: Indiana transfer edge rusher Anthony Jones commits to Michigan State

Michigan State has received a commitment from Indiana transfer edge rusher Anthony Jones.

More by @Ryan OBleness :

HOCKEY Spartan Hockey Lands Commitment from Top Defenseman

Per Nathaniel Bott:

"Michigan State hockey lands a commitment from Brady Peddle –a 6'2, 185-pound defenseman who was a top D at the U16 Nationals in Vegas. He opts to go the college route over being a high pick in the QMJHL and lands with the Spartans over other Big Ten and Hockey East schools."

"Physical, athletic, heavy-shot defenseman. Brother is a Blue Jackets pick and dad is an NHL scout with Columbus."

TRANSFER PORTAL Michigan State to host UMass transfer running back Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams for official visit

A couple of outlets had reported this earlier, and I was mostly unavailable this weekend, but I can confirm Michigan State is hosting Massachusetts transfer running back Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams for an official visit that begins on April 22.

In 2023, Lynch-Adams rushed 236 times for 1,157 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and 12 touchdowns. He also recorded 20 receptions for 118 yards.

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In 30 career games, the 5-foot-10, 205-pound Lynch-Adams recorded 359 carries for 1,568 yards (4.4 yards per carry) and 14 touchdowns. He also had 29 receptions for 168 yards.

Before his time at UMass, Lynch-Adams spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons with Rutgers where he compiled 320 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Lynch-Adams was a three-star recruit in the 2019 class.

As reported previously, MSU is hosting Georgia transfer running back Andrew Paul on an official visit this weekend. It is clear the Spartans are looking to upgrade the backfield and get Nate Carter a running mate.

Go Fish

Most of us learned this game as a kid. As an adult you now understand how the transfer portal and NIL work. The problem would be equally spread if everyone had the go fish transfer money but they don't and if players were accountable but they are not. It would be equally spread if the players had their NIL bag of cash restricted in some way but they don't. They can get one bag and change teams to get another bag and maybe never play a meaningful game in their life. Who could blame them?

The NCAA took a crap on all college sports once they realized they had no influence which they hadn't before. They unregulated into the the free market -sonny.

They ruined college sports. Show me any market without a governing entity-any. I have one the NCAA.

If you professionalize it at least get contracts and a salary cap instead of making the free market legalized robbery. Make it the free market capitalism which it is not.

FOOTBALL Chiles’ teammates offer high praise for young QB following spring showcase

Defensive back Dillon Tatum, and running back Nathan Carter both spoke very highly of quarterback Aidan Chiles.

“He’s an elite level quarterback, and he has continuously given us work. I think he’s going to be top of the Big Ten, if not top of the country.”

OFF TOPIC: Captain Kirk

I'm sure most of you are not watching Rangers Braves in the Sunday Night Baseball on the four letter. Although if you're a baseball fan you might be (two amazing teams).

But anyway, they had Captain Kirk in the booth for a few innings. And he is just so perfect. He is such a great ambassador for our school. Even if he didn't say a thing about MSU in the interview (it's not like he abandoned his first wife and child like the golden boy of the football media, like one I could reference). He is everything one should want to represent them.

He will be a state of Michigan senator before it's all over, just watch.
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Scheme Thoughts and Discussion...and Questions?

Good Morning...some first rip thoughts on what I saw from the Spring Showcase. I welcome any thoughts or questions that I can address here, or in my film room later in the week.
  • From a personnel standpoint, I echo what has been said elsewhere that Marsh flashed, and Chiles showed promise
  • Offense had a lot of scissors concepts, used it to threaten the middle of the field more than MSU has in recent years
  • MSU used a lot of motion to "stack" receivers to create space
  • MSU is struggling a bit to adjust to adjust to a 3-4 on defense...played more man on the outside than before, but the inside linebackers and safeties appeared at first glance to be a mess
  • I think run defense may be a bit of an issue. I think the offensive line is improved, but not to the point where the cutback lanes on outside zone are as open as they were on Carter's first TD
  • I liked the variance of route concepts...every play stressed multiple levels of the defense, and gave the QB a number of options. I thought Chiles and Schuster both got through their progressions sharply
What are your thoughts/feelings?

OTHER MSU SPORTS Softball Weekend Recap against Illinois

Friday​

Beshears Grand Slam Propels Spartan Offense in Loss​

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Sophomore Britain Beshears provided a late spark in Michigan State softball's 8-6 loss to Illinois on Friday afternoon at Secchia Stadium. Beshears' fifth inning grand slam brought the Spartans back within one run, 7-6, heading into the late stages of the game.

MSU moves to 15-27 (2-13 B1G) following a loss, while the Illini improve to 17-25 (4-10 B1G).

Beshears finished the day 2-for-3 at the plate with a career-high tying four RBI. Friday's long ball was Beshears' 12th of the season to move her into a tie for fourth in program history for single season home runs, tying Caitlin Mahoney (12, 2007).

Senior Jenae Wash matched Beshears with a pair of hits, going 2-for-4 with her third home run of the season in the second inning. Sophomore Hannah Hawley reached three times with a sun ball single and two walks. Also with hits for MSU were senior Anna Fox, sophomore Kayla Bane who doubled and senior Alexis Ross. Ross swiped her 17th base of the season.

Junior Madison Taylor (3-11) made the start in the circle for MSU and struck out six in 4.1 innings, allowing five earned runs. Taylor was relieved by senior Ashlyn Roberts and senior Liv Grey. Grey struck out one in 2.1 innings of relief.

Illinois started the night strong taking a quick 4-0 lead over the Spartans with back-to-back two run innings in the first and second frames.

Wash got the Spartans on the board for the first time on Friday with an opposite field solo homer to lead off the bottom of the second inning.

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After back-to-back scoreless innings in the circle by Taylor, Illinois tacked on three runs in the fifth to take a 7-1 lead over Michigan State. Stevie Meade's sacrifice fly put the Illini ahead 5-1, but an errant throw brought an additional run around to score. A bases loaded hit by pitch pushed a third run across for Illinois.

Bane led-off the bottom of the fifth with a double down the left field line, but the Spartans faced their final out of the inning with bases loaded. Senior Collette Allen and Hawley walked to put three on for junior Macy Lee. Lee grounded a ball to the left side of the infield, but an error by the Illini shortstop extended the inning and allowed a run to score. With the inning extended, Beshears made the most of the opportunity slugging a ball over the fence in center for her first career grand slam. Beshears' slam cut the Spartan deficit to 7-6 heading into the sixth.

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A trio of shallow singles provided Illinois with an insurance run in the seventh, giving the Illini an 8-6 advantage over MSU.

Down to its final opportunities of the night, Michigan State stranded a pair of base runners in each of the last two innings. After a bunt single and steal by Ross in the sixth, Illinois intentionally walked the dangerous hitting Hawley to prevent Ross from scoring on a base hit.

Recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.


Saturday​

Softball Outlasts Late Rally, Defeats Illinois on Alumni Day​

EAST LANSING, Mich. – With members of the 2004 B1G Tournament Championship team in attendance, Michigan State softball held on for a 6-5 victory over Illinois on Saturday afternoon at Secchia Stadium.

MSU improves to 16-27 (3-13 B1G) with the win while the Illini fall to 17-26 (4-11 B1G). Saturday's win helps the Spartans stay in the fight for a spot in the 2024 B1G Tournament, where 12 of 14 teams in the league qualify. Michigan State (3-13 B1G) is currently battling Iowa (4-10), Illinois (4-11) and Maryland (4-12) for one of the final spots.

Senior Liv Grey (10-11) pitched her seventh complete game of the season allowing two earned runs over seven innings in the circle. After a rocky first inning, Grey settled in to strike out five Illini batters.

The Spartan defense committed five errors while Illinois scattered 10 hits and left 13 runners on base.

Junior Macy Lee led Michigan State with two RBI and was one of six Spartans to record hits on Saturday. Sophomores Sydney Doloszycki and Hannah Hawley provided extra-base hits with Doloszycki tripling and Hawley's smoking her 11th double of the season off the center field fence. Doloszycki's triple was just the second triple of the season for MSU.

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Senior Jenae Wash and sophomore Britain Beshears each reached base twice via single and walk, while junior Mik Anthony and Hawley reached three times. Anthony singled and walked twice, while Hawley drew a walk and hit by pitch in addition to her aforementioned double. Sophomore Hailey Bila and senior Alexis Ross stole bases for the Spartans in game two.

Sides traded runs in the first after Illinois started the scoring with a bases loaded walk. Michigan State responded in the home half using a lead-off double by Hawley, a sacrifice bunt by Doloszycki and a Lee sacrifice fly to tie the game at 1-1.

With runners on first and third in the second inning, MSU took the lead on a double steal attempt. Though Anthony was caught stealing on the play, Wash sprinted home to give the Spartans a 2-1 advantage.

Back-to-back-to-back two out singles pushed a pair of runs across for Michigan State in the third. Lee got things started with a single just out of reach of the Illini shortstop before Beshears and Wash each drove in one on singles to center.

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Illinois cut MSU's lead to one, 4-3, as two runners scored in the fourth. Consecutive singles opened the inning for the Illini before a Spartan error allowed the first runner to score. A single down the left field line helped the ensuing batter drive in Illinois' second run of the frame.

Michigan State got one of those runs back in the bottom of the fourth when Anthony scored on a Doloszycki fielder's choice. The Spartans scored a much-needed insurance run in the sixth, going ahead 6-3, when Doloszycki scored on a Lee ground out.

Things got dicey for MSU in the seventh when a dropped fly ball and throwing error placed the opposing lead-off batter on third. After an RBI single cut Michigan State's lead of 6-4, a third Spartan error and sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third. Illinois traded places on an RBI single to center, once again putting two runners in scoring position with one out.

With the lead cut to just one, 6-5, Grey settled back in for the Spartans inducing a ground out and a pop out to end the game.

Recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.

Sunday​

Softball Drops Series Finale to Illinois​

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State softball looked to rally late but came up short on Sunday afternoon, falling 6-3 to Illinois in the series finale at Secchia Stadium.

MSU moves to 16-28 (3-14 B1G) while Illinois improves to 18-26 (5-11 B1G).

Senior Liv Grey (10-12) made the start for the Spartans before being relieved by junior Madison Taylor in the first inning. Taylor pitched well in relief allowing just one earned run in seven innings of work, striking out three. It was a bounce-back effort for Taylor who now owns a 3.35 ERA over her last 54.1 innings.

Michigan State's offense was led by sophomore Sydney Doloszycki's 2-for-4 effort. Doloszycki tripled for the second time in as many days and drove in one. Junior Mik Anthony went 2-for-3 with a double.

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Sophomore Britain Beshears hit her second home run of the series and her 13th of the season on Sunday. Her solo shot to center moved her into a tie for third in program history for single season home runs alongside Brett Williams (13, 2011) and Stacey Phillips (13, 2000). Beshears also drew a walk to reach base twice in game three.

Senior Alexis Ross and sophomore Hannah Hawley singled for MSU. Hawley reached twice with a single and a hit by pitch.

Illinois scored all the runs it would need in the first putting a five spot on the Spartans. A trio of singles and a walk put the Illini ahead 3-0 before an error prolonged the inning and allowed a fourth runner to cross. Illinois tacked on one more via sac fly to lead 5-0.

Beshears got Michigan State on the board with her solo homer in the second. Doloszycki tripled with one down in the third, but back-to-back Spartan strikeouts ended the scoring threat.

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A walk and two singled provided Illinois with an insurance run in the fourth. Senior Jenae Wash prevented an Illini run from scoring in the third with a diving grab in left.

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Three straight Spartans singles cut the Fighting Illini lead to three to open the fifth frame. Ross led-off the inning with a bunt single before Hawley singled to right. After Ross and Hawley advanced one base on the throw, Doloszycki drove both in on a single to center. A misplay on the pick-up in center allowed Hawley to score from second on the play.

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MSU barreled up several pitches over the final two innings, but none found the outfield grass.

UP NEXT
Michigan State will be back in action next weekend when it hosts Rutgers on April 26-28 for the final B1G home series of the season. Action gets started at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 26. Rutgers took two-of-three from Minnesota this weekend to improve to 29-19 (10-7 B1G).

Recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.

OTHER MSU SPORTS T&F: Personal Bests Plentiful for Spartans at Weekend Meets

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Spartans wrapped up two-day competition at three meets Saturday, posting several personal-best performances and a handful of wins between the Virginia Challenge, Jim Green Invite and Al Owens Classic.

"I like the progress we are making as we see personal records but more importantly the decisions to achieve those moment," Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Lisa Breznau said. "We still have a lot of room to grow but I'm proud of the development by our student-athletes and staff."

The distance squad accepted the challenge at the Virginia Challenge in Charlottesville, Va. as the majority of Spartans collected PRs on the weekend. Several individual breakthroughs were made, including the return of junior Kaitlyn Hynes and the men sweeping wins in each of the four 1500m heats. Senior Owen Huard led the way, winning the 1500m with a PR of 3:43.50.

The sprints, throws and jumps teams meanwhile put the 'Green' in the Jim Green Invite in Lexington, Ky. Spartans swept the men's and women's pole vault victories as sophomore Sophia Mettes continued her continual growth with a 4.27m PR, winning the event by over a foot on Friday. On Saturday, sophomore Adam Blue topped the competition at 5.12m, his first time clearing five meters in his career.

Representing the MSU throws crew, junior Valadian Pallett won the hammer throw by .8 meters behind a PR of 54.82m. Senior Kaia Scheffler sprinted to a second-place finish in the 400m hurdles with a PR of 1:01.44.

Next, the majority of the team will compete at the historic Penn Relays from Thursday, April 25 through Saturday the 27th while other Spartans compete in opportunities at the Clark Wood Invite in Louisville, Ky. and the GVSU Extra Weekend in Allendale, Mich.

Recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.

OTHER MSU SPORTS Baldwin Meets Olympic Standard, Breaks Several Records

TORRANCE, Calif. – Heath Baldwin's decathlon score of 8470 Thursday at the Mt. SAC Relays poises him for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, ranking as the U.S. No. 1, World No. 3 and NCAA seventh-best of all-time.

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The Kalamazoo, Mich. native's score over the ten events meets the Olympic standard and makes him the current Team USA Decathlon Olympic trials front-runner for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

Baldwin breaks the Big Ten conference decathlon record and shatters his own MSU school record by 386 points, set at the 2023 Mt. SAC Relays. The graduate student also owns the Big Ten heptathlon record, 6238, set in an NCAA Indoor runner-up finish on March 9.

The 2023 MSU George Alderton Male Athlete of the Year used four personal best marks over the two-day competition (100m dash, long jump, 400m dash and javelin) to reset his school record overall score, with his javelin throw of 71.02m (233'0") breaking his school record in the event set on May 14, 2023.

Baldwin finished first among collegiate competitors in the elite division, second overall behind Puerto Rican Nike professional Ayden Owens-Delerme, who collected 8732 points.

Fellow MSU graduate student Ryan Talbot finished 12th overall in the elite division, seventh among collegiate competitors, with a score of 7488 points over the two days.

Scoring Breakdown – 2nd, 8470 points (SR)
Wednesday, April 17
100m Dash – 10.79 | 10th | 908 pts (PR)
Long Jump – 7.67m | 3rd | 977 pts (PR)
Shot Put – 15.76m | 2nd | 836 pts
High Jump – 2.07m | 1st | 868 pts
400m Dash – 48.60 | 8th | 880 pts (PR)
Thursday, April 18
110m Hurdles – 13.84 | 3rd | 995 pts
Discus Throw – 36.96m | 17th | 603 pts
Pole Vault – 4.70m | 5th | 819 pts
Javelin Throw – 71.02m | 1st | 905 pts (SR)
1500m run – 4:40.19 | 7th | 693 pts

Recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.

OTHER MSU SPORTS Men's Golf Finishes in Second Place at Illini Spring Collegiate

East Lansing, Mich. – Backed by the second-best team round of the entire tournament, Michigan State's men's golf team finished in second place among 12 teams at the Illini Spring Collegiate, played on the par-71, 7,503-yard Atkins Golf Course on the campus of the University of Illinois.

MSU fired a 1-over par 285 in Sunday's final round, the second-best round of any team during the two-day, 54-hole tournament (host Illinois had a 3-under par 281 in the opening round).

Illinois won the event, shooting a 12-over par 864 (281-291-292), with MSU the runner-up at 22-over par 874 (299-290-285).

Michigan finished in third place at 29-over par 881, Northwestern was fourth (31-over par 883) and Ball State rounded out the top-five teams (35-over par 887).

Final Results

Junior Ashton McCulloch was the top finisher for the Spartans, shooting a 1-under par 70 in Sunday's final round to finish as the runner-up in the field of 69 golfers at even-par 213 (74-69-70).

Senior August Meekhof and graduate Bradley Smithson tied for 10th place with scores of 5-over par 218. Meekhof had the team's best score of the day with a 2-under par 69, his best round of the weekend to finish at 5-over par 218 (76-73-69). Smithson was consistent through all three rounds, closing with a 1-over par (74-72-72).

Freshman Lucas Acevedo tied for 32nd place at 12-over par 225 (75-76-74) and graduate Drew Hackett finished in 45th place at 18-over par 231 (79-77-75).

Freshman Lorenzo Pinili, playing as an individual, shot a 2-over par 73 on Sunday and tied for 32nd place at 12-over par 225 (78-74-73).

Michigan State plays in the Big Ten Championships next weekend, Friday, April 26 to Sunday, April 28, at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio.

Recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.

OTHER MSU SPORTS Women’s Golf Finishes in Second Place at Big Ten Championships

East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State's women's golf team shot a 7-over par 295 in the final round and finished as the runner-up at the Big Ten Championships, held at Bulle Rock Golf Course (par-71, 6,045 yards) in Havre de Grace, Md., just outside of Baltimore.

The Spartans fired a 9-under par 279 in the opening round on Friday to take an 8-shot lead and entered Sunday's final round with an 11-shot lead, but could not hold on as MSU struggled on the back nine and Indiana finished the day at 5-under par 283 to come back for the win.

Indiana won the Big Ten Championships with a three-round total of 8-under par 856 (288-285-280), while the Spartans finished in second place at 7-under par 857 (279-283-295). Northwestern finished in third place at 1-under par 863, while Michigan and Purdue tied for fourth place (even-par 864).

Final Results

Junior Katie Lu led the Spartans, finishing in sixth place at 4-under par 212 (70-68-74), including a 2-over par 74 in Sunday's final round.

Sophomore Paula Balanzategui, who led the tournament after the first round and moved back into the lead in the third round, shot a 3-over par 75 on Sunday and tied for seventh place at 2-under par 214 (67-72-75).

Senior Leila Raines had the team's best round of the day on Sunday with a 1-over par 73. She tied for 14th place overall at even-par 216 (71-72-73). Graduate Valentina Rossi shot a 2-over par 74 on Sunday and tied for 17th place at 1-over par 217 (71-72-74).

Junior Brooke Biermann shot a 4-over par 76 in the final round and took 36th overall at 6-over par 222 (75-71-76) and classmate Shannon Kennedy tied for 40th place at 8-over par 2224 (78-72-74).

The selection show for the NCAA Division I Women's Golf Regionals will be held on Wednesday, April 24. The selections will air live on the GOLF Channel from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Michigan State will host a regional at the Forest Akers West Golf Course.

Recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.

TRANSFER PORTAL Michigan State football to host Indiana transfer edge rusher Anthony Jones for official visit

Indiana transfer edge rusher Anthony Jones tells me that he will take an official visit to Michigan State beginning Thursday, April 18 and ending on Saturday, April 20 (the day as the "Spring Showcase" event). He was originally planning to arrive on Monday, April 22 and finishing up on April 24, but the visit has been moved up.

Jones played in all 12 games for the Hoosiers in 2023, including four starts. He recorded 12 tackles and a half-tackle-for-loss. While at IU last year, Jones played under defensive coordinator Chad Wilt. Wilt coached inside linebackers primarily, in addition to coordinating the entire defense, but Jones did get some pass-rushing work in with him. Of course, Wilt is now the co-special teams coordinator and rush ends coach at Michigan State. Jones is being recruited as a rush end/edge.

In addition to Michigan State and UCLA, Jones has visits planned to Georgia Tech, Central Florida and Kansas. He has also already visited California.

Jones is a Las Vegas native. He began his career at Oregon in 2022. He appeared in two games for the Ducks as a true freshman and took a redshirt. Jones will have three years of eligibility remaining.

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