Michigan State Athletics Announces 2015 Hall of Fame Class
The class will be formally inducted in a ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 17.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State University will induct six members into its Athletics Hall of Fame on Thursday, Sept. 17, as part of the “Celebrate 2015” weekend. The Class of 2015 includes: Charlie Bell (basketball), Mary Kay Itnyre (basketball), Pat Milkovich (wrestling),Andre Rison (football), Doug Weaver (athletics director/football) and Mike York (hockey).
The “Celebrate 2015” weekend includes the sixth-annual Varsity Letter Jacket Presentation and Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 17; a banquet to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Varsity S Club on Friday, Sept. 18; and culminates on Saturday, Sept. 19 with a special recognition of the Hall of Famers during the Michigan State-Air Force football game in Spartan Stadium (12 p.m. ET kickoff).
The MSU Athletics Hall of Fame, located in the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center, opened on Oct. 1, 1999, and displays key moments in Spartan Athletics history as well as plaques of the 125 previous inductees. The charter class of 30 former Spartan student-athletes, coaches and administrators was inducted in 1992.
"We're excited about inducting another elite class into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame," Michigan State Athletics Director Mark Hollis said. "We really look forward to the unique opportunity to celebrate the achievement of student-athletes being awarded their first varsity letter jacket in conjunction with honoring our best of the best with the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. We also celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Varsity S Club. This is truly one of my favorite weekends of the fall.
"What strikes me is that these former student-athletes not only achieved individual success, but they excelled on some outstanding teams.
“Charlie Bell was a complete basketball player, who had the knack for making big plays when the game was on the line. He was someone Coach (Tom) Izzo could count on be score a key basket, grab an important offensive or defensive rebound, or make the important defensive stop.
“Mary Kay Itnyre had a remarkable basketball career, setting 19 school single-season and career records. For the sake of comparison, Mary Kay was the Aerial Powers of her era.
“Pat Milkovich was an elite wrestler, winning two NCAA Championships, three Big Ten titles and posting better than a 90 percent winning percentage. A former walk-on, Pat became the first four-time NCAA finalist in Big Ten history.
“Andre Rison was an electrifying playmaker in the passing game. He truly was a threat to go the distance any time he touched the football.
“It is especially exciting to honor Doug Weaver, most importantly for all of his accomplishments as a student-athlete, coach and administrator. Personally, he was someone I looked up to when I was a student at Michigan State. When he came to practice at Jenison, I always stood up a little taller. He continues to have that impact on me and many others today. He and his wife Nancy are true Spartans and are loved by the MSU community.
“A two-time All-American, Mike York has a dynamic goal-scorer for some outstanding Spartan hockey teams in the late 1990s. Mike was a talented, unselfish all-around player, who also earned CCHA Best Defensive Forward honors.”
Bio sketches for the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2015 appear below:
Charlie Bell
Basketball (1997-2001)
Flint, Michigan
Michigan State’s all-time leader in games started, Charlie Bell entered MSU with a reputation of being a terrific scorer. Over his four years, the 2001 All-American developed into one of the greatest all-around players in Spartan basketball history, especially exceling as a rebounder and defensive player, and still holds the MSU record by appearing in 115 Spartan victories. During Bell’s career, MSU won the 2000 NCAA Championship, four-straight Big Ten Championships (1998-2001), back-to-back Big Ten Tournaments (1999, 2000) and appeared in three-straight Final Fours (1999-2001).
Bell finished his career with 1,468 career points, which currently ranks 19th in MSU history. His 136 starts are the most in Spartan history, seven more than any other player. He ranks sixth in career games played (140), a total which ranked first at the end of his career. He is one of just three Spartans to post a triple-double during his career, and one of just two Spartans to capture MSU’s Best Defensive Player Award four-straight seasons.
“I was shocked when I got the call from Mark Hollis, but I was also extremely happy,” Bell said. “I had a lot of different emotions, and I was just trying not to cry.
“When I look back on my time at Michigan State, the first thing that comes to mind is the time I spent with my teammates. I was blessed to have great teammates, and the bond that comes with being a part of the Spartan family remains strong to this day. Coach Izzo made us work harder than I had ever worked before at the time. Beyond basketball, he instilled values that I still live by today. Going through those battles with my fellow Flintstones and fellow freshman Andre Hutson made us brothers for life.
“I never dreamed of being in the Hall of Fame, but I’m tremendously humbled by this honor. To be mentioned with some of the other Hall of Famers, both previous inductees and fellow members of my class, is awesome. I played basketball to have fun, without worrying about what honors would come my way or caring about my individual stats. I always tried to enjoy the moment and win as many games as we could.
“There were times where I could have selfishly looked to score more, but I always prided myself on being unselfish,” Bell continued. “I was willing to do whatever it took to win, whether that meant playing the point or shooting guard, defending the other team’s best player, grabbing a rebound, getting the ball to a teammate, or sometimes taking the tough shot.
“This is a great honor, and one that I wouldn’t have realized without tremendous support from so many people throughout the university, including our fans and alumni. But most importantly, I need to thank my teammates and coaches. They were always there to help me get better, and their support and guidance made me into the player I became.”
After finishing his prep career as the Flint area’s all-time leading scorer, Bell made an immediate impact as a freshman. He started his first collegiate game, scoring a team-high 15 points in a win against East Tennessee State. For the year, he started all 30 games and ranked third on the team in both scoring (9.2 points per game) and rebounding (4.4 rpg.). In what was the first of MSU’s active 18-year NCAA Tournament streak, Bell averaged 13.7 points, ranking second on the team, and shot 53.8 percent from the field during the Spartans’ run to the Sweet 16.
During his sophomore campaign in 1998-99, Bell averaged 7.8 points and 3.8 rebounds, as MSU posted a 33-5 record and advanced to the school’s first Final Four since 1979. His best scoring effort of the season was a 26-point game at Oakland.
As a junior, Bell earned third-team All-Big Ten honors, averaging 11.5 points, ranking third on the team, and 4.9 rebounds, ranking fourth. Defensively, Bell led MSU with 47 steals. While All-America point guard Mateen Cleaves missed the first 13 games of the season, Bell was asked to play a larger role, totaling 12.6 points and 3.9 assists. He scored 21 points in a December contest against No. 4 Kansas, earning a spot on the All-Great Eight Team, and also was named to the Spartan Classic and Puerto Rico Shootout All-Tournament Teams. He scored at least 20 points in three-straight games against Kansas (21), Arizona (20), and Oakland (20). In Big Ten play, he led MSU with 22 points in an overtime win against Indiana, as Tom Izzo recorded his 100th career victory. On Senior Day, he scored a career-best 31 points against Michigan, as MSU posted a 114-63 win. In postseason play, he averaged 7.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists on the Spartans’ run to the NCAA title, while earning a spot on the All-Final Four Team.
Bell’s senior season opened with a bang, posting a triple-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against Oakland. He joined Magic Johnson as the only Spartans to ever post a triple-double at the time, and remains just one of three players in MSU history to accomplish the feat.
He assumed a greater leadership role as a senior. He increased his scoring average to 13.5 points, but gained even more attention for his all-around performance. CBS SportsLine.com’s Dan Wetzel wrote, “He’s the best all-around player on the best all-around team,” while Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl added, “Not a highlights-at-11 kind of guy, but no player does a wider variety of things for his team.” Bell scored in double figures in 24 of 33 games, including matching his career high with 31 points against Eastern Washington, hitting 12-of-13 shots from the field, including all three 3-point attempts.
The individual honors rolled in for the player that was always willing to sacrifice individual praise for team success. He earned NABC Second-Team All-America and Associated Press Third-Team All-America honors. ESPN’s Dick Vitale added Bell to his All-America second team, while also naming Bell the best defensive guard in the nation. Bell also was named a Wooden Award All-American. He shared Team MVP honors, as voted on by the media, while the conference media voted him First-Team All-Big Ten.
But what remained most important to Bell was team success. The Spartans became just the fourth team to win four-straight Big Ten Championships, and also advanced to a third-straight Final Four. Bell’s 2001 senior class set a then-Big Ten record with 115 wins, as Bell was the only player to appear in all 115, and also posted a 56-3 home record at the Breslin Center.
Following graduation, Bell was not selected in the 2001 NBA Draft, but he did play in the NBA during the 2001-02 season, splitting time between Phoenix and Dallas. After three successful seasons overseas in Italy and Spain, Bell returned to the NBA for the 2005-06 season. He spent five years with Milwaukee (2005-10), and one with Golden State (2010-11). His best season came in 2006-07, as he averaged 13.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists with the Bucks.
Mary Kay Itnyre
Women’s Basketball (1977-80)
Detroit, Michigan
After beginning her playing career at Arizona State, Mary Kay Itnyre transferred to Michigan State and became a dominant player for Coach Karen Langeland, setting 19 Spartan single-season and career records. The 6-foot, center/forward became only the second 1,000-point scorer in program history. She closed out her career as MSU’s all-time leader in scoring (1,189 points), scoring average (14.9 points per game), rebounds (821), rebounding average (10.3 rpg.) and double-doubles (43). Itnyre, who scored in double figures in 63 of 80 career games, led the team in scoring for three-straight seasons from 1977-80. She posted 27 career 20-point games.
“I was very surprised when I received the call from Mark Hollis,” Itnyre said. “Obviously, I haven’t been around Michigan for a very long time. I’m very honored to be selected for induction into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame.
“I had an interesting journey. I began my playing career at Arizona State before transferring to Michigan State. After my freshman year, I helped work the sports camp at Michigan State. I was home sick, so I decided to transfer. Under AIAW rules, I lost my scholarship for a full year after transferring, but I didn’t have to sit out a season. So I got my scholarship back for my junior and senior years.
“I was fortunate to have an opportunity to play basketball while earning an education. I enjoyed playing the game, but the education set me up for the rest of my life.
“I never really paid that much attention to stats, but it was brought to my attention that I was still a record-holder, and honestly I had no idea. So I had to go back and research the Internet to see where some of my numbers stood in the record book. I look back and think perhaps if I had trained or worked harder, I could have improved those numbers even more. It’s also fun to think about how different my numbers would have looked. In my era, we played with a regular-sized basketball and there was no 3-point line.”
The Detroit, Michigan, native burst onto the scene as a sophomore in 1977-78, leading the Spartans in scoring (career-best 17.1 points per game), rebounding (career-high 11.3 per game) and field-goal percentage (career-best .511) en route to a 21-7 record. Itnyre reached double figures in scoring in 22 of 28 games, including 11 20-point games. Her top single-game performance came against Grand Valley State, with a career-high 30 points and a season-best 18 rebounds. She recorded a career-best 19 double-doubles that season.
As a junior in 1978-79, Itnyre averaged 14.2 points and 10.3 rebounds, as the Spartans took second in the Big Ten Championship. She netted double figures in 20 of 26 games, including six 20-point outings. Itnyre tallied a season-high 28 points at Northwestern. She grabbed 20-plus rebounds in three games, including a career-best 23 boards against Central Michigan. Itnyre totaled 13 double-doubles.
She averaged 13.2 points and 9.0 rebounds as a senior in 1979-80. Itnyre scored in double figures in 21 of 26 games, including five 20-point efforts, and produced 11 double-doubles. She was selected All-Region, AIAW First-Team All-State and team MVP in 1979-80. In addition, Itnyre was named CoSIDA Academic All-American (third team).
Itnyre still ranks among MSU’s career leaders in double-doubles (first), rebounding average (second at 10.3 rpg.), free-throw percentage (third at .823), scoring average (tied for fourth at 14.9 ppg.), rebounds (eighth), free throws (11th with 261 made), field-goal percentage (12th at .485), scoring (14th) and field goals (14th with 464 made).
“It’s awesome the way that the sport has grown, and the players are so much more developed,” Itnyre said. “I feel like I was a little ahead of my time. The coaching and athletes have developed so much over the years, but it was fun being part of the initial growth. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to compete. The training is so much more intense now, so you really see improved player development. I’m thankful so many women have opportunities to earn scholarships and play at such a highly competitive level.”
Following graduation, Itnyre spent eight years with the Los Angeles Police Department and six-and-a-half more years with the Los Angeles City Fire Department. She has worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the last 20-plus years.
“I have really fond memories of being in college,” Itnyre said. “I cherished the opportunity to compete and my education set me up for life after graduation. I look forward to sharing this Hall of Fame experience with some friends.”
Pat Milkovich
Wrestling (1972-76)
Maple Heights, Ohio
Pat Milkovich’s exceptional work ethic and sheer determination to be a champion led him on a path to greatness at Michigan State during his time as a Spartan from 1972-76.
Milkovich was the first four-time NCAA finalist in Big Ten history and won national titles at 126 pounds in 1972 and 1974. One of just two four-time All-Americans at Michigan State, he finished his career with a remarkable .902 winning percentage (90-8-4 record), and his 18 wins at the NCAA Championships are tied for the most in school history. In addition, his 90 victories ranked second at MSU upon the completion of his career. Milkovich also is one of only seven Spartans to win three Big Ten titles (1972, 1974, 1976), and he finished runner-up in 1975.
“My wife and I were actually on the golf course, and I was on the 10th green getting ready to putt,” Milkovich said on when he received the call from Hollis regarding his induction into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame. “I looked at my wife, and I starting tearing up. For me, this is coming home. From the moment I set foot on campus, I fell in love.
“My whole goal was I wanted to be the best at what I did, and in order to do that, I had to do some things that other people weren’t willing to do. I’m not a very gifted natural athlete. I wish I could say that I was, but I’m not. Everything I did, I really had to spend a lot of time doing it. Everything I did was centered around being the best. When I ran, I ran with all my heart and soul. I ran like I wanted to be a National Champion. I drilled like I wanted to be a National Champion. When I practiced, I practiced liked I wanted to be a National Champion. I realized early that you have limited chances at things, and once they’re gone, you never get another chance. I had four chances at Michigan State to be a National Champion. It was difficult because I couldn’t live like a normal Michigan State student. That journey was hard, but I would never take it back. I looked forward every day to getting up and going over to Jenison to run.”
Milkovich’s journey incredibly started as a walk-on at MSU, and less than a year later, he became the youngest NCAA Champion in history at 18 years and three months when he won his first national title as a freshman in 1972, defeating Illinois State’s Chris Quigley in the final, 4-2. To this day, Milkovich still holds the distinction of being the youngest wrestler to ever win a National Championship.
“I wasn’t a big name in high school by any stretch of the imagination,” he said. “My older brothers were fantastic and went to college on a full-ride (scholarship). My brother Tom was the No. 1 recruit in the nation and ended up going to Michigan State. I figured if I won a state championship, I’m in, I’d get a scholarship. Nobody offered me anything. My style of wrestling wasn’t very flashy or impressive.
“Grady (Peninger) had called me several times and that was one of the main reasons why I went to Michigan State, because Grady wouldn’t give up on me. He said, ‘I don’t have any money for you, but I tell you what, if you come up here as a non-scholarship walk-on and you prove yourself, I will do for you what I’d do for anybody that wrestles for me, and I’ll consider you for a scholarship.’ I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant, but I said, he calls me on a regular basis, and he’s really expressing sincere interest in having me come to Michigan State.
“I was 17 years old – I didn’t turn 18 until December – and I walked into the wrestling room for the first time and saw the depth chart at my weight class 126, and I was the last guy on the list at No. 5. I had to beat four other guys, and two were upperclassmen and scholarship athletes. I had a choice: do I battle these guys and try and become the best that I can be, or do I curl up into a little ball and take my lumps and say I went out for the team? I have a hard time going for something with half a heart or being mediocre. I know there’s two things in life that are easy to do: quit when things get difficult, and the other is to be happy being average. That’s just not a part of my makeup.”
Milkovich was one of three Spartans to win a National Championship in 1972, along with Greg Johnson and his brother, Tom, as Michigan State finished runner-up in the team standings. Milkovich also claimed his first Big Ten crown that same season to help lead the Spartans to their seventh-consecutive Big Ten Championship. The first freshman to win an NCAA title since 1947, he was named the Amateur Wrestling News and National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Freshman of the Year after compiling a 19-3 record.
“I remember when they were getting us lined up to take a picture of all the National Champions,” Milkovich said. “Greg Johnson leaned over to me and said, ‘Pat, there’s 10 weight classes here, 10 National Champions. Three of them are Michigan State Spartans – you, me, and your brother, Tommy.’ And he broke out into this huge grin. That was so cool. And to win it with my brother was really emotional. We were the first brothers to ever win an NCAA title in the same year and not be twins.
“And it’s the first time I ever saw my dad cry. He left his high school team to watch the NCAA (finals); I didn’t know he was there, and we’re wrestling in front of 13,000 people out in Maryland at Cole Field House. Out of all those people, I was always trained to listen to one voice, and that was the coach in my corner. Everybody else I blank out. But I heard my dad from the crowd, and I just felt like I couldn’t lose. I had great workout partners, Greg was already a National Champion (at 118 pounds), so I just had to be a National Champion. And when I won, I knew my brother wasn’t going to lose (142-pound National Champion).”
Milkovich also vividly recalled when he finally did get that scholarship to MSU.
“After the season was over, my brother and I went to talk with Grady. Grady said come in, what do you want to talk about? My brother says, ‘Coach, my dad called me last night and said he’s pulling Pat out of Michigan State because he can’t get any scholarship money.’ Soon there were papers flying everywhere and Grady said, ‘Hey, hold on here, he’s not going anywhere, he’s on full scholarship.’ So I earned my full scholarship,” Milkovich said, laughing.
After missing the 1972-73 season due to a knee injury, Milkovich returned to action as a sophomore in 1973-74. The top seed at the 1974 NCAA Championships, Milkovich cruised to his second National Championship at 126 pounds, winning his five matches by a combined score of 41-10. His title run culminated with a 5-2 victory over Oklahoma State’s Billy Martin in the final. Named the Most Outstanding Sophomore by the NWCA, Milkovich collected an impressive 23-1 record and also earned the Walter C. Jacob Award, which is given to the Spartan with the highest point total.
Again the top seed at nationals in 1975, Milkovich advanced to the championship match before falling in a heartbreaker to Penn State’s John Fritz in overtime (5-5, 3-1). He also placed second at the Big Ten Championships and finished the season with a 17-2-4 record.
For his senior season, Milkovich moved up a weight class to 134 pounds and went on to win his third Big Ten title. He earned the second seed in the 1976 NCAA Championships and was victorious in his first four matches, but fell in the final to No. 1 seed Mike Frick of Lehigh, 7-4. Milkovich finished his last year with a 31-2 overall record, including a 14-0 record in dual meets.
A two-time team captain, Milkovich earned the Most Outstanding Wrestler Award at Michigan State in 1974 and 1976, and was named MSU’s recipient of the Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor in 1976. He was selected to participate in the East-West College All-Star Meet three times, and went 2-0 during the event (defeated Iowa State’s Bill Fjetland in 1972; did not compete due to illness in 1975; beat Iowa State’s Tim Cysewski in 1976).
“I was in the right spot with the right people, the right coaches, and the right environment,” Milkovich said. “To be on that campus was like hallowed grounds to me. With all of the great athletes that came before me, I have a great reverence for what all those folks did at Michigan State University, from all the different sports and coaches, that are just icons.
“I used to go to Jenison Field House at 6 in the morning to go run during the season, and I’d purposely go through the front door to look at all those pictures in the foyer. And I’d stare at them and study them. And l’d look at all of the pictures in the hallway, and then I would go run. That was my ritual. I wanted to be around greatness. Don Rogers, Greg Johnson, Lon Hicks, Conrad Calendar, my brother Tom, Randy Miller – if any one of those people are not in my wrestling room, I don’t have the career I had. They forced me to be better. They forced me every day to wrestle with all my heart and soul to survive. And that’s the kind of environment you need to be in.”
A native of Maple Heights, Ohio, Milkovich was just as successful at the prep level. He accumulated a 75-5-2 record, co-captained Maple Heights High School to the Ohio state championship, won a state title his senior year in 1971, and was an all-state and All-American selection. His father Mike was his high school wrestling coach and is in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Milkovich continued his career in wrestling by coaching, first as a graduate assistant at Alabama (1976-78) and then for eight years as an assistant at Michigan State (1978-86). He then spent 13 years as the head coach at Rochester Adams High School from 1988-2001, where he led the Highlanders to a record of 206-43-3, including a state championship in 1998 and a runner-up finish in 1999. Milkovich was named the Michigan Division I Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1998.
A member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2000, Milkovich is the fifth wrestler to be inducted in the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Ohio Wrestling and Greater Cleveland Sports Halls of Fame.
Andre Rison
Football (1985-88)
Flint, Michigan
A four-year letterman for Coach George Perles from 1985-88, Andre Rison closed out his career as Michigan State’s all-time leader in receptions (146), receiving yards (2,992) and 100-yard receiving games (11). A two-time First-Team All-Big Ten selection (1986, 1988), Rison led team in receptions for three-straight seasons.
“I was fortunate to have a connection with the Michigan State football, track and basketball programs,” Rison said. “I have so much respect for the program now … Coach (Mark) Dantonio, Tom Izzo, Mark Hollis and Alan Haller. I was simply overwhelmed (when informed of his Hall of Fame selection), thinking about the prestige MSU holds in the NCAA and around the country. Mark Hollis called me the same day he got the NCAA job (named chair of NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee for 2016-17) and I thought about the magnitude of my selection into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame. It was heavy to think about what my selection meant.
“My mom was a bundle of joy when I shared the news with her. She understood what it meant to be a student-athlete at this level. She saw more than the wins and losses; she saw the obstacles and she knew what went on behind closed doors.
“I was fortunate to play with some great players and great teammates. When I received the news from Mark Hollis, I immediately thought about guys like Percy Snow and Harlon Barnett. You can’t erase those memories. We’re Spartan brothers for life. In that locker room, there were no barriers because you didn’t see race, color or religion. Seriously, I enjoyed my teammates and I played for the greatest coaches.
“George Perles had his hands full because I was a mischievous guy, who played three sports in college,” Rison continued. “My favorite (football) game-day tradition was stealing a napkin from the Kellogg Center for every home game and wearing it in my uniform pants as a fashion statement.”
The Flint, Michigan, native made his presence known as a true freshman in 1985 by ranking third on the team in receptions with 19 for 280 yards (14.7 avg.) and two touchdowns.
As a sophomore in 1986, Rison connected with quarterback Dave Yarema to establish career highs in receptions (54) and receiving yards (966). He finished second in the Big Ten in both receptions and receiving yards. His 966 receiving yards ranked sixth in the nation. His five TD catches also tied for the team lead. He produced four 100-yard receiving games: against Western Michigan (5 catches for 155 yards), Indiana (career-best 11 for 196), Northwestern (6 for 114) and Wisconsin (9 for 108).
As a junior in 1987, Rison had 34 catches for 785 yards (23.1 avg.) and five TDs while helping the Spartans to the Big Ten Championship, a 9-2-1 record and No. 8 national ranking in the final polls (Associated Press, United Press International and USA TODAY). His 23.1 yards per catch led the Big Ten and ranked second nationally.He accounted for 83 percent of MSU’s TD catches (5 of 6), 66 percent of its receiving yards (785 of 1,194) and 47 percent of its receptions (34 of 72). Rison posted three 100-yard receiving games: against Notre Dame (5 for 137), Purdue (5 for 122) and Wisconsin (6 for season-high 162). He had two receptions for 91 yards in MSU’s 20-17 victory over No. 16 USC in the 1988 Rose Bowl. His 55-yard grab from Bobby McAllister in the second quarter set up Lorenzo White’s second rushing TD of the game as the Spartans built a 14-3 halftime lead. On a third-and-8 play in the fourth quarter, he again hooked up with McAllister – this time for a 36-yard gain – to help set up John Langeloh’s game-winning 36-yard field goal.
“Coach Perles was committed to changing the program,” Rison said. “MSU hadn’t been to the Rose Bowl in more than 20 years, and Coach Perles came up with a game plan to take us there. George and the assistants did a great job of building a foundation and developing a winning culture.
“George and his staff set us up for success, not only on the field but in life. They taught us how to face adversity and manage the highs and lows. They really encouraged us to be the best that we could be in all aspects of life. They really prepared us for life. I truly appreciate what George and his wife Sally taught me about marriage and family.”
As a 5-foot-11, 195-pound senior in 1988, Rison was named First-Team All-American by Gannett News Service after ranking second on the team with 1,045 all-purpose yards, averaging 21.8 yards on 48 touches. He caught 39 passes for 961 yards (24.6 avg.) and a career-best eight TDs. Rison led the Big Ten in receptions, TD catches and yards per catch. His 24.6 yards per catch ranked second in the nation.Rison accounted for 89 percent of MSU’s TD catches (8 of 9), 64 percent of its receiving yards (961 of 1,500) and 45 percent of its receptions (39 of 87). He also matched his career best with four 100-yard receiving games, including three during the regular season (4 for 107 vs. Iowa; 4 for 107 vs. Illinois and 4 for 128 vs. Wisconsin). In his final game in a Spartan uniform, he had nine receptions for a career-high 252 yards and career-best three TDs in a 34-27 loss to Georgia in the 1989 Gator Bowl. Rison, who scored on TD grabs of 4, 55 and 50 yards from McAllister, was selected MSU’s Gator Bowl MVP.
Rison still ranks among MSU’s career leaders in receiving yards (second), 100-yard receiving games (second), yards per catch (third with 20.49 avg.), receptions (fourth) and TD receptions (tied for fourth with 20).
“I formed friendships that will last a lifetime,” Rison said. “(Former teammate) John Miller recently called me to voice his disappointment about me being ranked No. 6 among MSU’s Top 50 all-time football players (list compiled by the Lansing State Journal); he thought I should have been ranked No. 1. I laughed and said I couldn’t be ranked No. 1 because I didn’t touch the ball enough.
“Throughout my career, I came up with subtle ways to deliver the message that I didn’t get the ball enough. To get some attention, I once wore a neck brace to practice. Other times, I’d change my facemask … anything to get noticed.”
He participated in three postseason all-star games in 1989: Senior Bowl, Hula Bowl and East-West Shrine Game.
Rison was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round (No. 22 overall) of the 1989 NFL Draft and became a five-time Pro Bowl selection (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1997). In 1990, he was named First-Team All-Pro by AP, Pro Football Writers, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Pro Football Weekly and The Sporting News after recording 82 catches for 1,208 yards (14.7 avg.) and 10 TDs. Rison had 743 career receptions for 10,205 yards (13.7 avg.) and 84 TDs in 12 pro seasons (Indianapolis, 1989; Atlanta, 1990-94; Cleveland, 1995; Jacksonville, 1996; Green Bay, 1996; Kansas City, 1997-99; Oakland, 2000). He started 156 of 186 career NFL games.
“I’m so grateful,” Rison said. “God has a plan for everybody. Things don’t happen on our timeline; things come when God wants it to happen. I appreciate the journey he has mapped out for me.”
A multi-sport athlete at Michigan State, Rison also lettered in track (1986) and basketball (1988). He finished second in long jump (24 1/2 feet) in the 1986 Big Ten Indoor Track Championships.
Doug Weaver
Athletics Director (1980-90) | Football (1950-52)
Goshen, Indiana
Doug Weaver is one of only two people at Michigan State University to earn a varsity letter as a student-athlete, coach a varsity sport, and serve as athletics director at the school (George Perles). A three-year letterwinner as a center on the Spartan football team under “Biggie Munn” in 1950-52, Weaver was an assistant football coach for Duffy Daugherty in 1956-57 and presided as Michigan State’s athletics director during a successful decade in the 1980s.
“This is the greatest honor of my life,” Weaver said. “It’s really overwhelming. My history with Michigan State goes all the way back to when I was a walk-on working in cafeterias. It’s been a long journey and all I can think of is the marvelous people that I had a chance to play with, coach with and work with along the way. The people are what make Michigan State so special, no question about it – Spartans are the best. I was very fortunate and lucky to have the career that I did. This is the ultimate honor.
“It’s hard to name just one moment that stood out, but the Rose Bowl was pretty special. George and Jud (Heathcote) had some great teams when I was there, Mary Fossum had some great golf teams; really, everybody who was there was important. I still talk to a lot of people from Michigan State and they are some of my best friends in the world. I remember everyone, but if I start to mention just a few, it wouldn’t be fair because I could go on and on.
“I wish my mom and dad could share this moment also because they were crucial for me. I met my wife Nancy on campus at Berkey Hall, and we have three children with degrees of some kind from Michigan State.”
Weaver began his appointment as athletics director on Jan. 22, 1980, and held the position for 11 years before retiring from the university on June 30, 1990.
During Weaver’s tenure as athletics director, the Spartans won one NCAA Championship (hockey in 1986) and seven Big Ten Championships, including football in 1987 and men’s basketball in 1990. He hired Perles as the head football coach on Dec. 3, 1982, and the Spartans went on to appear in five postseason bowl games during the 1980s and won the 1988 Rose Bowl over USC. The men’s basketball team participated in three NCAA Tournaments and advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1986 and 1990. Outside of Big Ten competition, the ice hockey program not only claimed the 1986 National Championship under the direction of Ron Mason, but also won four regular-season Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Championships and seven CCHA Tournament titles.
Spartan athletic facilities also dramatically improved under Weaver. The men’s and women’s basketball programs began play in the $43 million Jack Breslin Student Events Center in November 1989, and the building is still home to one of the best home-court advantages in all of college basketball. The football program moved into the Duffy Daugherty Football Building during the beginning of his tenure, which featured new coaches offices, locker rooms, an athletic training facility, equipment room and weight room. An indoor practice field was constructed and added on to the building in 1985. In addition, the $1.9 million MSU Indoor Tennis Facility was completed in 1986.
After a brief stint at Yale, Weaver arrived on the campus of Michigan State University in 1949 as a walk-on. During his three seasons as a letterwinner (1950-52) on the football team, the Spartans posted an incredible mark of 26-1, including a combined 6-0 record against Michigan and Notre Dame. He was a member of the 1951 and 1952 National Championship teams that both finished 9-0. Weaver also played linebacker in 1950. He won the Oil Can Award in 1951 and 1952, which goes to the player who contributes most in a humorous way to the team, and the award now bears his name.
“I talked to my high school coach and he said I should look into Michigan State,” Weaver recalled. “He said they just got into the Big Ten and there are probably some opportunities for people. So I went up there to check it out, I interviewed with some people and met the coaches. They didn’t offer me anything but an opportunity, and that was all I wanted. And I went from there, as a redshirt walk-on, working in cafeterias, playing football – it was great.”
After receiving his bachelor’s degree in English from Michigan State in 1953, Weaver spent time in the United States Air Force from 1953-55, reaching the rank of first lieutenant.
He returned to Michigan State in 1956 to become the head freshman football coach and was a defensive assistant under Duffy Daugherty during the 1957 season in which the Spartans went 8-1 and claimed a share of the National Championship.
Weaver then went to Missouri to serve as an assistant coach for two years (1958-59) before being appointed head coach at Kansas State, where he led the Wildcats from 1960-66.
Weaver also was an assistant coach at Kansas for three years (1967-69) while he earned his law degree from KU in 1970. He was named the defensive coordinator at UCLA in 1971, but moved into an administrative role in 1973, taking over as the athletics director at Southern Illinois University. In addition to his duties as athletics director, Weaver was also the head football coach for two seasons (1974-75). Weaver became the athletics director at Georgia Tech in 1976 and held that position for four years before returning to Michigan State in 1980.
“I was at Georgia Tech and we were doing great,” Weaver said. “Joe Kearney had only been the athletic director for a few years, so I didn’t have any thought of coming to Michigan State. I never thought there would be an opening. When Joe left (for Arizona State) and I was contacted, there was no question (Michigan State) was where I wanted to be.”
Mike York
Hockey (1995-99)
Waterford, Michigan
Mike York was a driving force behind the powerhouse Michigan State hockey teams of the late 1990s, leading the Spartans in points in each of his final three seasons and finishing as one of only 14 players in program history to eclipse the 200-career point milestone. The talented center was a two-time first-team All-America selection and a two-time Hobey Baker Award finalist.
“Mark Hollis called me and I didn’t think this would happen in a million years,” York said. “It’s a real honor. I was shocked and certainly didn’t see it coming.
“Being at Michigan State was the best four years of my life. I met my wife at MSU, I had great teammates, made great friendships and had a lot of fun. It’s a great community, with great people and great fans. I fell in love with the place as soon as I walked on campus.”
York is the eighth former Spartan hockey player or coach to enter the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame.
“A lot of great players have obviously come through the program and I’m extremely honored – I’m not sure it has fully hit me,” York said. “I’ve never been one to get really excited over individual honors, but this is different – I’m flattered.”
The Waterford, Michigan, native wasted little time in making his presence known at Michigan State as he was named to the CCHA All-Rookie Team and was voted the Spartans’ Outstanding Rookie in 1995-96. York tallied 27 assists as a freshman, marking the first of four consecutive seasons he would lead the team in helpers.
York registered a team-high 47 points (18 goals, 29 assists) as a sophomore in 1996-97, earning All-CCHA honorable mention and setting the stage for his national emergence the following season.
In helping guide the Spartans to both the 1998 CCHA regular-season and tournament championships, York recorded a career-best 61 points (27 goals, 34 assists). His efforts earned him his first of two first-team All-America selections, a spot on the All-CCHA second-team and CCHA Tournament MVP honors. He also was a Hobey Baker Award finalist for the first of two times in his career.
After winning a second consecutive CCHA regular-season title in 1998-99, York and the Spartans advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four. The success of the team translated into more individual honors for York as he again was voted to the All-America first team. He also was named the CCHA Player of the Year, CCHA Best Defensive Forward and Team MVP. York finished his senior season with 22 goals and 32 assists for 54 points.
Following his Spartan career, York went on to play 10 seasons in the National Hockey League, with the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, Phoenix Coyotes and Columbus Blue Jackets, compiling 322 career points. He continued his professional career in Germany where he has played since 2011.
He is one of 15 Spartans that have competed in the Olympic Games and just one of seven to have earned a medal. In 2002, he helped the USA to a silver medal at the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.
