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FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Freshman forward Miles Bridges forges a legacy at MSU after upbringing in Flint
Head coach Tom Izzo talks to freshman guard and forward Miles Bridges (22) during the men’s basketball game against Minnesota on Jan. 11 at Breslin Center. The Spartans defeated the Golden Gophers, 65-47. PHOTO: NIC ANTAYA
NEWS
NEWS
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RAP ARTISTS IN EAST LANSING
“I didn’t want (Miles) to be a statistic in Flint.”
SPRING SPORTS AT MSU
Local rap talents call East Lansing and campus home
Cynthia Bridges, Miles Bridges’ mother
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Gymnastics, wrestling and tennis are sports MSU has for those looking for something different from basketball PAGE 11
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Rachel Fradette Campus editor campus@statenews.com
East Lansing, MSU communities foster rap performers and talent BY JOHN LAVACARRE JLAVACARRE@STATENEWS.COM
Rappers Stoop Lee, ItsErnie, A. Cook and Psedo have two things in common: they’re all MSU students, and they all harbor dreams of becoming professional rappers, even as they prepare for desk jobs in their MSU studies. “I have no idea what’s going to happen down the road,” Psedo said, or computer science sophomore Matthew Rhodes. “Ideally, if I could do a song — and right now, I’m just doing it for me ... but if a song were to blow up, and I were to actually become known, I’d probably complete my degree just to have it as a backup. But it seems like I just keep doing my passion and get a job and go from there.” Stoop Lee, or media and information senior Ade Olaniran, is known for being personable. He used self-promotion to
pack the Record Lounge for a concert on Jan. 13. Kyle Preston, a Western Michigan University student who went to high school with Olaniran and was one of his opening acts on Friday as part of rap duo T.I.E, said Olaniran attracts admiration with his personality. “Ade always had that steez, what’s the word, that clout,” Preston said. “People knew Ade, Ade was always that nice guy that everybody always wanted to be around, people loved Ade. Anytime we got to be around him, we were always influenced. We wanted to take notes, like, what was he doing? Because he had a sort of pull, people were attracted to him.” Olaniran brings a collaborative spirit to his live performances. During his concert at the Record Lounge on Jan. 13, he used call-and-response chants and a 1990s-themed costume contest to get the audience participating.
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Media and information senior Ade Olaniran, also known as Stoop Lee, sings and dances with the crowd during the Good Ol’ Daze show on Jan. 13 at the Record Lounge in East Lansing at 111 Division St. Rapper Stoop Lee performed alongside Charlie Burg, T.I.E and DJ Eyeamdj. PHOTO: JON FAMUREWA
He also invited any rappers in the audience up to perform a cypher, or collaborative freestyle rap, with him. Olaniran brings the same collaborative spirit to his recording, as he has worked with several MSU musicians, including Charlie Burg, a self-described “indie/soul/rock” singer-songwriter and hip-hop producer who later transferred to Syracuse University for its music industry program. “We recorded a lot in my dorm room at State and in music practice rooms,” Burg said. “I would just show him a beat and I’d set up the mic for him, and he’d be like, ‘Hey, let me try something over this,’ and he would rap or sing something, and it would just click. It’d sound great.” Olaniran also helped introduce ItsErnie, or interdisciplinary studies in social science senior Jared Davis, to the MSU rap community when he transferred from community college in 2015. “UAB does Open Mic Night every other Tuesday, and I was like, ‘Oh, I should go,’ Davis said. “There was one dude named Stoop Lee, dope artist, really good, and I was like, ‘hey, what’s up?’ And we just talk, exchange info, we go to school, I see him around. And then you meet DJs, you go to parties. ... You just start meeting people, we’re around. You start talking to people, and then a kid’s got a mic in his house, or someone hits the studio, or is having a show in Lansing.” Olaniran and Davis are both
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The crowd watches as media and information senior Ade Olaniran, also known as Stoop Lee, performs during the Good Ol’ Daze show on Jan. 13 at the Record Lounge in East Lansing at 111 Division St. Rapper Stoop Lee performed alongside Charlie Burg, T.I.E and DJ Eyeamdj. PHOTO: JON FAMUREWA
building connections in the rap industry through music. A. Cook, or parks, recreation and tourism junior Aarmond Cook, is helping to forge connections and give artists a platform by organizing an annual concert called One MSU. The concert is in its third year, and while musicians of all genres are welcome to perform, Cook said it is mostly rappers and rhythm and blues singers who do so. “I’m always looking for opportunities to give somebody else an opportunity that I wish I got at some point, which is why we do One MSU and everything, (for) the kind of people we talk to that never performed in front of a live audience, the kind of people we
talk to that never recorded in an actual studio, or put money towards their career,” Cook said. “What I try to do is give them opportunities.”
“I think that it’s definitely more loose than it needs to be, but that kind of goes with the territory of rap and hiphop,” Aarmond Cook, Parks, Recreation and Tourism junior Economics junior Dawson Laney is a hip-hop produc-
er who has worked with various artists, including ItsErnie. Laney said although he has worked with MSU artists, the hip-hop community in East Lansing is not as cohesive as it could be. “I think that it’s definitely more loose than it needs to be, but that kind of goes with the territory of rap and hiphop,” Laney said. Laney said he doesn’t mind collaborating. “It’s just like, ‘I do my thing, you’re trying to do yours,’ the history of rap battles and everything, diss tracks and all that, it’s kind of built around competition,” Laney said. “But the more that you can get people together, the more you’re going to see success.” READ MORE AT STATENEWS.COM
Contents
Cameron Macko Managing editor cmacko@statenews.com
ONLINE
Police Sgt. serves for 19 years
Police K-9 dog retirement ceremony
3 key players from men’s basketball
Sgt. Dan Munford serves with the Ingham Regional Crash Investigation Team
Canine members of MSU police officially retired Wednesday
Izzo names three important players moving forward in season
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Number of goals women’s hockey player Maddie Wolsmann has this season See page 12
“We are very serious about what we do and you just kind of have to be a robot, but in (Winter Guard International), you can really express yourself and I think that is what I like about WGI more than MSU Drumline.” Jennifer Proos, Computer science junior PAGE 9
MSU history professor involved in Martin Scorsese movie “Silence” BY JONATHAN LEBLANC JLEBLANC@STATENEWS.COM
With any historical movie, usually there are consultants to offer knowledge on a subject to provide the filmmakers with the most accurate representation of what happened in that time period. MSU professor Liam Brockey was one of these consultants for the movie “Silence”, directed by Martin Scorsese and featuring a cast that includes Adam Driver, Andrew Garfield and Liam Neeson. “Silence” was released on Dec. 23, 2016 and is based on the book written by Japanese author Shusaku Endo in 1966 about two Catholic missionaries searching for their mentor in Japan at a time when Christianity was outlawed, according to its IMDb page. Brockey said the process started 10 years ago, when his brother-in-law in Portugal told Brockey that he’d heard someone was planning to make a movie about missionaries in Asia, which is one of Brockey’s fields of study. “I said, ‘thanks, but how am I going to do that?’” he said. Brockey’s brother, who was in the movie business at the time, knew one of the producers of movie and told Brockey to send him a letter. He told Brockey the producer would keep it on file
for when they started the movie. Brockey then proceeded to write two books on the subject: “Journey to the East: The Jesuit Mission to China, 1579-1724” and “The Visitor: André Palmeiro and the Jesuits in Asia.” Three years ago, the lead researcher at Scorsese’s production company told Brockey they were officially going to make the movie. The production crew used his comments on the script and the set to make the movie accurate to the time period. “My job was to sort of say, ‘we can pull more towards the novel, pull more towards the director’s vision or we can pull more towards what happened and what we know,’” he said. “One of the big challenges was reconciling those three things.” There were other consultants, such as a specialist in Japanese history, a specialist in Jesuit and a translator who recently translated the newer edition of the Endo book. “If you spend a lot of time imagining how something would be in a given context, and then somebody made a movie about it, you might agree or disagree about how that came out,” Brockey said. “But if you had a part in actually how that was sort of brought to the screen, it’s obviously very professionally fulfilling and very interesting for me to actually be part of that, because this is what I think of.”
Warren residents Timmy Valeck, 11, center, and cousin Sierra Webb, right, brave the cold to protest the mishandling of the Flint water crisis during the State of the State Protest on Jan. 17 at the state Capitol. “It’s the ignorance – it’s befuddling, absolutely baffling. So, I just can’t sit still on it. I’ve got to speak up. It’s ‘we the people’, and we’re trying to take it so it’s just we – no people – and we can’t have that,” Webb said. PHOTO: CHLOE GRIGBSY
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RELIGIOUS GUIDE News Takeaways from the 2017 State of the State Rachel Fradette Campus editor campus@statenews.com
Look for this directory in the paper every Thursday and online at: www.statenews.com/religious
St. John Catholic Church and Student Center 327 M.A.C. Ave. East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 337-9778 stjohnmsu.org Sunday: 8am, 10am, Noon, 5pm, 7pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 12:15pm Lansing Church of Tuesday & Thursday: God in Christ 5304 Wise Rd., Lansing, MI 9:15pm 48911 The Islamic Society of http://lansingcogic.org/ Greater Lansing Worship hours Sunday: 10:30am, 5:00pm 920 S. Harrison Rd., East Lansing, MI 48823 Monday Family Prayer: Islam 101 Feb. 5, 2:30 p.m Ascension Lutheran Church 6:00pm Friday Services: 2780 Haslett Rd., E. Lansing 12:15-12:45 & 1:45-2:15 Little Flock Christian Between Hagadorn & Park For prayer times visit Fellowship Lake Rds. www.lansingislam.com/ A Non-Denominational(517) 337-9703 Evagelical Church Adult Bible Study: 9am Trinity Church MSU Alumni Chapel Sunday School: 9am 3355 Dunckel Rd. (Basement Hall) Worship Service: 10am Lansing, MI 48911 Sunday Worship Service: ascensioneastlansing.org (517) 272-3820 10am-12 Noon. Saturday: 6pm Fellowship Lunch after the Sunday: 9:15am, 11am Eastminster Presbyterian service Church trinitywired.com 1315 Abbot Rd, East Lansing, Weekly Bibly Studies & University Baptist Students’ Meetings. MI, 48823 Church littleflock.msu@gmail.com (517) 337-0893 4608 South Hagadorn Rd www.littleflock.org www.eastminsterchurch.org East Lansing, MI 48823 Worship Gatherings: (517) 351-4144 Martin Luther Chapel Sunday Worship 10:30 am www.ubcel.org 444 Abbot Rd. UKirk Presbyterian Campus 10 AM Worship Service East Lansing, MI 48823 Ministry Wednesdays at 7pm 11:15 Coffee Hour (517) 332-0778 www.ukirkmsu.org 11:30 Sunday School martinlutherchapel.org Sunday: 9:30am & 7:00pm University Christian Greater Lansing Church Wednesday Worship: 9pm Church of Christ Mini-bus pick-up on 310 N. Hagadorn Rd. 310 N. Hagadorn Rd. campus (Fall/Spring) East Lansing, MI East Lansing, MI 48823 (Meeting at the University (517) 332-5193 Peoples Church Christian Church building) universitychristianCampus Ministry (517) 898-3600 wired.com 200 W Grand River Ave., Sunday: 11:15 am Students welcome! East Lansing, MI Sunday Bible Study: Sunday Worship: 8:45am (517) 332-5073 10:15am Sunday Bible class: 10:15am Sunday Evening: Small Group ThePeoplesChurch.com University United Wednesday: 7pm - bible study Worship Times: Sunday: 10:30 AM worship Methodist Church & Students please feel free to 11:30 AM Student Lunch MSU Wesley call for rides & Gathering 1120 S. Harrison Rd. http://www.greaterlansingMonday: 6:30 PM Student East Lansing, MI 48823 coc.org Dinner & Bible Study (517) 351-7030 universitychurchhome.org Haslett Community Church River Terrace Church msuwesley.org 1427 Haslett Road Sunday: 10:30am 1509 River Terrace Dr. Haslett, MI 48840 9:00am Garden Service in East Lansing, MI 48823 Phone: (517) 339-8383 the summer (517) 351-9059 Worship Hours: Sunday TGIT: 8:00pm Thursdays www.riverterrace.org Worship at 10:00am Service times: 9 & 11:15am Sept. - April www.haslettcommunityWELS Lutheran Campus church.org Ministry 704 Abbot Road East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 580-3744 www.msu.edu/~weisluth 6:00pm Saturday All Saints Episcopal Church 800 Abbot Road East Lansing, Michigan 48823 Phone: (517) 351-7160 E-mail: allsaints@allsaints-el.org Website: http://www.allsaints-el.org Worship Times: Sunday Worship: 8 am & 10 am Sunday School: 10 am Sunday Vespers: 5 pm Thursday Prayer & Breakfast: 7:30 am
Hillel Jewish Student Center 360 Charles St., E. Lansing (517) 332-1916 Friday Night Services: 6pm, Dinner: 7pm September - April
Religious Organizations: Don’t be left out of the Religious Directory! Call 517-295-1680 today to speak with an Account Executive
Gov. Rick Snyder addresses the audience during the State of the State address on Jan. 17 at the Capitol in Lansing. PHOTO: NIC ANTAYA BY MADISON F. O’CONNOR MOCONNOR@STATENEWS.COM
In his seventh State of the State address, Gov. Rick Snyder took the podium in front of his constituents and the Michigan public at home Tuesday night in the Michigan Capitol House Chambers. Snyder set the tone for his next to last year by reflecting on the optimistic change of his last six years and the numbers involved, but said the future is where the spotlight should be. INFRASTRUCTURE
“We’re at risk at every corner in Michigan,” Snyder said. “We need to invest more.” •Snyder said billions of dollars should be invested in Michigan’s infrastructure in the next few years. •According to a press release from Michigan’s Executive Office, the state’s infrastructure has suffered over time because of underinvestment, which is evident in the Flint water crisis and the sewer line collapse in Fraser, Mich. •Big money could be saved by taking on big infrastructure projects early, Snyder said. FLINT WATER CRISIS
“We’re making progress, but our work is not done yet,” Snyder said. •Around the 30 minute mark in Snyder’s State of the State address, the Flint water crisis was brought up. •According to a press release from Michigan’s Executive Office, Snyder will continue to pursue reforms with Legislature to help ensure such an issue will never happen again in a Michigan community. •Snyder expressed his interest in holding higher standards in water quality than the federal level for drinking water.
•Since 2009, the number of opioid cases in Michigan has doubled, Snyder said. •Snyder mentioned the bipartisan “Good Samaritan” legislation, which was signed to allow Michiganians of all ages to seek medical assistance for themselves or others without fear of prosecution in the case of a potential drug overdose. •In addition, new laws make drugs that combat opioid overdoses available without a prescription and allow schools to have and administer opioid antagonists, the document said. MOBILITY
“This is an area we cannot afford to slow down in,” Snyder said. “This isn’t just about vehicles.” •Michigan is the world leader in mobility, Snyder said. •According to a press release from Michigan’s Executive Office, Michigan manufacturers will be able to offer driverless vehicles for sale once the technology has been tested and certified as a result of legislation signed in December 2016. •Also according to the press release, The American Center for Mobility will be America’s leading non-profit testing and product development facility for these new driverless technologies. Construction is expected to be completed in the fall of 2017. POPULATION INCREASE
“We need to do everything we can to keep our campuses safe,” Snyder said. “No one should have to walk our streets in fear.” •Snyder talked about his wife, Michigan first lady Sue Snyder’s, work to end sexual assault on college campuses. •The Campus Sexual Assault Grant Program awarded $500,000 to community colleges and universities in 2015 and 2016. •Snyder expanded on the issue of sexual assault by bridging into safer overall communities.
“We need to grow Michigan, we need to grow our population,” Snyder said. •Michigan has experienced five straight years of population growth, Snyder said. •Snyder called for an increase in Michigan’s population to 10 million people, which would raise the overall population by roughly 70,000 people. •According to a press release from Michigan’s Executive Office, to increase the state’s population and grow the economy, mobility, education, infrastructure and growing communities need to be priorities.
OPIOID ABUSE
EDUCATION
“Michigan, like many other states, is combating a drug epidemic that is having dire consequences on its population.” - “A Path Toward Our Future Campaign” statement
“Funding for K-12 education is now at its highest level in state history,” Snyder said. •Snyder did not mention higher education funding or student debt for the second year in a row.
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Rachel Fradette Campus editor campus@statenews.com
MSU student, former BSA president running for Detroit mayoral bid BY MADISON F. O’CONNOR MOCONNOR@STATENEWS.COM
Growing up in Detroit, before it was the country’s “comeback kid,” meant growing up in a community that was underserved and underprivileged. Management senior and Detroit native Myya D. Jones lived all over the city— from East Detroit, to West, to Downtown and Southside—and now she’s ready to go back. On Jan. 1, Jones submitted her bid for mayor of Detroit. To get her name on the ballot, Jones must collect 500 to 1,000 valid signatures by April 25, or approximately one percent of the total votes from the last race, she said. “Taking action, instilling hope, inspiring change” is her campaign slogan, and it’s what she envisions for the future of Detroit. “I used to think that politics was for older people, so you never really see younger people actually running for office or being the face of a state or a city,” Jones said. “But what you also don’t see is that people who are on the Hill, who write policy who are actually doing all the research and everything, are young people.” Jones came to MSU in 2012. During her time on campus, she has been involved in the Black Student Alliance, the National Association of Black Accountants and the Air Force ROTC among others. Jones is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., which she said is big on civic engagement and social action. Bringing a millennial’s perspective to the mayoral office in Detroit is just one of the many attributes Jones hopes to bring to such a position. When it comes down to the makeup of political government, she wants to see diversity in age as well as diversity in race and sexual orientation. “Too many older people put us down, tell us we’re too young, we’re too inexperienced, but we’ve been in college, we’ve had internships, we’ve had jobs, we have community service, we’ve done student orgs, we’ve done all these things but we’re still not qualified enough,” Jones said. “So what do we have to do besides go sit in a desk in an office and sit there for seven hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to prove that we’re eligible to do something?”
Besides her age, another thing Jones believes sets her apart from other potential candidates is that she was born and raised in Detroit and has had experiences that are typical of a Detroit resident. “I have the experience of ... something that’s common for Detroiters to go through as far as, like, me being sexually abused, me not having my father in my life for most of my time, having family members that passed away,” she said. “Being someone who has experienced these things, I know, okay, this is what I needed when I was here in Detroit and I was underserved and I was underprivileged, so I’m going to go out and make sure and ask questions as well to see if these are the same issues that we’re still having in Detroit.” Her platform is focused on improving education, normalizing mental health and building better community engagement with the police. For education, she hopes to ensure students have extracurricular and recreational activities, programs where students can exercise their creativity. “Making sure they have access to these things, making sure these things are affordable for them, if not affordable, free for them,” Jones said. “We don’t really have playgrounds or parks in Detroit, we need to have more playgrounds and things to where students can actually do dual enrollment or vocational school, things like that.” Jones wants to bring about more mental health awareness and normalize it starting in the schools. She hopes to ensure children know how to cope with situations going on in the city, she said. “It is hard growing up in a city that’s underserved and people don’t really look to make sure the communities are taken care of, so we need to make sure people’s mental health is taken care of,” Jones said. She also wants to build a trust between the police and the rest of the community in an effort to lower the overall crime rate. “I want to make sure that our police force is actually working with the people and that the
people feel comfortable enough to work with the police,” she said. Even with her big plans, Jones has to work to balance everything she’s involved in. “People always ask me all the time how I balance everything I do because I’m very active in
the community, but a lot of the stuff that I do is things that I am passionate about and it is fun for me,” she said. “Everything kind of ties together in my life to where I’m able to balance everything.” READ MORE AT STATENEWS.COM
Seeking Student Board Member • to fulfill term until Sept. 2018 • The State News is now accepting applications for the Board of Directors. The board establishes the policies and budget of The State News and annually selects the editor-in-chief and advertising manager. Members attend monthly meetings during the academic year and serve two-year terms. The twelve member board represents members of the MSU community and newspaper profession and consists of three professional journalists, three MSU faculty/staff members and six registered students.
“As a freshman at MSU, I am glad to be a part of an organization that touches the lives of all MSU students. Providing a unique voice and perpective is important to me.” Nama Naseem State News Board of Directors
Interested?
Apply Online at statenews.com/board Management senior Myya Jones poses for a portrait on Jan. 16 at the Union. Jones is working on her campaign to become the mayor of Detroit. She hopes to change the notion of politics being controlled by older generations. PHOTO: JON FAMUREWA
Deadline for applying is Thursday, Jan 19th Interviews will be Friday, Jan 27th T H U RS DAY, JANUARY 1 9, 201 7
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Spotlight
Miles Bridges reflects on rise from Flint with help of friends BY CONNOR CLARK CCLARK@STATENEWS.COM
Up high and down hard, freshman forward Miles Bridges has made his mark as a human highlight reel for MSU men’s basketball. Dazzling the Izzone with his signature dunks and blocks, Bridges, like many basketball players, is the product of his
environment. Growing up in Flint, Bridges had to face many aspects of adversity to become the caliber of player he is today. The team’s leading scorer at 15.3 points per game, Bridges has controlled the offensive play for MSU thus far this season. On the defensive end, Bridges collects 8.1 rebounds per game, a team high, and blocks more than 1.5 shots per game.
While Bridges receives high praise for his performance, his demeanor off the court has been nothing short of humble. Although he could fall to the classic Hollywood complex, Bridges uses his upcoming to stay true to himself. “I’ve seen what happened to other people to me personally, I don’t want to say any names, but I don’t want that to happen to
Freshman guard and forward Miles Bridges (22) reaches for the ball during the men’s basketball game against Minnesota on Jan. 11 at Breslin Center. The Spartans defeated the Golden Gophers, 65-47. PHOTO: NIC ANTAYA
me so I can learn from mistakes from other people,” Bridges said. From Flint As a young boy, Bridges grew up as a hyper kid. His mother, Cynthia Bridges, said Miles suffered from Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. She said she made Miles play basketball as a means of getting his energy out and giving him something to do with his time. Cynthia said Miles would play basketball at a local church every Saturday with the children in the neighborhood. Outside of basketball, Cynthia said Miles was falling victim as many do in the city of Flint – getting in with the wrong crowd. “He just got involved with the wrong kids, you know the kids that didn’t want to focus in on school, so we got him into basketball,” Cynthia said. “That way in order to play basketball, he had to go to his classes, get good grades, so that kept him grounded.” According to the 2010 FBI crime report when Miles was in middle school, the city of Flint had 2,412 cases of violent crimes, 53 of which were murders, the second highest 6
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in the state behind the city of Detroit. Violent crime is made up of four subcategories: murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault. In an area where the poverty level is at 41.2 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Flint had a median household income of $24,862 between 2011 and 2015, which is $30,913 lower than the national average.
“My ninth grade year I actually had to stay the night over at (my mentor’s) house most of the time because I didn’t have a ride to school.” Miles Bridges, Freshman forward
In this impoverished city, Flint held many dangerous outlets for young children to get turned down the wrong path. “My mom, she didn’t let me go
out a lot because she was protective over me,” Miles Bridges said. “If it wasn’t for my mom I probably wouldn’t be here right now. She kept me inside the house.” Battling to stay out of the wrong crowd, Bridges used basketball to shield himself from the pressure of his peers. “I didn’t want him to be a statistic in Flint,” Cynthia said. Flint Athletes for Better Education In the third grade, Bridges joined the likes of elite basketball players in Flint by joining the Amateur Athletic Union, or AAU, ranks. His AAU team, Flint Athletes for Better Education, or FABE, was started by local Flint Northwest All-Star Jeff Grayer. Grayer went on to play collegiate ball at Iowa State in 1984, where he set the all-time leading scoring record in Iowa State basketball history, netting a total of 2,502 points. In 1988, Grayer was named an All-American and earned a bronze medal for the United States in the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. On draft night, Grayer was selected as the No. 13 overall pick by the Milwaukee
Spotlight Bucks and bounced around the league for nine years before he left the game as a player to pursue coaching. As a mentor to Bridges, Grayer has seen the freshman grow up before his own eyes. Playing for him as a third grader, Grayer said Bridges began to blossom as a basketball player during his eighth grade year. “We were down by maybe eight points or so and I put him on this big kid and I told him, ‘I want you to shut him down, I don’t want him to get another rebound’ and from that point forward Miles blocked every shot the kid put up, he rebounded the ball and scored on the other end and that’s when my eyes really opened about his ability,” Grayer said. Grayer’s son, Jaire, acted as a brother to Bridges. Being a year older than Bridges, Jeff Grayer said Miles was always asking to play with the older kids. Jaire Grayer is a sophomore guard who currently plays for the George Mason University Patriots. Averaging just less than 28 minutes per game for the Patriots, Jaire Grayer is fourth on the team in scoring with 10.7 points per game. While Jeff Grayer acted as a coach, Bridges said his involvement was greater than basketball itself. “My ninth grade year I actually had to stay the night over at his house most of the time because I didn’t have a ride to school,” Bridges said. Huntington Prep As a freshman at Flint Southwestern Academy, where former MSU men’s basketball player and 2000 NCAA championship team member Charlie Bell played, Bridges averaged a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. He would add three blocks per game to his impressive start to his high school career. While Bridges was thriving as a basketball player in the Flint school system, Cynthia was worried about her son as the summer began. It was then that Cynthia and
Cameron Macko Managing editor cmacko@statenews.com
Miles made the conscious decision to have Miles play elsewhere, somewhere safer where his basketball game could be pushed to the next level. With the help of another former Flint basketball player, Bridges was on his way to Huntington Prep School in Huntington, W.Va. The former Flint basketball player, Javontae Hawkins, shares a similar but more sorrowful story than Bridges. Hawkins, a former basketball player for Powers Catholic High School in Flint, felt the cold reality of the city. In August 2007, Hawkins’ 14-year-old brother, Dairea Bradley-Hawkins, was shot and killed at a party in Flint. Three years later, another family member, 26-year-old Quantrell Jamerson, was shot and killed while he was robbed. For his last year of high school eligibility, Hawkins transferred to Huntington Prep before making his way to the collegiate level, where he has played for the University of South Florida, Eastern Kentucky University and now plays as a graduate student at Fordham University. “He was the one that basically gave the Huntington Prep coach the good word out for me,” Bridges said. “I would work out with him at the Y when I was little all the time with Jeff so he has been a big part of my life.” While Bridges was off to West Virginia to avoid the crime in Flint, Bridges said the move made him become more of a man on and off the court. “When you take a look at the education system and you look at the area in terms of jobs and opportunities that are there, the lack of education and jobs that are declining leads to mischievous things that goes on in your area,” Grayer said. “Every kid that’s here can be easily be informed in a negative way. When Miles made the decision or his mom made the decision for him to go to Huntington Prep, kind of applauded him for getting him out of here, give him a chance to explore his dream and experience some things that are
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FIELD GOALS 3-POINT FIELD GOALS 21 FREE THROWS 20 REBOUNDS 17 OFFENSIVE ASSISTS 23 BLOCKS 19
Freshman forward and guard Miles Bridges (22) and Head Coach Tom Izzo converse during the game against Ohio State University on Jan. 15, 2017 at the Jerome Schottenstein Center. The Spartans were defeated by the Buckeyes, 67-72. PHOTO: JON FAMUREWA
very positive.” Bridges, in his senior season at Huntington Prep averaged 25 points per game, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and two steals. Playing Days at MSU The eighth ranked high school player to enter college basketball according to the ESPN Top 100, Bridges was recruited by other schools including Indiana, North Carolina and Kentucky. His high school notoriety gave him the title of McDonald’s All-American and a member of the Jordan Brand Classic. While Bridges had the cream of the crop to choose from, he decided to stay close to home.
“I love the coaches (at MSU), they had a great relationship with my mom, my family ... they stayed loyal to me, even when I had Kentucky, North Carolina on my list.” Miles Bridges, Freshman forward
Izzo said. “Sometimes your top 10 or 15 players are full of themselves. He’s been as humble and hard-working and coachable a kid as I’ve had. So that’s exciting for me. Because when your best players are some of your hardest workers and your easiest to coach, that’s usually a recipe for success. I think Miles Bridges is going to be the next Flintstone that has great success at our place because of the way he’s handled everything from his recruiting on.” In his playing debut, Bridges shined for 21 points and seven rebounds in a thrilling loss to then-No. 10 Arizona in the Armed Forces Classic. “I always said if I could get a seven-footer from Florida, Texas, or California I’d probably have my name in lights because everybody thinks if you recruit from further it’s better,” Izzo said. “I
MUNN ICE ARENA HOME OF SPARTAN HOCKEY
1 CHESTNUT RD. EAST LANSING, MI, 28834 PUBLIC SKATE
“It’s just a family environment,” Bridges said. “I love the coaches, they had a great relationship with my mom, my family ... they stayed loyal to me, even when I had Kentucky, North Carolina on my list.” At media day, on his introduction to MSU men’s basketball fans, head coach Tom Izzo had high praise for his rising star. “He’s been an incredible kid,”
Thur, Sat, Sun, Mon, Tues, Wed, Thur, Fri, Sun, Mon, Tues,
Jan 19 Jan 21 Jan 22 Jan 23 Jan 24 Jan 25 Jan 26 Jan 27 Jan 29 Jan 30 Jan 31
12:30pm-2:00pm 10:15pm-11:45pm 4:30pm-6:00pm 12:30pm-2:00pm 12:30pm-2:00pm 12:30pm-2:00pm 12:30pm-2:00pm 9:00pm-10:30pm 4:30pm-6:00pm 12:30pm-2:00pm 12:30pm-2:00pm
think just the opposite. I think you have to put a fence around your state and you need to be getting a lot of the best players in your state if you’re one of the big schools in the state. I’ve always believed that the Midwest has a tougher kid. It’s not always true but I’ve believed that. I’ve always believed in putting kids near their homes where their family can come and watch them play. I believe that’s part of the family atmosphere in Miles’ and Cassius’ case.” Izzo continued to say players from the state of Michigan often reflect the nostalgic history of the state. The blue-collar mentality that players bring to the court reflect the automotive industry in Detroit and Flint. As soon as Bridges began his career as a Spartan an ankle injury sidelined him for seven games.
In his return, Bridges gave fans a long-awaited highlight, taking the lob from freshman guard Cassius Winston and throwing down the dunk with great force. “I felt great, I mean I hate sitting out, that is probably one of the worst things I’ve had to do in my life,” Bridges said. “That’s what I like to do, I like dunking the ball and getting the fans into it. I was actually surprised I got up that high because I haven’t dunked in a while.” After a defeat against Penn State, Bridges was given a little reminder from back home through a call from his mother. “My mom, she called me up after the Penn State game and said I wasn’t being aggressive,” Bridges said. “That’s why I love my mom, she is always on me like that, she just wants me to do better.” READ MORE AT STATENEWS.COM
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T H U RS DAY, JANUARY 1 9, 2 01 7
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L.A. Times Daily Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
News
Rachel Fradette Campus editor campus@statenews.com
Fake news problem spotlighted by MSU Percent of U.S. adults who say they... Shared a political news story online they later found out was made up Shared a political news story online they knew at the time was made up Did either/both of these
ACROSS
1 Car roof accessory 5 __ Romeo: sports car 9 Go Fish request 13 Cybermessage 15 Agreement to shake hands on 16 Shabbat service site 17 Hercules types 18 Jazz trumpeter Al 19 Opposite of stuffy, roomwise 20 Record-setting aviator of the 1930s 23 Started to eat, with “into” 24 Apr. is in it 25 Old nuclear agcy. 26 Sixth sense, for short 29 2007-’14 E! comedy talk show host 33 Hammerhead parts 34 “All My Children” vixen 35 Letterhead design 38 RBI and ERA 41 Sunset direction 42 King’s decree 44 Separate by percolation 46 Looney Tunes rooster with a Southern accent 51 Singer’s syllable 52 Word before a birth name 53 Modern: Ger. 54 Move it, old-style
56 First to walk on the moon 60 Letter after epsilon 62 Et __: and others 63 Down-yielding duck 64 Showy perennial 65 Half a picking-up tool 66 Cubic meter 67 Treaty 68 Concludes 69 Mgr.’s underling
DOWN
1 Detox program 2 Feeble 3 O’Neill’s “The Iceman __” 4 “As seen on TV” record co. 5 Supporter 6 Sci-fi princess 7 Fawcett who played one of Charlie’s Angels 8 Tennis Hall of Famer Gibson 9 Russian ruler until 1917 10 “Little” deception 11 Couple’s word 12 Guileful 14 Maroon, as after a shipwreck 21 Vaulted church areas 22 Stridex target 27 “Gimme a few __”: “Be right there” 28 Rear end in a fall?
30 Pleistocene period 31 __ get-out: to the utmost degree 32 BBC time traveling hero 35 Hit the road 36 You may get a whiff of one 37 Humongous 39 “Popstar!” and “Tiger Beat,” casually 40 Wise guys? 43 Novelist Morrison 45 Ladders partner in a kids’ board game 47 Empathize 48 “SNL” alum Kevin 49 Colossus island 50 Bay Area NFLers 55 Marsh denizen 57 Sunrise direction 58 Watermelon cover 59 “Lovely” Beatles ticket writer 60 Nil 61 Victorian __
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THE STATE N E WS
THURSDAY, JANUA RY 1 9, 2 01 7
16% 14% 23% SOURCE: PEW RESEARCH CENTER
BY JOHN LAVACARRE JLAVACARRE@STATENEWS.COM
The phrase “fake news” has entered the vernacular after a presidential campaign in which, according to a BuzzFeed study, Facebook engagements for fake news stories topped Facebook engagements for authentic stories during the last three months of the election. According to BuzzFeed, these fabrications included Pope Francis endorsing Donald Trump for president and the mysterious death of the FBI agent who looked into Hillary Clinton’s case. Yet President-elect Trump recently used the term “fake news” to describe CNN, a mainstream media organization that is different in structure and content from the fake news on Facebook. Assistant professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations Kjerstin Thorson, whose research centers on the role of social and digital media in politics, said there is no consensus definition of fake news. “That’s why anyone can use it, because we haven’t gone through the effort of determining what is fake news and what is not fake news,” Thorson said. “To me, I would reserve the use of the term ‘fake news’ for items that were intentionally created as false information or as misinformation. ... Of course, even good journalists are sometimes wrong. And I think the slippery slope there is for all of us to start saying that all news is wrong, or that there is nothing out there that’s true.” Facebook specifically has come under fire for the spread of fake news on its platform. According to a 2016 study by the Pew Research Center, 62 percent of American adults get news from social media and 66 percent of Facebook users use the site as a news source. Facebook has recently implemented a few potential solutions for the fake news epidemic, including attaching contradictory fact-checks to false stories, CNN reported. Yet fact-checks might have little effect on users’ preexisting biases. According to a research project Thorson completed on fact-checking on Twitter, the few influential users who follow fact-checkers are far more likely to retweet or share fact checks that confirm their political stances. And since users are also unlikely to follow or like influential users of opposing political beliefs, they are unlikely to hear about the lies of the candidate they support on their social media timelines. “Your own personal action (of sharing something), which makes a lot of sense in the moment, ends up biasing the flow of communication down the line,” Thorson said. “And that’s fairly new. Of course, people always told people the news. You were hanging out in 1970, I’d say, ‘Hey, you hear the thing about the thing?’ But now the scale is so much bigger. And I think we really need to figure out how big a problem that is, and we need to help people understand that.” Another solution Facebook has used to combat the
problem of fake news, according to CNN, is tagging blatantly false reports with a “fake” label. However, MSU psychology professor David Hambrick, who recently co-authored an article in Slate magazine about the effects of fake news, said users might remember the details of a story later on without remembering the source or any labels attached to it. “A good example of that is the Pope endorsing Donald Trump,” Hambrick said. “That was a fake story published in the non-existent Denver Guardian. If you could remember that it was fake, or that there was a label — that’s what Facebook has been talking about lately, these warnings — then in the future, when you retrieve that piece of information, you would also remember that, oh, it was labeled as a fake. Well, the research that we talk about in this article says that people forget warnings. This is contextual information of a sort that people forget. And without this contextual information, you can’t differentiate when you recall the information later, whether or not it was real.” Facebook users might also believe fake news sources because they have difficulty differentiating fake news sources from real ones. Thorson, Hambrick and MSU journalism professor of practice Amy Haimerl all cited a lack of media literacy education as one reason users might be susceptible to fake news. The Center for Media Literacy in Los Angeles advocates for greater media literacy education from both teachers and parents to improve the next generation’s ability to understand the media environment. They recommend looking at five key components of a story to analyze whether or not to believe it: authorship and understanding who wrote the story, format by understanding the way in which media stories are organized, audience through understanding the differences in interpretation between audience members, content through understanding the values the story promotes and purpose through understanding what the journalists and sources were looking to gain from contributing to the story. Center for Media Literacy president and CEO Tessa Jolls said educating young people could help prevent fake online news from becoming a long-term issue, but in the immediate future, adults must work on their media literacy. “I believe there should be a really great advertising campaign, over time, that really communicates about the core concepts and key questions, the media literacy fundamentals, a media literacy understanding, so that adults start learning,” Jolls said. “Let’s look at an issue like the environment, or like smoking. We were definitely, as a society, able to teach adults through the media, and through media messaging. And so I think the media industry, whether it’s through technology or through entertainment, whether it’s media itself, I believe they really have a social and moral responsibility to help fill some of these gaps, especially for adults.”
Features
McKenna Ross Features editor features@statenews.com
MSU Drumline members march in busy winter percussion groups BY JAIMIE BOZACK JBOZACK@STATENEWS.COM
The MSU Drumline is known for giving high-energy performances as students execute stick tricks, drum upside down and play music of all tempos. Many of the Drumline members take it one step further by participating in Winter Guard International, or WGI. WGI members devote their entire weekend to practicing the same show for five or six months. Computer science junior Jennifer Proos is one of those students who has to balance school, social life, MSU Drumline and WGI. Proos has been playing the snare drum for the MSU Drumline since her sophomore year and has been marching in WGI for six seasons. She said there are some differences between the two marching styles. “As far as MSU Drumline, you are very, very serious, especially here in this college,” Proos said. “We are very serious about what we do and you just kind of have to be a robot, but in WGI, you can really express yourself and I think that is what I like about WGI more than MSU Drumline. You can kind of create your own character and do whatever you want and just be unique.” WGI has three different ensembles: percussion, color guard and a winds section. The independent percussion groups in Michigan include NorthCoast Academy, Genesis Percussion, Great Lakes Percussion and Redline Percussion. Each group competes weekly and performs in a final competition in April. Proos is a member of Genesis Percussion, a group based in Grand Rapids. She said she drives an hour and a half to practice every weekend. “Basically, you get music and a show and you kind of have to work them into each other until you get a product that is both entertaining to watch, and it has to be musically intricate and dynamic and changing and everything like that,” Proos said. Proos said she spends hours practicing music, marching and driving each weekend. She even took time off from WGI her freshman year to focus on her studies. “It is definitely a huge commitment because your weekends are usually relaxing and catching up on school, but I am rehearsing the whole time,” Proos said. Proos has been playing music since middle school and said the hard work is worth the reward. Proos is one of the few women to have been on the MSU Drumline. “The MSU Drumline is known for being one of the best, and drumming is scientifically
“In WGI, you can really express youself and I think that is what I like about WGI more than MSU Drumline.”
harder for girls because of the whole chops thing and being able to play fast, so I’ve had to work pretty hard,” Proos said. “I figured it out, I think I am the fifth female snare drummer at MSU.” Music education sophomore Cameron Halls joined the MSU Drumline his freshman year. He plays the snare drum and is a part of the NorthCoast Academy group based out of Saginaw, Mich.
“The tempos we usually march at are above 200 beats per minute. So, it is really quick and fast paced and really aggressive style of playing.” Cameron Halls, Music education sophomore “It is pretty physically intense,” Halls said. “For this you work on the same seven and a half minute show for five or six months, so the tempos we usually march at are above 200 beats per minute. So, it is really quick and fast paced and really aggressive style of playing.” WGI is acting and theater-based and can include upwards of 50 people. Each WGI performance centers around a certain theme and combines costumes, design, theater and marching band to make a dynamic show. WGI groups have intense rehearsal schedules, Halls said. “It’s pretty much you wake up, you eat breakfast, rehearse for four or five hours, eat lunch, rehearse for four or five hours, eat dinner, rehearse for four of five more hours and then you go to sleep,” Halls said. “You wake up and do it again every weekend until pretty much the middle of April.” Biochemistry freshman Connor Riegal joined the MSU Drumline this year and plays snare drum for Redline Percussion, based in Canton, Mich. He joined WGI before coming to college to continue performing outside of school. “I’ve been doing drumline ever since high school and it’s just something I’m pretty passionate about so I wanted to continue doing it,” he said. Riegal said performing in a percussion group creates a deep bond. “My favorite thing about performing is probably how unified you have to be with a group of people,” he said. “It just brings you really close with them. Definitely that kinship aspect is my favorite part.”
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Biochemistry freshman Connor Riegal, left, demonstrates his technique for a student auditioning for a drummer position with the MSU Drumline in the future on Jan. 12 at Demonstration Hall. PHOTO: CHLOE GRIGSBY
CAMPUS CENTER CINEMAS proudly presents
January 19–22
Sully Thurs 9:00 pm 115B Wells Hall Fri 7:00 & 9:00 pm 119B Wells Hall Sat & Sun 7:00 & 9:00 pm 115B Wells Hall
Proof of payment of the fee and a photo ID must be presented. Office hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
January 26–29
Girl on a Train Thurs 9:00 pm 115B Wells Hall & Conrad Aud Fri, Sat, & Sun 7:00 & 9:15 pm 115B Wells Hall www.rha.msu.edu ccc@rha.msu.edu 517-355-8285
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Features
McKenna Ross Features editor features@statenews.com
Freshman from Zambia, with advocacy past finds, home in MSU’s James Madison BY SAMANTHA LEWAKOWSKI SLEWAKOWSKI@STATENEWS.COM
A James Madison College freshman from Zambia has found a home at MSU after dedicating most of his life to children’s rights and climate change advocacy. Luyando Katenda was involved with the UNICEF child ambassador program, spoke at a TEDx talk, was mentioned in the ”100 under 30” edition of the Young Real Leaders and co-founded a group that prides itself on being “agents of change.” “We decided to form an organization for ourselves as a way of promoting youth leadership in our country,” Katenda said. “We formed an organization called Agents of Change Foundation Zambia.” The organization uses radio as a platform for young people to use their voices. From debates to interviews, ACF teaches young Zambian people confidence and other skills. Katenda said radio is the most accessible to people and easiest to teach to others. Before MSU, Katenda attended the African Leadership Academy, or ALA, for two years.
“Because of ALA, I was exposed to (The MasterCard Foundation) scholarship,” Katenda said. He is one of the recipients of The MasterCard Foundation Scholarship. The scholarship program awards promising undergraduates and graduate students from sub-Saharan Africa full-ride scholarships to MSU. Now that he is at MSU, Katenda has been focusing on academics primarily, but he has been involved with one on-campus group. “I was also a part of what is called the African Student (Leadership) Association, which is a debate-type organization,” Katenda said. “We talk about Africa, obtaining challenges and how to solve them.” Though Katenda has not narrowed down a major, he said he suspects it’ll be international relations. “Part of the inspiration to be passionate about climate change arises from the fact that not many people know about the effects of climate change back home,” he said. Katenda said it is pivotal to put oneself in the center stage of the discussion. “People from my country, we are the most
James Madison College freshman Luyando Katenda poses for a portrait on Jan. 13 in his dorm room. Katenda is an international student from Zambia and he is one of 101 MasterCard Foundation Scholars at MSU. He said after finishing his studies he would like to work as a diplomat and one day become involved in politics. PHOTO: NIC ANTAYA
affected,” he said. “There is not enough adaptive measures to climate change.” Katenda said if there was flooding in his country, the children would not be able to go to
school and get a quality education. In the future, Katenda aspires to work as a diplomat for the United Nations or work in the public sector back in his home country.
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THE STATE N EWS
THURSDAY, JANUARY 1 9, 2 01 7
BY ROSTYSLAV STAKHURA RSTAKHURA@STATENEWS.COM
A new club is coming to MSU and its mission is to help with Flint Water Crisis relief. Advertising management senior Gabe Woodworth and journalism senior Kaitlin Petrillo created the FRESHWATERFLINT project. This club’s mission is to help out the Flint community in any way possible. The motivation behind the creation of FRESHWATERFLINT stemmed from the everyday tasks Woodworth compared and contrasted with the people of Flint. “We have so many amenities here that we take for granted—fresh water, fresh food,” Woodworth said. “I can literally run my shower all day at Hannah Lofts and everything will be fine, but in Flint you can’t even take a five-minute shower and that’s just not fair to me.” According a study by Virginia Tech University, the Flint River water was found to be 19 times more corrosive than water from Detroit. Though the club is just starting, the members said they already have a clear goal in mind. “Right now, we’re just trying to better understand what our efforts and money and donations can go to and what will make the biggest impact,” Petrillo said. Besides money, Petrillo and Woodworth believe there are other ways people can help Flint. “Awareness is the biggest thing,” Woodworth said. “It’s going to be a temporary fix because we can’t go in and fix their pipes, but if we can (we’ll) at least make a difference in a small por-
tion of Flint by helping them out with food and water and let them know people care.” The club believes awareness can be spread easily, especially on a large campus like MSU. “We have so many people on campus that it’s a perfect opportunity to raise money,” Woodworth said. “Even if everyone donates a small amount that will add up to something bigger.” Petrillo and Woodworth have also set up a GoFundMe page that is dedicated to raising money for Flint. Their goal is to raise at least $2,000 by the end of the semester. “Short term, we’re just raising money right now and chatting with people to see where things should go and what the money should go towards and what is the biggest impact this money we’re raising will have,” Petrillo said. “We’re going to try (and) wrap up the GoFundMe by the end of the semester at latest. In the meantime, we are going to host events.” The events will begin around campus buildings but then will spread all around the East Lansing area. Woodworth said they will have a variety of tables set up in each location to attract people to their cause. “First thing is we’re going to set up a table in Wells (Hall),” he said. “We’re going to try and get a bunch of stuff together like t-shirts, pins, stickers, things like that ... We’re going to try to raise awareness that way because so many people walk through Wells every day. We’re going to try to set up events at Hannah Lofts or one of the bars to bring people together. You can either get in by bringing a food donation or $5.”
Sports
Souichi Terada Sports editor sports@statenews.com
Gymnastics, wrestling and tennis headline spring semester sports BY DENISE SPANN DSPANN@STATENEWS.COM
The beginning of a new semester at MSU means a whole new slate of sports will be in action during the spring 2017 semester. Volleyball, ice hockey and football dominated the fall, but in 2017, other non-revenue sports will have its season underway. Gymnastics, tennis, track and field, wrestling and swimming and diving will all be competing throughout the rest of the year. Here are some key highlights of each sports’ respective season thus far. GYMNASTICS
The Spartan gymnasts had their season-opener on Jan. 6 against University of Illinois-Chicago, where they won the dual meet, 194.175-191.475. Redshirt-senior Nicola Deans and junior Hailee Westney carried their team that night by winning the individual bars and vault competition. Deans competed in all four events that night and placed second in the All-Around competition. On Jan. 13, the team traveled to Iowa and lost 195.475-193.875. However, Deans tied with a competitor for the all-around competition, Westney took first in the bars and senior Kira Frederick took home the floor. The dual meets against Illinois and Iowa have
UPCOMING MSU SPORTING EVENTS Friday Jan. 20
Swimming and Diving vs. Ohio State University
Friday Jan. 20
Men’s Ice Hockey at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Mich
Friday Jan. 20
Women’s Gymnastics vs. University of Minnesota
Friday Jan. 20
Wrestling vs. No. 16 Central Michigan University
Friday Jan. 20
Men’s Tennis at University of Memphis-Memphis, Tenn.
Friday Jan. 20
Track vs. Notre Dame, U-M, Purdue, Louisville -South Bend, Ind.
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been the Spartans’ two chances to compete thus far this season to the tune of a 1-1 record. Next up, the Spartans will be competing against Minnesota at home as part of the Big Ten conference play. The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Jan. 20 at Jenison Field House as part of the now-annual Tumbles and Takedowns event. WRESTLING
This season, the MSU wrestling team started late November with conference play already underway. The wrestling team has been struggling in Big Ten matches, falling to a 1-4 record. The Spartans recently got their first win against the University of Maryland, 19-17, on Jan. 15. Redshirt-junior Javier Gasca and redshirt-freshman Logan Griffin led the team to its victory. Gasca had his sixth fall of the season and bonus victory No. 12, which improved him to a 19-5 record this season. He’s won seven of the last 10 matches. p.m.
6:30 p.m.
7 p.m.
TBA 7 p.m.
7 p.m.
All day
Friday Jan. 20
Swimming and Diving vs. Ohio State UniversityOakland-Rochester, Mich.
Friday Jan. 20
Men’s Ice Hockey vs. University of Michigan
Friday Jan. 20
Wrestling vs. Central Michigan UniversityClarion-Clarion, Pa
Saturday Jan. 21
Men’s Basketball at Indiana University-Bloomington, Ind.
4 p.m.
Sunday Jan. 22
Women’s Tennis vs. Eastern Michigan University
10 a.m.
Sunday Jan. 22
Women’s Tennis vs. Cleveland State University
Sunday Jan. 22
Women’s Basketball vs. Purdue University
5 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
7 p.m.
2 p.m.
5 p.m.
On the other side of the Tumbles and Takedowns event, the wrestling team will host Central Michigan University on Jan. 20. MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS
On the men’s side, the tennis team opened up its season sweeping Wright State University, 7-0, then downing Xavier University, 5-2. Sophomore Billy Shisler and freshman Doug Francken won their matches in doubles against Wright State, 6-2. Junior Jasper Koenen played No. 1 singles and won, 6-4, 6-2. Even though the men’s side has already had its first match of 2017, the women’s team doesn’t compete until Jan. 22 against Eastern Michigan University and Cleveland State. The men’s tennis team will continue its season Jan. 20 against Memphis. Spring semester sports like gymnastics and wrestling won’t stop competing until mid-March, but some can go as far as June or July, like baseball. Every sport highlighted besides women’s tennis will be in action this Friday.
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RETAIL SALES Clerk Delphi Glass p/t weekends. Apply @ 3380 E. Jolly Rd. 394-4685 or roy@delphiglass.com. SIR PIZZA Kitchen staff and Delivery drivers needed for new location opening at 2650 E. Grand River Rd., EL. FT and PT work. Call to schedule an interview b/tw 8 am – 8 pm Mon-Sat - (517) 290-4403. WANTED PIANIST or acoustic guitar worship leader, paid position, contact Joe at 517455-7094, Christ the King Church WORK ON Mackinac Island This Summer - Make lifelong friends. The Island House Hotel and Ryba’s Fudge Shops are seeking help in all areas: Front Desk, Bell Staff, Wait Staff, Sales Clerks, Kitchen, Baristas. Dorm Housing, bonus, and discounted meals. (906) 8477196. www.theislandhouse. com
ABOVE TACO Bell, only 2 apts left including huge 2 bdrm/2 story loft! Furnished, parking & right downtown. Lic for 2. Leasing specials thru end of Jan. Contact cronmgt.com or 351-1177 for more info or tour. LIVE BEHIND Dublin with half off rent for summer! Contemporary 2 & 4 bedrms lic for up to 4, includes parking. Leasing specials thru end of Jan. Contact cronmgt.com or 351-1177 for more info or tour.
Houses/Rent 269 HAGADORN lic 4; Lrg 4bdrm/1600, W/D, parking. 312-550-6745 eclausen@ hotmail.com 606 SPARTAN ave. lic. for 5. 5 Bed 2 Bath. W/D included Avail. Aug. 2017. Call 989.798.3907.
T H U RS DAY, JANUARY 1 9, 2 01 7
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Textbooks COLLEGEVILLE TEXTBOOK Co. is your source for used textbooks! 321 E. Grand River 517-922-0013
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T H E STATE N E WS
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Sports
Souichi Terada Sports editor sports@statenews.com
MSU women’s club hockey sends two Spartans to U.S. national team BY COLTON WOOD CWOOD@STATENEWS.COM
When the American Collegiate Hockey Association represents the United States at the 28th Winter World University Games in Almaty, Kazakhstan later this month, MSU will have two players on the roster. The two Spartans are Kelsey Jaeckle and Maddie Wolsmann, who were selected to the national team. “It’s a great feeling,” freshman forward Wolsmann said. “My teammates have been behind me the whole time, always pushing me to get better, so it’s a great feeling.” In the Spartans’ 13 ACHA games this season, Wolsmann leads the team in goals with 16. Overall, she has 19 goals and 10 assists in 17 total games, including exhibition matchups. “It’s definitely a different feeling,” Wolsmann said of being the team’s leading scorer as a freshman. “I’ve never been on a team where I was the new person coming in (and the) star, but the team has really supported me. They want me to score, want to help the team. The whole team just wants to win.” MSU head coach Rob Blackburn said he has been thoroughly impressed by Wolsmann’s play so far this season. “It’s fantastic to have a freshman come in and start leading the team,” Blackburn said. “She’s on the ice, off the ice and she’s one of those unique players that as a freshman coming in and being able to play as a team player, I don’t have to worry about her passing to her teammates and then looking for return passes and things like that. So it’s terrific, and that’s one
of the reasons why she made the USA team.” Blackburn, in his second season at MSU, said Wolsmann’s performance and ability to adapt to change is highly complimentary of her work ethic. “She works hard all the time, and she came from a Minnesota high school program,” Blackburn said. “Minnesota high school is excellent hockey. They’re like our AAA in Michigan. And then, coming in here, we change the way that I run things a little bit different than she was used to. It took her a little bit of an adjustment, but she’s one of the top 10 in the league and country as a freshman. So, it’s terrific to have that and I’m looking forward to her development as a leader on this team going forward.” Sophomore Jaeckle said being selected to represent the United States at the World Games hasn’t really set in yet. “It’s cool to represent my country,” Jaeckle said. “I feel like right now I don’t feel anything, but once I’m there for the opening ceremony it’s going to feel really good.” After transferring to MSU after her freshman season, Jaeckle has a total of four goals and five assists in the Spartans’ 13 ACHA games. “It’s also another great thing to have a player with her experience too, because she played AAA with HoneyBaked (Hockey Club) program in Michigan,” Blackburn said of Kelsey. “(She) took a year off because she went to a different college and then transferred here to State as a sophomore, so this is her first year with our program. So she’s coming in having to learn all the systems and everything as well, but she’s picked everything up.”
Sophomore forward Kelsey Jaeckle looks to pass the puck to her teammate during practice on Jan. 12 at Munn Ice Arena. Jaeckle is playing as a defenseman on the USA Team for the World University Games in Kazakhstan later this month. PHOTO: SUNDEEP DHANJAL
Freshman forward Madeline Wolsmann defends the puck as her teammate freshman forward Lauren Larson, behind, attempts to defend her during practice on Jan. 12 at Munn Ice Arena. Wolsmann is headed to Kazakhstan to play for the USA Team for the World University Games later this month. PHOTO: SUNDEEP DHANJAL
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The 5-foot-4 sophomore from St. Clair Shores, Mich. plays forward for the Spartans, but was named to the national team as a defenseman. “It’s kind of different (making it as a defenseman),” Jaeckle said. “Everyone is shocked almost, but I feel good about it.” Jaeckle said the transition to defense was difficult. “It was really, really hard,” Jaeckle said. “I didn’t think I was going to make it because I was like, ‘OK, I haven’t played defense in a good three years.’ I think it’s cool though that I actually proved a few people wrong. It was nice.” Jaeckle feels the experience she will have when she is in Kazakhstan will be something she can take back to East Lansing. “I think (being selected to represent the United States) is very humbling and I think it kind of made me feel (good) because I’m someone that always doubts myself,” Jaeckle said. “From this experience, I’m more confident and I think going there and playing other countries will help me with my confidence especially here because I’m also younger than most of them. “And it’s just like before, I always told myself, even with school, I’m not a very confident person, and since I actually made the team, I think this is going to help me as a person with people and being more confident and not being as afraid.”
Because of the timing of the tournament, both Wolsmann and Jaeckle will miss three of the Spartans’ regular season games. “It’s tough when you lose them for a couple games,” Blackburn said. “We lose them for three games, so we’ve got to have everybody else stepping up. But the experience that they’re going to have and playing with great players from around the country, they will never forget it. It’ll be something they will cherish no matter how they do over there.” Blackburn added he believes both of his skaters are going to perform well in Kazakhstan. “I was assistant coach on one of the USA teams that went to the World Games in 2013, so I’ve watched a number of players and know that these two players are going to do great for the USA team,” Blackburn said. The tournament will be played from Jan. 29 to Feb. 8 at Halyk Arena.
“I’ve watched a number of players and know that these two players are going to do great for the USA team.” Rob Blackburn, Head coach of MSU women’s hockey