Saturday was a perfect day for football. That’s right – football. The Michigan Tech Huskies wrapped up their spring practice season with the annual spring Black-White intrasquad game in front of a respectable crowd at Sherman Field. Two combined points had decided the previous two years’ games, but this year was a “blowout” in comparison, as the white team “ran away with the game,” 17-7.

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It has been a long off season for the Michigan Tech Huskies Football program.  The past few weeks the Huskies have been practicing the last few weeks every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Also every Saturday the Huskies have had a scrimmage on Sherman Field.  It has all accumulated to today’s annual Spring Intrasquad contest.  Check out the live blog below for coverage of this contest.

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The Huskies’ 38-26 loss to the Northwood Timberwolves in Saturday’s season finale at Sherman Field pretty well sums up a disappointing season for Michigan Tech. The Huskies have battled injuries, poor special teams play and costly turnovers all season. Those factors, along with the Huskies inability to stop the run, prevented Michigan Tech (2-8, 2-8 GLIAC) from beating Northwood (7-3, 7-3 GLIAC) on Saturday.

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Even though the 2009 Huskies football season has been disappointing from a win-loss perspective, and even though Saturday’s game does not carry with it any playoff implications, Michigan Tech (2-7, 2-7 GLIAC) will have plenty of motivation when they take the field against Northwood (6-3, 6-3 GLIAC) in the final game of the year. The Huskies will be seeking their first home victory of the year. They will be looking to earn their first winning streak of the year, after last week’s 21-14 win over Tiffin. The seven new Michigan Tech Hall of Fame inductees will be on hand to watch the game. And, thirteen senior Huskies will play their final game as a Husky.

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Nobody would have blamed the football Huskies, who have faced more than enough adversity so far this year, for giving up after falling behind 28-0 in what could only be described as a dreadful first quarter on Saturday afternoon at Sherman Field. Rather than take the easy way out, though, Michigan Tech showed their resiliency, outscoring the visiting Saginaw Valley State Cardinals 28-10 the rest of the way. The valiant comeback may have prevented the 1,522 fans from leaving, but it was too little too late once again for the Huskies, as they lost their seventh game of the season by a 38-28 count.

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Despite having a 1-6 record, the Huskies football team can still salvage a respectable record and gain momentum heading into next season by winning its final three games. “We’re not looking ahead to next season yet, though,” said head coach Tom Kearly. “We’re still just trying to win the ball game this week.”

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Heading into Saturday’s game with a 1-5 record, the Huskies have found just about every way to lose this year: losing by a combined eight points in the first two games, running into a Northern Michigan team that may be the GLIAC surprise of the year, facing the then-No. 1 Grand Valley State Lakers, falling in a snowy weather game while battling countless injuries and some debatable penalties. This Saturday, they discovered a new way: turning the ball over. Michigan Tech fell to Indianapolis 38-20, as the Greyhounds scored 20 points off of five Huskies turnovers.

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Last week, Michigan Tech announced the addition of women’s soccer to its varsity athletic program. The addition, which is the first since Nordic skiing was added in 1989-90, will balance the number of men’s and women’s teams at seven apiece. The team will begin intercollegiate competition next fall as a member of the GLIAC. Long-time Michigan Tech donor Pat Nelson is funding all of the start-up costs, including equipment, locker room renovations and first-year coaching salaries.
“This is a great step for the University and the athletic department,” said Tech athletic director Suzanne Sanregret in last week’s Michigan Tech article. “It has been one of my goals since becoming athletic director to add women’s soccer. It’s an up-and-coming sport and a natural fit in the GLIAC.”
This year there are only eight women’s soccer programs in the GLIAC, but with the addition of Michigan Tech and the two upcoming GLIAC expansion schools – Lake Erie and Ohio Dominican – 11 of the 14 GLIAC schools will field a women’s soccer team next year.
Next year’s schedule is yet to be determined, but there will be around 15 GLIAC games with about half of them taking place at home on Sherman Field, which was set up for soccer during last year’s synthetic turf installation. Conflicts with football will be rare given that soccer games are generally played on Friday and Sunday, with practices taking place on both turf and grass, depending on the field surface of the upcoming game(s). There will be a few non-conference games as well. Games will start no earlier than August 26, and the postseason GLIAC tournament, which is played in early November, will be run much like basketball and volleyball, involving quarterfinals, semifinals and a final, with the highest seed hosting at their campus site.
The reaction across campus has been positive as well, particularly among the current women’s soccer club team, which faces an uncertain future in light of the addition as a varsity sport.
“With all of the press the addition of the women’s varsity soccer team received, it would be impossible to say that new interests have not been sparked,” said Kelsy Ryskamp, women’s soccer club president. “The women’s club soccer team often has trouble getting their name out to gain participation – now that the varsity team has been announced publically, I feel as though a lot of women will be anxious to be a part of this brand new program… I hope the club team will stay around because it is a great way for whoever wishes to be involved in soccer at Michigan Tech.”
“I hope they do very well, and I’m very sad I can’t be a part of it since I’m graduating,” said Michelle Murphy, who has been a member of the women’s soccer club for five years. “I’m very interested in who the coach will be and what ideas they have to bring to the table to build up a very strong team that can compete right away in our conference.”
Michigan Tech will officially post the head coaching job in late October or early November, with plans to bring in the coach and start implementing the program starting Jan. 1, 2010.
Stay tuned to the Michigan Tech Lode, both in print and online at mtulode.com for continuing coverage of this new varsity addition.

This year, Michigan Tech students participating in the annual Homecoming Week events will notice some changes. However, Homecoming veterans will also see a return of many campus traditions.
This past Monday, students were able to take advantage of a free root beer giveaway between classes. Members of IRHC staffed a table by the main entrance of the MUB and the north entrance of Fisher Hall from 11am to 1pm and handed out 2,500 mugs of root beer to Husky students. Ten kegs of root beer were served.
One of the goals when planning the Homecoming Week events this year was to allow more students to participate in the activities. One of the biggest changes students will see this year is a rerouting of the Homecoming parade. Instead of starting at the west end of downtown Houghton and heading toward campus, the parade will start at the west end of campus in Lot 27, travel up Hubbell Road and then turn on to main campus. The parade will end at the Rozsa Center. Also this year, the Homecoming challenges will be located at Prince’s Point instead of the Walker Lawn as they were last year.
Students will notice a change in theme of Homecoming Week this year. The “hobo” theme that has been a cornerstone of Homecoming Week during previous years has now been eliminated in an effort to be more politically correct. According to the Michigan Tech Homecoming Week Web site, students “can still dress in Hobo clothes or destroy vehicles for the parade if they so choose. We are encouraging students to support [Michigan] Tech Athletics since there are [three Michigan] Tech hockey games and a football game during Homecoming week this year.”
Another change that students will notice this year is the disappearance of the traditional Homecoming banners. This activity has been replaced with window paintings located in the Rozsa Center lobby. Various student groups, residence halls, and Greek organizations completed the paintings last Sunday. The paintings will be on display throughout Homecoming Week. Students were able to vote for their favorite painting on the Homecoming Week website. Results of the window painting contest as well as the viewer’s choice vote will be announced during half time of the Homecoming football game on October 10.
One of the most exciting and unique Homecoming Week events, the cardboard boat races, will still be held this year. Students will be able to watch their fellow Huskies brave the frigid water in Portage Lake at Hancock Beach on Friday night at 5:30pm. For directions to Hancock Beach, visit www.homecoming.mtu.edu
Michigan Tech students will also be able to cheer on the hockey team Friday night as they take on rival Northern Michigan University. The game is scheduled for 7:07pm at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena.
The Homecoming football game will be held Saturday afternoon at 1:00pm at Sherman Field. Michigan Tech will be playing the Findlay Ohio Oilers. The 2009 Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned and winners from the week’s events will be announced at halftime.
For a full list of Homecoming Week activites, see the list on page A2 or visit homecoming.mtu.edu for more information.

With an 0-3 record, the Huskies football season is not turning out how many fans expected. That does not mean all is for naught. “You learn a lot about the character and resolve of your football team during these times,” said Head Coach Tom Kearly. “We certainly have to improve as a football team, and we need to fix a few things…We realize that it’s about working hard each and every day. We can only focus on the game in front of us.”
There is plenty to focus on given that Michigan Tech’s next opponent is Grand Valley State, the No. 1 team in the country, and a team that beat Michigan Tech 52-6 last year. To make matters worse, the Huskies will be without their starting quarterback Steve Short and running back Phil Milbrath, who have accounted for 923 of the team’s 1,133 total offensive yards. The team is unable to release specifics, but Kearly said, “Both are significant injuries. We will have to adjust our depth chart.” Short’s injury is to his left knee and Milbrath’s to his right ankle.
Short said, “I’m just taking it day by day with the trainers, rehabbing to get out on the field.” Milbrath said, “I just have an ankle injury. It is getting better every day. I thought that it was just a rolled ankle, so I figured I could just get it taped up and ready to go.” That is clearly not the case, as both players could miss significant playing time. Stay tuned to the Lode for continuing coverage.
Brent Heim will start under center for the Huskies. He was 7 for 13 with 107 yards and a touchdown against Northern Michigan after taking over for the injured Short. Kearly said, “Heim is good on his feet and is a good passer. He’s practiced well. The big thing with him is repetitions – he doesn’t have a lot of game experience.” Grand Valley and their overall team speed, which Kearly speaks highly of, will certainly give Heim a challenge. According to Kearly, the team will be fine at tailback, with Marvin Atkins and Akeem Cason providing solid depth.
Three-year starting quarterback Brad Iciek leads Grand Valley State’s high-powered offense, which has tallied 29.5 points per game.
“Our goals are to just bounce back and make the rest of the season perfect. If things went our way, it is possible [to make the playoffs],” said Milbrath. “Beating the No. 1 team would be a huge step. It would give us the confidence that we need.”
Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. at Sherman Field. It will be the first-ever night game for the Huskies at Michigan Tech. Check out www.mtulode.com for a live blog of the game, and for a game recap shortly following the conclusion of the game.