Eddie Smith and the Washington Huskies are new to the Big Ten and a lot of things are going to be different in the Big Ten baseball scene versus what Washington Husky baseball fans are typically used to from the Pac-12.
To be completely frank, this conference just doesn’t seem to care as much about baseball as some other conferences do. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t longtime, successful programs that have rich histories with proud traditions, coaches, alumni, and players.
The Michigan State Spartans have been playing baseball for quite some time and while they aren’t exactly a true college baseball powerhouse, there is some interesting history there with this program and a longtime coach who seems to be synonymous with the program these days.
Let’s do a quick rundown on what Washington baseball fans need to know about the Michigan State Spartans as we get closer and closer to the start of the 2025 college baseball season.
Michigan State Spartans baseball historical overview
It really seems like much of Michigan State’s success on the baseball diamond came early on in the history of the program. That’s not to say that they haven’t been able to win in recent years, but postseason play and conference championships seem rare for the team over the past couple decades.
Here’s a quick summary of all the things that Michigan State has accomplished over the 140 something years that they’ve been playing baseball in East Lansing:
- 5 NCAA Tournament appearances (1954, 1971, 1978, 1979, 2012)
- 1 College World Series appearance (1954)
- 4 Big Ten regular season championships (1954, 1971, 1979, 2011)
- 5 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association titles (1888, 1889, 1893, 1894, 1902)
Who is the current head coach of the Michigan State Spartans?
Jake Boss Jr. (great name, by the way, especially for the head coach of a college baseball program), is heading into his 17th season of leading the Michigan State Spartans. During his time in East Lansing, Boss has racked up a record of 440-381, including a Big Ten regular season title and an NCAA tournament appearance.
Where do the Michigan State Spartans play?
McLane Baseball Stadium at John H. Kobs Field in East Lansing, Michigan (what an absolute mouthful to try and say, go ahead and try to say that five times fast, folks) is where the Michigan State Spartans baseball team calls home. The venue holds 4,000 fans.
When will the Washington Huskies face Michigan State baseball in 2025?
They probably won’t. It just won’t happen during the regular season unless something weird happens with the scheduling. And with the way that Michigan State hasn’t had much postseason success, it’s hard to imagine the two meeting up after the regular season wraps up this year.