Michigan State said its athletic teams will compete this weekend, days after a gunman killed three students and wounded five others in an on-campus shooting.
Among the events that will take place Saturday are the women’s basketball team hosting Maryland and the men’s basketball team playing at in-state rival Michigan.
The university said in a release that the decision to resume play was made after discussions with players and staff as well as mental health professionals and university leadership.
“The safety and physical and mental well-being of our students and staff is the primary focus of Michigan State athletics,” Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller said in a statement. “In consultation with mental health professionals and in conversations with our student-athletes it became apparent that a return to practice and competition is a crucial part of their recovery. Student-athletes were given an active voice in the decision to return to competition, as well as the autonomy to make their own individual choices about participation.
“Athletics can be a rallying point for a community in need of healing, a fact many of our student-athletes have mentioned to me. The opportunity to represent our entire community has never felt greater.”
The shooting happened Monday during evening classes at Berkey Hall and nearby at the MSU Union, a social hub where students can study, eat and relax. Students across the campus were ordered to shelter in place for four hours — “run, hide, fight” if necessary — while police hunted for the shooter. Students described breaking windows and taking other desperate steps to escape Berkey Hall, which will stay closed through the spring term.
The shooter, 43-year-old Anthony McRae, killed himself Monday night after being confronted by police.
A Wednesday night vigil on campus drew thousands of students and was attended by Spartans men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo, whose son Steven plays for Michigan State.
“Our hearts are heavy. Our loss has been great. Our lives have been permanently changed,” Tom Izzo said. “But with a shared commitment to help each other and a promise to remember those we have lost, we will learn to find joy once again.”
Among the Michigan State squads set to play this weekend are the hockey, softball, baseball and women’s golf teams. The Spartans men’s tennis team will host Drake on Saturday in a matchup that was postponed from Wednesday.
One of the five injured students has been upgraded to stable condition at Sparrow Hospital. The others remained in critical condition.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
