Michigan State AD Mark Hollis: 'It all starts with people, not dollars'
You know about the Big Ten championship, the Rose Bowl victory and the No. 3 national finish for Michigan State football, by far the Spartans' best season in a quarter century. You also remember the run to the Elite Eight for Michigan State's men's basketball team, coming just a couple jumpers shy of yet another Final Four berth under Tom Izzo.
But you may not know about the Big Ten championship in field hockey won in November, or the conference title and NCAA sixth-place finish in women's cross country won that same month. What about the Elite Eight trip for men's soccer in December, the third women's golf Big Ten title in four years, or the co-Big Ten championship in women's basketball?
It was a good year for Michigan State athletics, one of the best in recent memory.
“It all starts with people, not dollars,” Michigan State athletics director Mark Hollis told the Detroit Free-Press. “We’re blessed to have great coaches and student-athletes who care about the program and come to Michigan State for the right reasons.”
Of course, Michigan State's budget ranks among the 99.9th percentile in all of college athletics. It's easy to say success isn't about money when you aren't hurting for money, right? Comparatively, Michigan State is a middle-class Power Five program. The Spartans' 2013 revenues ranked 17th nationally and sixth in the 12-team Big Ten.
Michigan State isn't getting this done by out-spending people. People, not dollars.
“This past year’s been a very successful year. But like you hear so many times, keeping it there is a bigger challenge than getting there,” added Hollis. “While there’s many reasons to celebrate, I think there’s as many reasons to be excited for what’s around the corner.”
