Spartan Spotlight

Michigan State Athletics is comprised of amazing student-athletes, each with their own unique story to tell. Over the next several weeks, we will bring you many of these stories, which originally aired as part of Spartans All-Access.

Be sure to check this site often to watch additional features as they are posted.

Asya Reynolds | Track & Field

Asya Reynolds' curiosity is what led her to take the first step on her incredible track journey. Asya and her sister had gone to the track when she saw some kids around her age training with a coach. Not knowing what was happening, she approached the group to ask what they were doing. They were so impressed with her ability that they asked her to join, thereby starting her track career. Asya would go on to win her first state title as a sophomore and soon realized that she could earn a college scholarship if she really focused. No one in her family had ever been to college, so Asya views herself as a role model for her siblings. Asya's journey brought her to MSU where she feels that everyone cares for her. As a Spartan, she became the first ever All-American in the heptathlon at MSU. Described as someone who is always full of life, Asya says what brings her joy is helping other people, something she did through the year while interning at an elementary school in Lansing.

"You have to work hard in some area of your life to get to where you want to be. I just want people to know that you can work your butt off to get to where you want to be. You just have to put in the work – you can't be lazy." – Asya Reynolds

Anthony Pero | Men's Tennis

After his tennis match is over, Michigan State sophomore Anthony Pero makes sure to say a warm hello toward the live streaming cameras on the court. He's not saying hello to just any fans watching, but to three special people signed on from Germany.

It's his family, living in Cologne. The Pero family is originally from Allen Park, Michigan, but has been overseas since Anthony was 14. His father Tony, who works for Ford Motor Co., accepted an assignment in England, and a year later, was relocated to Germany.

Pero has adjusted to life back in the United States thanks to his supportive teammates and coaches.

Hear and see about Pero's unique opportunity to live abroad and his journey to MSU in the latest installment of "Spartan Spotlight."

"The more vulnerable you are, the more you bond, which makes us so close. Without that closeness I'd be missing my family so much more." – Anthony Pero

Julius Marble | Men's Basketball

Julius Marble made his official visit to Michigan State for the 2019 men's basketball regular-season finale against Michigan. The next day he committed to head coach Tom Izzo. Julius comes from a close knit family in Dallas, Texas, where he attended the same high school as pro golfer Jordan Spieth, Dallas Jesuit. The decision to leave Texas and attend Michigan State meant that not only would Julius be out on his own for the first time, but that he'd be doing it more than half a country away. Described by his high school coach as the right combination of confidence and humility, Julius sat down with Spartans All-Access last May prior to leaving Texas to discuss how he anticipated handling the transition to college. He then followed up with another interview in mid-December to provide an update on how he actually was adjusting to being a part of one of the nation's premier basketball programs.

"We're always looking for 'Our Kinda Guys' – OKGs we call them. Julius Marble is our kinda guy. He's bright, he's tough, he works, he cares." – Tom Izzo

India Johnson | Cross Country and Track & Field
In early February, India Johnson traveled to New York for New York Fashion Week, the pinnacle for aspiring designers, although her journey was far from ordinary. India arrived at Michigan State as a talented distance runner with high expectations, but struggles with the adjustment to college and a broken foot sidelined her freshman season and left her contemplating a transfer. It forced her to evaluate why she was doing what she was doing and what she wanted to do later in life. In the end, India realized she had chosen MSU because of the people she met who treated her like family – especially her teammates. The evaluation process also led her to switch majors to the Apparel and Textiles program. An opportunity then arose through Michigan State's licensing agency, Collegiate Licensing Company, where India could enter a competition to attend NYFW. The competition required creating a design centered around how the Michigan State brand spoke to the designer. India won the contest with her entry of a running uniform made of deconstructed tennis shoes from her teammates. It was only appropriate that the same teammates who helped her decide to stay at Michigan State, also helped India pursue her dreams in fashion.

"Without even realizing that I did it, I had made a garment that literally represented my teammates and represented my time here through their actual garments. My story was about why I stayed here, and the hardships that I had, and that was because of my teammates and because of the friendships and the relationships I had made along the way." – India Johnson

Michaela Kovacs | Women's Soccer
From the outside, it would seem that Michaela "Mouse" Kovacs had everything going her way as a prep soccer star – she was extremely talented on the field and was popular among her classmates. Intellectually, she knew she had many friends and people who loved her, but that's not how she felt. Those feelings intensified with the transition to Michigan State. On the field, her focus was on soccer, but off it, all the adjustments that come with being a college freshman piled up on her, and Michaela could feel herself "close up" with a negative outlook on everything. As her mom explains, Michaela couldn't see everything she had going for her in life and continued to spiral until she hit rock bottom. Her mom contacted the soccer staff and opened a line of communication in which Michaela was brave enough to reach out and ask for help, allowing everyone around her to support her. Sometimes the answers don't always come immediately, but the support is in place to help Michaela know she is loved. By showing vulnerability, Michaela has shown strength and become a role model and a source of encouragement for others dealing with depression.

"As a student-athlete, we have such a voice, why not talk about it. I'm comfortable. I want to talk about it for other people that are feeling it. It's not a weakness – you can still be strong. You can still do whatever you want to do. Even though it feels like a blanket of weight on you, it shouldn't hold you back. You don't have to stay weighed down." – Michaela Kovacs

Allyson Geer-Park | Women's Golf
Allyson Geer-Park picked up a golf club for the first time at four years old, and by age six she was telling her father that one day she would hit the ball further than him. She loved the competitiveness of the game, as it fed her energy. But golf has a way of humbling everyone, and in her first big event with the best juniors in the world, Allyson missed the cut. That's when her competitiveness kicked in and she returned the following year to win the same tournament. After committing to Michigan State prior to her ninth grade year, Allyson made the decision to enroll a semester early, joining the Spartans in spring 2017. Having been homeschooled, this was the first time Allyson had been part of a team. The success was immediate as she was part of the 2017 Big Ten Championship team, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in the process. It was a great start to a Spartan career that also included playing in the first ever Augusta National Women's Amateur in 2019, being one of just 72 players in the world who were invited to play.

"The thing I've always done is try to always just stay true to who I am and allow myself to change and allow myself to evolve - however long that takes me or how short of time that takes me … The unconventional part of my life is just another part of what makes me uniquely who I am." - Allyson Geer-Park

Scott Piper | Swimming- Scott Piper has always felt at home in the water. From a young age, swimming was an activity that allowed Scott to be competitive and social. Eventually, the sport led Scott to Michigan State, as it was the place that offered everything he was looking for: athletics, academics and a team atmosphere. In East Lansing, Scott has developed into a well-rounded student-athlete – driven to succeed in the classroom, in the pool and taking joy in the success of his teammates. He's constantly looking for ways to make a difference and an impact on campus and within his team. More impressively, he's been able to do that while never sacrificing his academic success (Academic All-American) or his athletic accomplishments (qualifying for the Olympic Trials).

"As an athlete at Michigan State, I think it's a really cool opportunity to have a platform where people are going to notice you. You have a voice, so just being able to use that platform and give back and realize the opportunity that we've been given to support those around you. As you keep climbing higher and reach higher levels of success to make sure that everyone else is coming with you and to lift others up." – Scott Piper

Darrell Stewart Jr. | Football - Darrell Stewart Jr. is no stranger to adversity. In 2010, he and his family suffered tragedy when his father, a man Darrell described as his best friend, passed away in an accident. It left a middle school-aged Darrell angry at the world, and not wanting to play football anymore. But with the passing of time and the support of family, friends and coaches, Darrell recommitted himself to football as a way to help his family. It was his way of attacking adversity. Football brought him to Michigan State, but he never forgot his roots. And when Hurricane Harvey struck Houston in September 2017, Darrell gathered a group of teammates to return on their bye week and assist in the area's recovery efforts. He has no doubts that his father would be proud of the man he's become.

"I always think about that – like what my dad would think. Definitely happy – he definitely would be. He'd definitely tell me that he's here with me. I know he'd tell me he loves me … I just know he'd be proud of me just be so happy of the things I've accomplished. " – Darrell Stewart Jr.

Cole and Christian Krygier | Hockey - Cole and Christian Krygier have been together since birth. As fraternal twins, their first real separation came when they were placed in different second grade classrooms – although that proved to be the exception rather than the rule. Although their father Todd was involved in hockey, the sport wasn't forced on the youngest two of five children in the Krygier household. Still, Cole and Christian developed a natural passion for the game. Growing up, they were always on the same team, including when they moved to Nebraska to play junior hockey for the Lincoln Stars, where the two defensemen were paired together. They knew they wanted to play college hockey together, and they found their home at Michigan State. As Spartans, the best friends continue to hold one another accountable. Knowing that there will eventually be a time where their journeys will lead them down different paths, the twins are soaking in these moments of a shared journey.

"When you step off that ice I want you to be a high quality, good person. But when it comes time to playing hockey, they better be miserable to play against." – Todd Krygier on his hopes for his sons

Talia Edmonds | Volleyball - Talia Edmonds was born in Lansing, but much of her family culture is rooted thousands of miles away in Hawaii, where her mother, Peka, grew up and her parents first met. The maternal side of her family is of Samoan decent and that culture emphasizes the importance of strong familial bonds with respect for one another. Talia learned to play volleyball when around the age of five or six she began mimicking her mother, who was participating in a beach volleyball tournament. With Peka – herself a collegiate All-American and National Champion at Hawaii-Hilo - as her coach in her early teen years, Talia honed her skills and developed a deeper love for the sport. Talia helps bring those same Samoan principles of family and her love of volleyball to the Spartan program. Watch as Talia and her family visit her now 90-year-old grandmother in Hawaii, and witness firsthand the importance the Samoan culture plays in her life.

"Culture there is really, really big. One thing they always preach is family ... Family is what keeps me going." – Talia Edmonds

Taryn McCutcheon | Women's Basketball - Taryn McCutcheon grew up in Parkersburg, West Virginia, but it never felt like home, as she felt like she didn't fit in. When she committed to Michigan State early in her high school career, he situation got even worse as she was the target of rumors. She kept her struggles to herself, but the situation didn't improve. It all came to a head during her senior year, leading her family to move to East Lansing, not knowing if Taryn would even be able to play basketball that season. The East Lansing community immediately embraced her, and for the first time in her life Taryn felt that she fit in. Using basketball as her platform she shares her story hoping her strength can be encouraging for other girls going through similar tough times.

"It's ok to be different. It's actually better to be that way. You don't want to conform to the world – it's boring. Just be different!" – Taryn McCutcheon

Malik Hall | Men's Basketball - As a young boy growing up, Malik Hall's best friend was his father Lorenzo. Lorenzo introduced Malik to music, taught him the value of hard work, and guided him through basketball workouts. Malik's favorite childhood memory was going to 7-11 after those workouts for a bag of chips and a Slurpee. But life changed for the Hall family when Malik was nine years old. That's when his father started to develop the symptoms of early onset of dementia. The disease forced Lorenzo to move out of the house to a care facility. Through all the family adversity, Malik's mother Julie has been a pillar of strength while demonstrating unconditional love. Through his changes, Lorenzo has retained all his basketball knowledge, making basketball the love language between father and son.

"If I could go back in time, I'd go back to 2008 and talk to my dad about life." – Malik Hall

Lea Mitchell | Gymnastics - At four years old, Lea Mitchell saw some gymnasts flipping into a pool and fell in love with gymnastics. As the years went on, she put more and more time into her sport. Elite gymnasts require hours upon hours of practice, searching for perfection during a two-minute routine, while opening themselves up for judgment. It's a pursuit that requires a lot of sacrifice and can take away the love a gymnast has for the sport. For Mitchell, coming to MSU helped rekindle the joy for her sport, while also helping her grow as a person."

"I love gymnastics and it's a gift, but it's not my identity." – Lea Mitchell

Mitchell Lewandowski | Hockey - Mitchell Lewandowski has been playing hockey since he was four years old. His hockey journey led him to Michigan State, where he was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in his first season. Everything was going great when his world was suddenly rocked upon learning that his mother, Jill Stout, had been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. His inspirational story features a mother and son supporting each other through one of life's toughest battles.

"It was like my hard work and his hard work kinda paid off. He worked on the ice hard and he made me so proud and it kept me fighting, it kept me going. I'm so proud of him." – Jill Stout

Farai Mutatu | Men's Soccer – Born in Zimbabwe, Mutatu moved to Michigan with his family when he was six. His parents returned to Zimbabwe in 2013, while Farai and his siblings stayed in Michigan, chasing their American dream while being raised by the oldest brother Trinity. While his parents have been unable to secure a visa to return, Farai stays in touch with his parents via FaceTime. Through adversity, soccer became a haven for Farai, as he eventually realized his dream of playing soccer at Michigan State.

"Michigan State gave us an opportunity … an opportunity for us to have a better life, or to be able to pursue our dreams without any limitations." – Trinity Mutatu

Players Mentioned

Talia Edmonds

Allyson Geer-Park

Malik Hall

India Johnson

Michaela Kovacs

Christian Krygier

Mitchell Lewandowski

Julius Marble II

Taryn McCutcheon

Lea Mitchell

Farai Mutatu

Anthony Pero

Scott Piper

Asya Reynolds

Darrell Stewart Jr.