Michigan athletics honoring victims of mass shooting at MSU

The University of Michigan’s sports teams will honor the victims of Monday’s shooting at Michigan State with special decals, shirts and moments of silence before home events.

Helmets worn by Michigan athletes will carry a white decal featuring a green heart with the white Spartan logo, representing MSU's colors. For sports that don’t have helmets, athletes will wear special shirts with logos similar to the decals during warmups, to honor the victims, Kurt Svoboda, Michigan associate athletic director for external communications and public relations, said Wednesday. Some teams may have more unique branding to honor MSU, Svoboda said.

Michigan State students Brian Fraser of Grosse Pointe, Arielle Anderson of Harper Woods and Alexandria Verner of Clawson were killed on campus Monday night by a gunman. Five more students were injured and remain in critical condition at Sparrow Hospital.

“Our teams are doing what they can to show their support,” said Svoboda, who said Michigan representatives have been in contact with Michigan State to discuss how Michigan athletics would like to honor the victims.

Michigan is hosting the Big Ten women’s swimming and diving championships beginning Wednesday night. Michigan State no longer has a swimming and diving program, but Svoboda said Michigan petitioned the Big Ten to allow for a moment of silence for the Michigan State victims before the start of the event.

Michigan and Michigan State will face each other in baseball on Friday, opening day, at a tournament in Mesa, Ariz. The Wolverines’ baseball helmets will carry the logo. The Michigan softball team also will wear the helmet decal starting with its five-game schedule in Clearwater, Fla., which begins Friday. Michigan and Michigan State are scheduled to play basketball Saturday at 8 p.m. in Ann Arbor. Svoboda said it is Michigan State’s call whether the game will be played.

A vigil is scheduled at the University of Michigan Diag (913 S University Ave.) tonight at 7 p.m.

On Tuesday, University of Michigan president Santa Ono announced the flags on Michigan campuses will be lowered to half-staff until further notice to honor the Michigan State victims.