'We're a national team': New MSU coach Fralick respects tradition, eyes even more

East Lansing — Robyn Fralick grew up in Okemos, in the shadows of Breslin Center, occasionally playing in one of those little-tykes games at halftime. She loved the Melting Moments ice-cream sandwiches.

Now, she's a Spartan.

Fralick was introduced as the sixth head women's basketball coach in Michigan State history during a raucous press conference-slash-pep rally on Tuesday at Breslin Center, pledging to build on the program's success and get the Spartans back into the mix on a national scale, at a time when the women's game has never been more popular.

"It's so energizing. I'm watching the Final Four and the level of competitiveness, the eyes on it, as it should be, because it's incredibly high-level basketball," Fralick said, two days after the women's national-championship game, a 102-85 LSU win over Iowa, drew a sellout crowd in Dallas, record television ratings, and more social-media engagement than ever before. "It's energizing. It's motivating.

"And, at Michigan State, we're a part of that. We're a national team, and I'm excited for the challenge."

Fralick, 41, arrives at Michigan State after a five-year run at Bowling Green, where she turned around a dormant program, to the tune of a 31-7 record this season. Bowling Green made the WNIT Final Four.

It was in the quarterfinals of the WNIT where Alan Haller, Michigan State athletic director, made a covert trip to Bowling Green to watch the Falcons play Florida. He didn't tell Fralick he was coming. He struggled to find clothes that weren't green or white, or both, so he settled on all black, channeling his days as an undercover police officer.

Haller said he sat high up in the arena and observed the atmosphere, and talked to fans.

"We actually stood out, because everyone else was wearing Bowling Green colors," Haller said with a smile.

Haller liked what he saw during the game, including an up-tempo offense and an aggressive defense — two traits the current Spartans players said they were looking for in their next head coach.

By the time Haller had walked out of Stroh Center that night, he knew he was on the right track.

"We were pretty convinced Robyn was gonna be our next coach," Haller said.

Said Fralick: "They took (the search) seriously. I think it mattered to them not just who you are on a resume, or who you are on a reference, but to see it live. ... And I'm really glad we won that game, too."

Bowling Green beat Florida, 69-52, on March 27, before falling in the semifinals to Columbia, 77-70, on March 29. Not long after, she was offered and accepted the Michigan State job. Terms of the contract haven't been disclosed.

Fralick, considered one of the nation's rising stars in women's basketball coaching circles, was an obvious candidate for Haller when Suzy Merchant made the decision to step down. She had turned around Bowling Green, after a wildly successful three-year run at Ashland, where she won one Division II national championship as a head coach, after winning one as an assistant coach. In three years at Ashland, she was 104-3. For her career, she's 192-76.

Haller leaned on deputy athletic director Epiphany Clark and associate AD Julee Bridges to lead the search, and he also talked to several of the who's-who in women's basketball coaching, including coaches who have won national championships. He also got MSU men's basketball coach Tom Izzo involved, giving him a "homework assignment."

"Go find out what you can find out," Haller told Izzo. "And he turned that homework assignment in, he gave me the thumbs-up and said, 'It's all good.' And I knew this was our coach."

"Women's basketball has never been more popular than right now," Haller added. "We want to be a part of that fun. We want to be there consistently. We want to enjoy in the excitement of the NCAA Tournament."

The Michigan State women's program isn't a blueblood, like the men's program, but its history stacks up pretty well, with 18 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 10 in 16 seasons under Merchant. The Spartans made the national-championship game in 2005, falling to Baylor, who was coached by Kim Mulkey, now the coach of the newly minted national-champion LSU Tigers. That MSU team was coached by Joanne P. McCallie, who left to become head coach at Duke. That led Michigan State to Merchant, who, like Fralick, was a Mid-American Conference disciple, hired away from Eastern Michigan.

The Spartans, though, haven't made the NCAA Tournament in the last two seasons, at a time when the Big Ten as a whole has probably never been better — seven teams made the NCAAs this season, and three made the Elite Eight. Michigan State missed in 2022 amid a flurry of high-profile injuries, then missed again this season — a season that tested the players' resiliency.

Michigan State was without Merchant for the final third of the season, after she suffered an undisclosed medical episode that led to a car accident in late January. The women's team also was one of the first MSU teams to return to action following the deadly shooting on campus. Haller ordered a round of applause for the players, many in attendance.

Fralick has had only brief meetings with her roster, including a Zoom meeting during the national-championship game Sunday, and then in-person before Tuesday's press conference. Three Michigan State players have entered the transfer portal since the season's end, including junior-to-be forward Matilda Ekh, who has averaged 11.8 points over two seasons, and graduate-student forward Taiyier Parks, who averaged 8.3 points this season.

Those closest to Fralick say she'll waste no time bonding with her new players.

Those closest to her say she'll waste no time bonding with her new players.

"She's so caring," said Joel Whymer, an assistant on her staff at Bowling Green, and a former state high-school and college player, who was in attendance Tuesday. He recalled Fralick's support when his dad, Jim, died in 2020. "All the stuff I went through with my Dad, she was like more of a friend. She just cares about people, first and foremost. That's what makes her elite.

"Obviously, she's a great basketball coach, but the players will feel that (the care) immediately. She has a way of bringing people together, and bringing out the best in people."

Fralick learned that skill, one of life's most important skills, in part, from her mentor and predecessor at Ashland, Sue Ramsey, who told her, "Take care of people, and take care of details."

Fralick's five core values are all about people, not X's and O's: Be a great teammate; manners matter; trust; toughness; and commitment.

"Core values can be a trendy word, they can be on a wall, they can be flat," she said. "In our program, they are alive."

Fralick's next order of business is finalizing a coaching staff. It's highly likely most, if not all, of her top assistants at Bowling Greens (all Michigan natives), will join her in East Lansing. (Meanwhile, Bowling Green brass could turn to one of that school's legendary players, Detroit Mercy head coach Kate Achter.)

East Lansing, of course, holds a special place in her heart; even though she went to school at Davidson, she grew up a Michigan State fan, and her family remains largely Spartans fans. She said after the win over Memphis in the WNIT, she was trying to find her family, and did — huddled around a TV watching the Spartans' Sweet 16 game against Kansas State.

Also attending Tuesday's press conference were several other Michigan State coaches, including Dean Lockwood, who had been the interim coach in Merchant's absence — and since she stepped down in mid-March; as well as Fralick's husband, Tim, a former Oakland University player, and their two young kids, Will and Clara, whom Fralick is sure will grow to love this new experience, and all the Melting Moments they can stomach.

Just like Fralick did as a kid.

Now, she's in charge — and, in a lot of ways, in awe.

"I can't believe it. I've marveled watching these teams and players with so much admiration. It feels surreal." said Fralick, who walked into the Breslin Center Hall of History, greeted by the Spartans pep band and cheerleaders. Shortly into her remarks, she thanked Merchant "and all the coaches who came before who paved the way."

"I'm grateful for the momentum that they've created here, and now it's our job to keep it going."

tpaul@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @tonypaul1984