After reaching the National Championship Game last season, the Spartans have their sights set on winning the title this year. Despite losing six key members of last year’s team, including four All Stars, State should be even better this season. Part of this is the return of multiple key contributors who missed Nationals 2013, including three of the team’s hardest throwers, and another part of this is the general growth of the returning players. Add this to a potentially huge recruiting class by new captain Mike Van Ermen, and this is a team who should make a lot of noise in the NCDA this year.

MSU was picked fourth in the preseason Captain’s Poll this year, trailing #1 Grand Valley, #2 James Madison, and #3 Kentucky. To win a championship, they’ll likely have to beat at least two of those schools in one day at Nationals 2014, and MSU hasn’t beaten any of those schools since Fall 2008 (a win vs UK.)

The Spartans first tournament this year will likely be in a little over two weeks at Kent State. This will be the earliest State has started their season in recent memory, and they’ll get some tough tests. Also participating in the tournament will be Kent State, Central Michigan, Saginaw Valley, and Kentucky. These are some of the best teams in the league, with all of them being top seven seeds at Nationals 2013, and there will be three of last year’s Final Four teams. Kent State and Saginaw Valley will want some payback after being knocked out of the Nationals tournament by MSU.

Also on the schedule for this season for MSU are their typical home tournaments- the MSU Invite in the Fall and the Michigan Dodgeball Cup in the winter. They’ve also been given an invite to the GVSU Invite and the Chicago Dodgeball Open. And of course, Nationals 2014 in Columbus, OH.