Grace VanSlooten pivotal to Michigan State’s best start in program history

The Spartans had exceeded all expectations in 2023-24, finishing 22-9 and reaching the NCAA Tournament, but there were several gaps to fill. The team’s offensive rebounding was among the worst in the sport last season, and they had just lost two of their three leading scorers. Michigan State needed to add some height, and VanSlooten, a 6’3 post from Toledo, Ohio, was a top target.

Fralick pounced early; she got VanSlooten on a visit to East Lansing and was able to seal the deal.

“I think it just spoke volumes that she was my first call, first text and everything,” VanSlooten told The Next. “It really felt like I was wanted here, and then obviously, I know of her track record. I know how much she wins, both at Ashland and at Bowling Green, so that was really appealing to me.”

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So far, the addition of VanSlooten from Oregon has improved the team according to plan. Not only is Michigan State off to a 10-0 start after a dramatic 68-66 win over Iowa on Sunday, but VanSlooten has helped massively on the glass. Through Sunday, the Spartans’ offensive rebounds per game, offensive rebound rate, defensive rebounds per game, total rebounds per game and total rebound rate all rank in the 80th percentile or better nationally, per Her Hoop Stats. Last season, the Spartans ranked in the 25th percentile or worse in several of those categories.

Contrary to other transfers Fralick’s landed, though, the second-year head coach didn’t really have direct ties to VanSlooten. The junior recalled attending a shoot-around camp growing up when Fralick coached at Bowling Green, but other than that, their relationship really began with that first call soon after VanSlooten entered the portal in April.

“Grace is a very unique player,” Fralick told The Next in September. “She’s got great size, great athleticism, good speed. It’s been fun. She’s going to help us on both ends of the court, and she’s a really good rebounder which is something we felt like definitely wasn’t an advantage for us, and it’s something we hope we can be better at this year.”

Members of the Michigan State program have waxed poetic about Fralick’s leadership, both on and off the court. That positive spirit has catapulted the program since she took over before last season, and it’s something that resonated with VanSlooten when she made her first trip to East Lansing.

“Everybody on the staff was just super welcoming,” she said. “And then spending time with the team, everybody that was still there, they all seemed really connected, seemed like they really loved Michigan State, had nothing to say but good things about the staff and where they think the program was headed, so it felt like the perfect fit.”

Those bonds have translated well on the court for VanSlooten so far. She’s averaging a career-best 15.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game and is narrowly in second on the team in win shares with 1.5 (behind senior guard Julia Ayrault‘s 1.7).

Part of her success, VanSlooten said, is attributable to Fralick’s easy-to-learn offensive system.

“She does a great job of letting us play,” VanSlooten said of her head coach. “It’s not really specific sets, it’s more read and react, so if you see a gap, you attack it, or if you think you have a 1-on-1, go ahead. I think she really lets us play our own game, and I think what I love about it is how fast we play. We get out in transition, and that’s our primary offense.”

That transitional offense played a major role in the Spartans’ come-from-behind win over the Hawkeyes. With 8:49 remaining in the fourth quarter, Michigan State trailed 58-49. But the Spartans clawed back over the final few minutes.

Junior guard Theryn Hallock grabbed a steal and set up a knock-down 3-pointer to cut the deficit to just four; then an Ayrault block and defensive rebound set up a layup for senior guard Nyla Hampton, bringing the deficit to two. Another Hampton layup shortly thereafter tied the score at 58-58, and the Spartans took the lead for good when Hampton knocked down a jumper after securing an offensive rebound.

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After coming agonizingly close to a win over the Hawkeyes last January — a game that ended with a Caitlin Clark buzzer-beating 3-pointer — Sunday’s win provided a sense of vindication.

“I know there were a lot of people from last year’s team who really wanted to get that win back,” VanSlooten said. “We just went out there, played really hard, stuck to a scouting report, never gave up. We were down nine in the fourth quarter and just fought our way back in. I think that shows what we are as a team. We’re never out of a game. You can never count us out. It was a lot of fun.”

Asked more broadly what it is about this program that she loves so much and, by translation, how they’ve been able to get off to the best start in program history, VanSlooten pointed to those intangibles Fralick has been establishing from the minute she took the job.

“Just how much everybody wants to get better,” VanSlooten said of what’s stood out to her about being a Spartan. “It’s just really captivating, and it’s contagious how hard everybody works. We all just really want to be good, and we want to play hard, play together. I think that’s really inspiring.”