Host of “The Drive with Jack" — and friend of Spartans Illustrated — Jack Ebling spoke with Alan Haller, Michigan State University's vice president/athletic director, one day after the MSU men's basketball team beat Northwestern on senior night in East Lansing, a 53-49 win for the Spartans on March 6.

Haller has made several crucial hires since being named Michigan State’s athletic director in 2021, and their impact across the Spartan community has certainly been felt. Some of these hires include men’s ice hockey head coach Adam Nightingale, women’s basketball head coach Robyn Fralick, men’s tennis head coach Harry Jadun and football head coach Jonathan Smith.

Haller discussed with Ebling what some of those coaches have brought to Michigan State thus far, early in their tenures.

“It really isn’t necessarily about wins and losses,” Haller stated. “If you go watch our women (basketball team) play, just watch the student-athletes and the joy and excitement they have, and the fun they have. Look at the stands, they’re starting to fill up. The GPA has risen in both women’s basketball and hockey.

“I was with the team when we played at Purdue, and after the game, one of the athletes tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘Thank you, I love this place,’ and that’s really what you’re going for."

That is what drives Haller — putting the student-athletes in position to succeed. One way he does that is surrounding them with the right people.

What several Michigan State coaches have been able to do so far early in their Spartan careers is remarkable. Michigan State hockey has seen a resurgence thanks to the hire of head coach Adam Nightingale. Nightingale wrapped up his collegiate playing career at Michigan State in 2005 and has experience at every level of competitive hockey, including a four-year stint at Michigan State from 2010 through 2014 as video coach and director of operations.

Coach Nightingale lit the fire under a Michigan State hockey program that had not seen success in a decade-and-a-half. In his first year as head coach, Nightingale led the Spartans to 18 wins, which is the third-most for a first-year head coach in program history, and this year, the Spartans have consistently ranked as one of top programs in the country, and MSU has been able to compete with teams that in prior years it simply could not match.

Haller is busy bouncing around watching different sports at Michigan State. If there is a Michigan State sporting event happening on campus, Haller is usually there, no matter which sport it is. He often makes it to road games as well.

Ebling asked Haller about what that experience is like, especially in the busy winter months. Of course, winter is a hectic time for college athletics, and at Michigan State, that is certainly no exception. The winter season is host to men’s basketball, women’s basketball, hockey, gymnastics, and others.

“I couldn’t even count it,” Haller said when asked about all of the events he has attended this winter.

Haller takes a great deal of pride in being able to root for his Spartans in person and offer support.

“I’m a fan first," Haller told Ebling. "I love watching our student-athletes compete. So, I’m at their events because I’m a fan. The presence is important and support is important with resources and finances. Where your feet are kind of shows the student-athletes and the coaches and the community that that is what is important to you. Everything we do in Michigan State Athletics is important.”

He mentioned that success within an athletics department is much deeper than financial support. While money is of course extremely important in today's college athletics landscape, there is more to it than that. It takes strategy to put those resources to good use.

“It’s not all just about money," Haller explained. "You can’t just throw money at things and say, ‘Be successful.’ Success costs money, but it’s how you use your resources."

Haller went on to mention that “the teams are doing great," and credited support staff roles such as nutritionists, strength and conditioning coaches, trainers, academic crews and others for the success, in additions to the student-athletes and coaches.

“There has to be a method to the madness, there has to be a piece to the puzzle, and if you play a piece in that puzzle you have to do your job,” said Haller. “We’re not there yet, but we’re still getting there.”

Michigan State has had several programs win at least a share of a Big Ten championship throughout the 2023-2024 academic year, including hockey, women's cross country, women's soccer and gymnastics.

Although Haller is in charge of decision-making, and other essential roles within the athletics department, he explained that the athletes themselves have also played a large role in the success as of late.

Ebling raised the question of whether or not “a rising tide raises all boats," and Haller confirmed that the student-athletes supporting each other and seeing one another having success has a big impact.

“Our student-athletes, they’re at each other’s events," Haller noted. "They support each other. It’s not uncommon to go to a gymnastics event and see football, basketball, or soccer (player), you’ll see all (of them) there."

Haller also noted the bond that the various Michigan State coaches share with each other.

“They support each other in wins and losses," Haller said about Michigan State's coaches. "The amount of time the coaches spend in each other’s offices is incredible."

But at the end of the day it is about having a “high care factor,” Haller said.

“It can’t be manufactured, it can’t be something just for show, and all of those things go into success," Haller said.

One of the biggest things that any Spartan fans will notice is the scene at Munn Ice Arena now, compared to several years ago. Munn was home to the NCAA’s longest regular-season sellout streak, which lasted 323 games from 1985 until 2004.

More recently, for many years now, fans could easily walk up and purchase a ticket at the window of Munn Ice Arena.

Fast forward to the 2023-2024 season and hockey tickets are now the hottest ticket in town, no matter the sport.In fact, the Spartans have already sold out for next weekend’s Big Ten Tournament semifinal game versus Ohio State.

A big piece of news in the Michigan State world this past week was Nightingale and Michigan State agreeing on a new contract. This new contract elevates Nightingale to one of the top-three highest paid coaches in the Big Ten.

Regarding Nightingale's new contract, Haller confidently said, “That’s where he belongs (top 3 in the Big Ten). That’s where Michigan State hockey belongs. It’s an investment in hockey, and (in) Adam.”

Ebling then highlighted another impressive Michigan State team with a new coach: women's basketball. Robyn Fralick, an Okemos native, left behind an impressive coaching career at Bowling Green State University, including winning the 2020-2021 MAC Coach of the Year, to join Michigan State. She was officially hired by Haller in March of 2023.

The Falcons reached the WNIT semifinals in Fralick’s final year at the helm. What may be more impressive than any of the accolades is that in four years, Fralick was able to lead BGSU from winning nine games a year, to becoming a power in the MAC. Prior to her time with the Falcons, Fralick compiled a record of 104-3 as the head coach of Ashland University, a Division II program in Ohio.

Ebling said that people finally have something to be optimistic about when it comes to women’s basketball in East Lansing.

“People are excited about going over there (to the Breslin Center), they think they can see 100 points (scored) a night," Ebling said.

Haller noted that it’s impressive to watch the team pass the ball and he feels a connection with the effort that the women's basketball squad puts forth.

“When they come off the court to take a break, the person subbing out can’t breathe," Haller said. "They know their role is to go that hard. This team is just fun to watch and fun to be around. I’m happy for our community to have something like this to attach themselves to.”

Ebling certainly made it a priority to talk about the work that Haller is doing in terms of new hires, but he also discussed longtime Michigan State men's basketball head Tom Izzo, and the relationship that Haller and Izzo share.

“Yes, we would have loved to win the Big Ten this year, but we are talking about student-athletes," Haller said about the MSU men's basketball team. "And I know that a lot of the listeners are probably not going to agree or like what I’m saying, but this team also set a GPA standard this year. The whole team has a 3.0 or higher. In spite of the troubles they’re having (on the court), getting back at 3 a.m, having class at 8 a.m., they’re still producing and putting forth an effort in the classroom. All of these things tie in to wins in life, and that’s what we’re trying to build here.

"But don’t count this team out. Obviously you should never count Tom (Izzo) out. I think we could go on a run, and I think Coach Izzo is excited about that. But I couldn’t be more proud of the team in terms of what they’re dealing with behind the scenes, and then still being able to go out, and play hard.”

Ebling went on to detail just how important Izzo is to the Michigan State community.

“I don’t think there’s a coach in the country that means more to their university than Tom Izzo does to Michigan State,” Ebling said. "Whenever something happens, good or bad, the first question is typically, 'Where’s Tom?'”

Haller agreed with Ebling, and went into detail about how much Izzo means to him, and the effect that he has on the people who surround him, and the rest of the Spartan community.

Haller mentioned that although Izzo knows virtually everyone - such as high-class athletes and coaching legends, among others - he still shows Haller, and everyone, the same level of respect.

“He’s a great person for us, to represent us, and I hope he’s here a long, long time for us," Haller said about Izzo.

The tone of the conversation between Ebling and Haller was very upbeat, and the two talked at length about all of the good things happening for Michigan State.

However, Ebling asked Haller, “What is a problem you would love to see solved with Michigan State, or collegiate athletics. What could make the student-athletes’ experience better?”

Haller pondered the question briefly and then talked about helping the issue of the transfer portal and name, image and likeness (NIL) in college athletics.

“We’ve gotta figure out what’s going on with some of the transfer portal, NIL conversation, and I’ll stay general because I don’t want to be controversial, but I do support the athletes being compensated, but I do feel there’s going to come a time where there has to be some compensation model," Haller said.

Ebling agreed, saying, “I think it’s gotten away from what it was designed to do."

The full conversation between Ebling and Haller can be listened to in the episode below:

You can find every episode of "The Drive with Jack" show here, including his interview with Alan Haller.

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