Lansing Sun

East Lansing, Mich. -- Spartan All-American Anson Carter is among the 2024 inductees of the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame.

Carter joins Jessica (Beech) Bograkos (softball), Darqueze Dennard (football), Laura (Kueny) Smith (women's golf), Beth (Rohl) Saylors (women's track & field), and Paul Terek (men's track & field). The 1965-1966 football teams will also be inducted, marking the first time teams are included in the Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Celebration will take place on Friday, Sept. 13. There will also be a special recognition of the 2024 MSU Athletics Hall of Fame Class during the Michigan State-Prairie View A&M football game at Spartan Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 14.

The MSU Athletics Hall of Fame, located in the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center, opened on Oct. 1, 1999, and displays plaques of the 180 previous inductees. The charter class of 30 former Spartan student-athletes, coaches, and administrators was inducted in 1992.

Anson Carter reflected on his induction: "I certainly wasn't expecting it," noted Carter. "(Vice President and Director of Athletics) Alan Haller called to tell me that I was going to be a part of the 2024 Hall of Fame class; I was speechless. Thinking about it now, even - I am starting to get chills."

"Thinking back to my time in East Lansing, you don't go to college thinking about being in the Hall of Fame. You go to college to grow into a young man and try to become a better person. I remember how I would walk through the football facility, through Munn Ice Arena - I got to see all the history and heritage and all the proud Spartans who came before me. To think that I am going to be one of them, it is quite an honor. I'm thrilled."

Carter excelled on the ice for more than 15 years in collegiate and professional hockey, spending his entire four-year career at MSU before playing over a decade in the National Hockey League.

"I played 11 years in the National Hockey League and you think that would be the best time in your life. But I tell my kids - my four years at MSU were actually the best years of my life," admits Carter. "Wearing that jersey is everything; It's a sense of pride. It's something that is hard to put into words."

The Scarborough, Ontario native came to MSU as a 10th-round pick (No. 220 overall) by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1992 NHL entry draft. He still ranks among MSU's all-time scoring leaders; currently standing sixth in goals (106), fourth in power-play goals (40), and third in shorthanded tallies (11); his 178 career points place him at 22nd all-time.

He was named Outstanding Rookie in 1993 and won Outstanding Offensive Player Awards in both 1995 and 1996. In his senior season, he received both the Bill Burgess Outstanding Senior Award and Amo Bessone Award for academic and athletic achievement along with community involvement. He was also CCHA Rookie of the Year in 1993 and an All-CCHA pick from 1994-96 with first-team honors as both a sophomore and junior.

As a junior in 1995, Carter had a team-best performance with 34 goals finishing with a total of 51 points; he was named an All-American as well as being a Hobey Baker finalist.

Carter continues his involvement with hockey as one of TNT’s studio analysts for NHL coverage and serves as a charter member of NHL's Player Inclusion Coalition aimed at promoting inclusion within hockey communities.

During consecutive March nights while discussing games at TNT studios, Carter wore Michigan State’s script jersey celebrating their Big Ten Championship win by donning his iconic #22 jersey featuring captain's "C".

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