Few people know the Michigan State Spartans–Michigan Wolverines rivalry quite like Nicole Niemiec, who spent three years as the university’s iconic mascot, Sparty, all while keeping her identity a secret.
Joining her for the interview at WDIV Local 4 on Thursday (Oct. 23) was her husband, Ian May, who served as the equipment manager for the MSU men’s basketball team, and their six-month-old son, Miles May.
The two met during their time on campus, a true Spartan love story.
“She came up to me at a party and said, ‘I know you from the basketball games,’” said Ian. “And then I figured out her secret pretty quickly. College was a lot of fun.”
The secret life of Sparty
Becoming Sparty isn’t as simple as signing up. Nicole described it as “a super secret tryout process.”
“There are prerequisites; you’ve got to make sure your academics are good and you can represent the university,” said Niemiec. “But then, beyond that, it’s a lot of improv. If you make it to the final part of the tryout, they throw you in a suit, put you in a crowd of people, and hopefully you know what you’re doing.”
But with the honor came sacrifice.
“You can’t tell people you’re Sparty when you’re at the university,” Niemiec said. “The toughest part was being forced to be humble. I’d be on the field, I’d be traveling across the country. My roommates are like, ‘Where are you?’ And I have to say, ‘I’m at home with my parents.”
For three years, Niemiec had to keep this lie going. “Yeah, absolutely, you get good at lying,” she joked.
Rivalries and Road Trips
When asked what she learned about the MSU–Michigan rivalry from behind the mask, Niemiec laughed.
“When you see through the eyes of Sparty, you think someone’s walking up to you, and then all of a sudden they start looking at you like you’re this big, buff guy,” Niemiec said. “Obviously, through the games, it gets really competitive. But then there are other moments, fundraising, other events, where it’s a one team, one effort kind of deal.”
Still, one memory stands out.
“I’ve never felt more scared for my life than being in Ann Arbor on the field,” Niemiec admitted.
A Love Revealed
Keeping the secret from Ian didn’t last forever.
“I did not tell him, for the record, because it’s a secret,” Niemiec said.
But working in MSU athletics made it hard to hide.
“When you work in athletics and Nicole goes into a locker room, Sparty comes out, there’s only so much you can do,” Ian said with a laugh. “So it was about two years into my college experience. She traveled on a few team planes for the basketball team. And coaches were asking me, ‘Why is your girlfriend on this plane?’ And I’m like, ‘She’s in the band.’”
Niemiec, Ian, and baby Miles say they’ll always carry their Spartan pride and their unique love story with them.
The Wolverines head to East Lansing to take on the Spartans on Saturday (Oct. 25) inside Spartan Stadium.
Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.