Chris Solari and Graham Couch

Lansing State Journal

EAST LANSING – Spartan Stadium could be getting brighter in the very near future.

The Michigan State University Board of Trustees will vote Wednesday to approve a project to install permanent lighting at the football stadium. It is one of a number of athletic-related items that is part of a meeting for the board.

Portable lights have been rented for previous late-afternoon and night games at the 93-year-old football stadium. The University of Michigan added permanent lighting at Michigan Stadium in 2010 for $1.8 million. In recent years, MSU has upgraded its indoor venues' lighting systems at Breslin Center and Munn Arena with high-efficiency LED lighting.

The other athletic facilities item up for vote is to replace the artificial surface for field hockey at Ralph Young Field.

Also on the agenda are the renewals/extensions of contracts for Athletic Director Mark Hollis through the 2020-21 school year and three of his major-sport coaches – men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo (2022-23), women’s basketball coach Suzy Merchant (2020-21) and hockey coach Tom Anastos (2019-20).

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. at MSU’s Administration Building.

* JOSEPH RETURNING: Jacquie Joseph will be back next season as MSU's softball coach, MSU athletic director Mark Hollis has confirmed to the Lansing State Journal.

The Spartans finished 27-28 and 8-15 in the Big Ten this past season, Joseph's 23rd at the helm of the program. Joseph is 634-656-1 at MSU with nine winning seasons, though none since 2007.

Joseph and assistant Jessica Bograkos were cleared by a university investigation last summer of conspiring to hit a player during batting practice during the 2015 season.

Contact Chris Solari at (517) 377-1070, csolari@lsj.com or on Twitter at @chrissolari.