Spartan Stories: Spartan Legacies Embraced by Cullen, Danziger

By Derek Bonner, special to MSUSpartans.com

Michigan State volleyball players Celia Cullen and Grace Danziger didn't face a steep learning curve when they came to campus. Both come from families deep with Spartan graduates and athletes, and they are now adding new chapters to those legacies.

Cullen, a sophomore setter, is the daughter of Chuck Cullen - a four-year letterman in track and field. Chuck also was All Big Ten in the high jump. Danziger's Spartan heritage spans generations, with more than a dozen relatives attending MSU since before World War II. Her great-grandfather, Fred Danziger, played football and baseball for MSU in 1929, eventually playing for the NFL's Cleveland Indians in 1931.

Being a Spartan means a lot, and Cullen carries the responsibility well.

"For me, it is a kind of sense of pride, everything that MSU embodies as a university is connected by family. Even if you don't have a legacy here, you can go across the country and someone can see you wearing Michigan State and say, 'Go Green, Go White'," Cullen, native of Brighton, Michigan, said. "I feel like it is a very family-oriented campus and being a legacy where your family has actually gone here just makes it an even bigger connection."

Danziger, a libero/defensive specialist from East Lansing, knew she would end up playing for nearby Michigan State.

"My dad and his brothers always wanted to come to Michigan State and be an athlete here," Danziger said. "That was kind of our family thing. MSU was the top thing all the time, so it is really cool to actually be an athlete here at Michigan State."

Cullen has many fond memories of cheering on the Spartans, a foreshadowing of her future.

"I definitely did grow up watching Michigan State, I actually used to go to the volleyball games when I was like 10," Cullen said. "I would be one of the girls who swept the floor or I would be one of the ball girls."

Danziger has a good idea of what it means to be a Spartan, and wants to leave her own legacy.

"I feel like we carry a chip on our shoulder and I really like that about our program," Danziger said. "It is very much a culture of getting in and working hard every day."

MSU and Michigan have a captivating in-state rivalry and every meeting, no matter the sport, always has a little extra added on. Danziger said that the UM-MSU game takes on special meaning for her.

"When I was really young, I remember my dad saying, 'I hate Michigan', and I was too young to know the difference between MSU and UM, so I asked him why he hates Michigan," Danziger said. "So then he sat me down and explained to me the difference, so yes I know what it means, it's personal."

Cullen is not shy about her love for MSU. She appeared in all 15 matches for the Spartans last year and led the team in assists as a freshman. She was also named as a Big Ten Distinguished scholar.

Her sense of pride in being at MSU shows every time she steps on the court.

"My parents met here and my dad proposed to my mom here, I have a lot of personal history here," Cullen said. "Being a Spartan means putting in your full effort every game and every single time in practice."

Cullen's father, Chuck, said it is special to have his daughter earn the same varsity jacket as him.

"It's a big deal, because growing up my family were always Michigan state fans, my parents were always Michigan State fans, and I attended MSU and was involved in athletics. Now the next generation has arrived, earned a scholarship, and been there on campus. It's just a really cool thing," Chuck said. "I mean, from the time Celia was tiny she was wearing Michigan State clothes, cheerleader outfits, Michigan State volleyball stuff, and had Michigan State posters in her room painted green and white. It's a tradition."

Michigan State University Athletics

Spartan Stories: Spartan Legacies Embraced by Cullen, Danziger

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