The announcement was made today by Vice President for Athletics and Recreation Suzanne Sanregret.

Gruber comes to Tech from NCAA Division I Southern Illinois Edwardsville, where he was an assistant women’s basketball coach for the past three seasons. He was an assistant coach at GLIAC rival Parkside during the 2022-23 season.

“We’re excited to welcome Eric and his family to Michigan Tech,” Sanregret said. “He brings several years of experience as a women’s basketball assistant coach, contributing to programs at a variety of levels while taking on a wide range of responsibilities.

SIUE tripled its win total over the past three seasons and had a pair of freshmen named All-Ohio Valley Conference, including the Freshman of the Year. The 2025-26 Cougars notched the most wins since the 2017-18 season and led the OVC in three-pointers made. Gruber recruited and handled the youth, elite, and team camps.

At Parkside, Gruber helped the Rangers to their most wins in eight years and had a pair of players named All-GLIAC. The staff recruited an impactful freshman class with one earning GLIAC Freshman of the Year honors.

Gruber was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for two seasons (2020-22) at Coe College, an NCAA Division III institution in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Kohawks went to the conference championship game backed by an All-American and six all-conference honorees.

During the 2019-20 season, Gruber was an assistant coach at NCAA Division III Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. The Duhawks appeared in the NCAA Sweet 16 before COVID shut down the rest of the tournament. The 2020 season was the best in school history with a 25-4 overall record and a final No. 7 ranking in the nation. Two student-athletes were named All-Americans with four all-conference selections.

Michigan Tech will host a media day with Coach Gruber at a later date.

The performance center announced Friday that all university athletic events will begin using Vivenu. The shift responds to feedback requesting a simpler, easier-to-navigate ticketing experience. The university expects the change to improve the ticket purchasing process. 

During a transition period, customers who already purchased tickets should expect an email from Vivenu in upcoming weeks requesting account setup. The Rozsa Center suggests creating an account to receive event information, updates and special offers, though accounts are not required for ticket purchases. All previously purchased tickets remain valid. The existing system continues operating through May 31. Find more information below.

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In the next few months Michigan Technological University’s online ticket buyers will notice a few changes when they log on to purchase admission to university events. Both the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts as well as Michigan Tech Athletics are switching from their current ticketing system to the vivenu ticketing platform. Up to this point, Michigan Tech Athletics and the Rozsa have shared one ticket purchasing website. With vivenu, each will have their own online ticketing shop.

“We’re shifting to vivenu in response to feedback we’ve heard about making the ticketing experience simpler and more reliable,” says Rozsa Executive Director Kiersten Birondo. “We want the ticketing experience to feel intuitive and consistent so it’s easy to navigate and doesn’t get in the way of planning a night out.”

While this change should improve Michigan Tech’s ticket purchasing experience, there will be a short adjustment period. Patrons who have purchased tickets to Rozsa Center events within the past several years should expect to receive an email in the next few weeks from vivenum requesting that they set up a new personal account. The same applies to those who have purchased tickets for Huskies Athletics events. Patrons who have attended both will receive separate emails for each system. While it is not required to have an account to purchase tickets,
it is recommended in order to receive information or updates about events, as well as to take advantage of potential special offers.

All previously purchased tickets for upcoming events are still valid, and tickets will be available to purchase through the existing platform through the month of May. However, beginning June 1, 2026 all ticket sales for both Athletics and the Rozsa will only be available via
their new vivenu online shops.

“We know a change like this has a learning curve as we make the transition, but I am looking forward to what this makes possible for our guests,” says Birondo. “vivenu will help us create a more consistent, easy to use ticketing experience over time.” The public is
encouraged to follow the Rozsa Center and Michigan Tech Athletics via social media or newsletters for more updates as the transition progresses. Please visit our vivenu ticketing info page if you have any questions. Further inquiries can be directed to either the Rozsa Box Office or the Michigan Tech Central Ticket Office.

Jeffrey Littman, a life trustee of the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation and longtime leader in professional sports finance, will deliver the commencement address Friday and Saturday. Littman served as board member and CFO for the Buffalo Bills organization for 25 years. 

He has served on the university’s board of trustees since 2019, including two terms as chair. The university honored him with the honorary alumnus award in 2025. 

Graduate students will hear from peer Houssain Yassin, who earns a doctorate in mechanical engineering-engineering mechanics this spring. Yassin, a Fulbright scholar from Gambia, worked on research in the Michigan Tech Wave Lab while pursuing his master’s degree. 

Commencement ceremonies begin at 3 p.m. Friday and 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Both ceremonies will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. Find more details about the 2026 commencement speakers here.

Started in 2025, the group brings together women from Baraga, Houghton and Keweenaw counties who want to support charitable causes in the region. The group supported four organizations with more than $18,000 in donations last year. 

In the first quarter of 2026, the group chose to support the Pewabic Street Community Garden’s outreach efforts with local school districts. The organization’s members raised $7,000 for the first donation of the year.  

PSCG Director Elena Busova says the donation will support outreach programs with elementary students and younger children. Since 2010, the Pewabic Street Community Garden has invited students from Houghton Elementary School to work with gardeners to plant new beds and enjoy fresh vegetables from the garden. 

The group meets quarterly to select a new organization to support. Members donate $100 at each meeting to support Copper Country nonprofits. Those interested in learning more can find details online, including future meeting dates. Find more information here.

Iranian officials said recent US actions, including pressure around the Strait of Hormuz and the seizure of an Iranian cargo ship, had undermined the conditions for diplomacy. Pakistan, which has been trying to mediate, continued its preparations anyway, hoping both sides could still return to the table.

Security measures were tightened across Islamabad ahead of the expected meetings. Major hotels near the diplomatic zone were cleared, roads were blocked, and extra police and paramilitary forces were deployed.

The immediate goal was not a final peace deal but a temporary understanding that could extend the ceasefire and give negotiators more time. Even with that limited aim, the chances of talks going ahead remained uncertain as both sides exchanged sharp public statements.

High School

In high school softball today, weather and field conditions permitting…

• Calumet plays at Lake Linden-Hubbell.

NBA

In NBA tournament playoff openers yesterday…

• Cade Cunningham scored 39 points, but the Pistons lost to the Magic 112-101. Tobias Harris was the only other Piston in double figures, with 17 points. Detroit will host game two of that set Wednesday. Coverage will begin at 6:35 on 99.3 The Lift.
• The Celtics clobbered the 76ers 123-91.
• The Thunder smothered the Suns 119-84.
• The Spurs outscored the Trail Blazers 111-98.

Today…

• The Cavaliers host the Raptors. Cleveland leads that set 1-0.
• The Knicks welcome the Hawks. New York is up 1-0 in that series.
• The Nuggets entertain the Timberwolves. Denver leads that series 1-0.

NHL

In NHL playoffs series openers yesterday…

• The Avalanche slipped past the Kings 2-1.
• The Canadiens shaded the Lightning 4-3 in overtime.
• The Sabres edged the Bruins 4-3.
• The Golden Knights shrunk the Mammoth 4-2.

Today…

• The Flyers visit the Penguins. Philadelphia leads that series 1-0.
• The Hurricanes host the Senators. Carolina leads that set 1-0.
• The Stars welcome the Wild. Minnesota is up 1-0 in that series.
• The Oilers entertain the Ducks in the opening game of that series.

MLB

Jahmai Jones and Dillon Dingler homered as the Tigers clubbed the Red Sox 6-2 yesterday. Both Jones’ solo shot and Dingler’s three-run blast came with two outs in the fifth inning. Dingler wound up with four hits and four RBI. Matt Vierling had two hits and scored twice. Framber Valdez went six innings to earn the win, allowing a run on three hits, and striking out seven.

Those teams play a Patriots Day matinee in Boston today. Jack Flaherty will start against Sonny Gray. Coverage will begin at 10:45 this morning on 99.3 The Lift. The Red Sox always schedule their Patriots Day game early so fans can attend the Boston Marathon afterward.

The Brewers’ four-game win streak ended with a 5-3 loss to the Marlins. Miami got off to a quick start with three runs off Jacob Misiorowski in the first inning. Misiorowski recovered, pitched through the fifth, and didn’t allow any more runs, but the Brewers couldn’t recover.

The Brewers have today off, and open a series at Detroit tomorrow.

Email sports news and scores to mornings@up.net.

The set mixed PinkPantheress’ fast-moving, internet-shaped pop style with a bigger festival presentation. Zara Larsson appeared during the performance after recent momentum around their collaboration Stateside, adding another lift to a set that already had strong crowd energy. Janelle Monáe also joined the lineup of guests, giving the show another unexpected turn and widening its appeal beyond one lane of pop.

What stood out most was how smoothly the set balanced surprise with structure. Instead of feeling like a string of random cameos, the performance kept its focus on PinkPantheress while still making room for each guest moment to land. At a festival built on spectacle, the set managed to feel both polished and spontaneous, which helped make it one of the more talked-about appearances of the weekend.

During the performance, Langley joined Wallen onstage as the pair delivered the track in front of the crowd. The live debut gave the song immediate attention, especially as both artists continue to build strong momentum in country music. Wallen remains one of the format’s biggest commercial names, while Langley has been gaining wider visibility with a steady rise that has put her in front of larger audiences.

The duet leans into a country sound shaped by heartbreak and tension, with both voices trading lines that highlight the song’s emotional pull. By unveiling it in concert ahead of release day, Wallen and Langley turned a routine tour stop into a notable music moment for fans.

The speculation comes at a sensitive time for the artist, who recently shared that he is recovering from an “unexpected” medical issue. Despite his current health update, the “KONNAKOL World Tour” is still scheduled to kick off its UK arena run in May. Fans in Australia, who have been vocal about being skipped in previous release cycles, quickly connected the new hint to a Ticketek waitlist that recently appeared for his name.

For Zayn, an Australian tour would mark a significant expansion of his live presence after years of limited performances. While official details remain under wraps, the overwhelming response to his brief update confirms that the demand for a solo “Z-Day” down under is at an all-time high. For now, fans are balancing their excitement for new music with well-wishes for the singer’s recovery as they wait for a concrete announcement.

The collaboration began with a joint rendition of Rae’s hit “Headphones On,” where the two artists traded verses and showcased a chemistry that instantly went viral. The moment bridged the gap between digital stardom and mainstage pop dominance, as the crowd at the outdoor stage erupted during the unexpected cameo.

“Drop Dead” serves as the lead single for Rodrigo’s highly anticipated third studio album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, which is slated for a June 12 release. For Addison Rae, hosting such a major debut during her set cements her growing reputation as a serious player in the music landscape. For fans, the surprise served as the ultimate teaser for Rodrigo’s upcoming debut as both host and musical guest on Saturday Night Live next month.