Friday, January 6
East Lansing, Mich.
6 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Bucknell
No. 23 Spartans Christen the New Year with Home-Opener Against Bucknell
1/5/2023 3:06:00 PM | Wrestling
MSU Hosts Alumni Dual on Friday Against the Bison
EAST LANSING, Mich. – No. 23 Michigan State wrestling returns to the friendly confines of Jenison Field House for the first time since November, as the Spartans get set to host their home-opening dual against the Bucknell Bison on Friday, Jan. 6. First whistle is slated for 6 p.m.
In addition to MSU's home-opening festivities, the Spartans will welcome back multiple generations of wrestling legends for Michigan State's annual alumni dual. Former Spartan wrestlers will be honored in a ceremony during the intermission of Friday evening's match.
HEAD COACH ROGER CHANDLER SAID…
"I think, at the end of the day, Bucknell is going to be a scrappy team. They have maybe one of the best teams that we have seen this year to date. We just have to be ready to wrestle in all positions. We are not going to win the match just off of one takedown or one escape. We are going to have to put multiple points up on the board, at every position and in every weight class across the board. Our guys need to be looking to score in every situation they can. That's the best way to go about this dual, and really all of our competitions. If you are putting points on the board, then good things are going to happen for you and your team. I'm really excited to go out there and experience a home dual environment for the first time this season in front of our awesome fans."
HOME SWEET HOME
Michigan State returns to East Lansing for the first time since the MSU Open on Nov. 5, 2022. The Spartans will experience their first home dual environment since defeating then-No. 21 Central Michigan on senior night, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, by a 19-17 margin. The Green & White faced some of the toughest opponents in the nation inside Jenison Field House a year ago, publishing a pair of nationally-ranked home wins over then-No. 14 Rutgers by a 20-17 score, as well as the victory over Central Michigan. Graduate 197-pounder Cameron Caffey picked up the signature win of his collegiate career in front of a raucous home crowd. Then-No. 18 Caffey took down second-ranked and eventual NCAA National Champion Max Dean of Penn State in a grueling 3-2 bout. The Spartans will wrestle five times on the Banks of the Red Cedar, opening the home slate with Bucknell on Jan. 6, followed by Michigan (Jan. 13), Maryland (Jan. 27), Illinois (Feb. 5) and Indiana (Feb. 10).
WHAT HAPPENS IN RENO...
Led by a trio of individual champions, Michigan State took home its first tournament title of the 2022-23 season, as the Spartans tallied 161 points to earn the team championship at the Reno Tournament of Champions on Sunday, Dec. 18. Jordan Hamdan (141), Caleb Fish (165) and Cameron Caffey (197) each collected individual crowns at their respective weight classes. MSU's dominant fall semester came to a close with 10 different wrestlers earning podium finishes, highlighted by five finalists across five different weight classes. Michigan State took home its first tournament title since running away with the team championship at the 2021 Navy Classic a year ago. The Spartans booked their best finish at the Reno Tournament of Champions since placing second in the 2018-19 season.
FIRST LOOK: BUCKNELL
Led by three-time Spartan All-American and MSU Class of 1995 head coach Dan Wirnsberger, the Bucknell Bison enter the fray in East Lansing with a 2-2 overall record and a 1-0 start in EIWA duals. The Bison opened the 2022-23 campaign at home with a 30-6 loss to then-No. 11 Oklahoma State and followed that up with tournament action at the Navy Classic and Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Following wins on the road over Sacred Heart and Edinboro, Bucknell dropped a 21-9 decision at Buffalo before the new year. Bucknell is fresh off a 14th-place finish at the 2023 Southern Scuffle, amassing 38 team points. Individually, the Bison are led by 18th-ranked Darren Miller (141) and No. 22 Kurt Phipps, who paces the team with a 19-7 overall record at 133 pounds. Michigan State and Bucknell get set for the fourth all-time meeting between the two programs, with the Spartans holding a narrow 2-1 edge in the series history.
JENISON MATCHDAY CENTRAL
Click the link here to be redirected to the ticket purchasing page for Friday evening's alumni dual and home opener. General admission tickets are available now online and at the gate beginning one hour before first whistle. Tickets for individual adults are available for $5, while individual youth and senior tickets are available for $3. All Michigan State students will be granted free admission to the dual with a valid MSU ID. Children under the age of 8 will be admitted for free. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 1-800-GO-STATE. Gates will open one hour before the start of the dual.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Michigan State's home opening dual against Bucknell will be streamed live to a worldwide audience via B1G+ with Brendan Schabath and Eric Olanowski calling the action. Click here and sign in with credentials to follow along live with Saturday's dual meet. As always, fans are encouraged to follow the Spartans on Twitter @MSU_Wrestling for score updates as matches finish.
FOLLOW THE SPARTANS
Visit MSUSpartans.com for more information on Michigan State wrestling. Fans can keep up to date with the Spartan wrestling team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by following @MSU_Wrestling.
In addition to MSU's home-opening festivities, the Spartans will welcome back multiple generations of wrestling legends for Michigan State's annual alumni dual. Former Spartan wrestlers will be honored in a ceremony during the intermission of Friday evening's match.
HEAD COACH ROGER CHANDLER SAID…
"I think, at the end of the day, Bucknell is going to be a scrappy team. They have maybe one of the best teams that we have seen this year to date. We just have to be ready to wrestle in all positions. We are not going to win the match just off of one takedown or one escape. We are going to have to put multiple points up on the board, at every position and in every weight class across the board. Our guys need to be looking to score in every situation they can. That's the best way to go about this dual, and really all of our competitions. If you are putting points on the board, then good things are going to happen for you and your team. I'm really excited to go out there and experience a home dual environment for the first time this season in front of our awesome fans."
HOME SWEET HOME
Michigan State returns to East Lansing for the first time since the MSU Open on Nov. 5, 2022. The Spartans will experience their first home dual environment since defeating then-No. 21 Central Michigan on senior night, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, by a 19-17 margin. The Green & White faced some of the toughest opponents in the nation inside Jenison Field House a year ago, publishing a pair of nationally-ranked home wins over then-No. 14 Rutgers by a 20-17 score, as well as the victory over Central Michigan. Graduate 197-pounder Cameron Caffey picked up the signature win of his collegiate career in front of a raucous home crowd. Then-No. 18 Caffey took down second-ranked and eventual NCAA National Champion Max Dean of Penn State in a grueling 3-2 bout. The Spartans will wrestle five times on the Banks of the Red Cedar, opening the home slate with Bucknell on Jan. 6, followed by Michigan (Jan. 13), Maryland (Jan. 27), Illinois (Feb. 5) and Indiana (Feb. 10).
WHAT HAPPENS IN RENO...
Led by a trio of individual champions, Michigan State took home its first tournament title of the 2022-23 season, as the Spartans tallied 161 points to earn the team championship at the Reno Tournament of Champions on Sunday, Dec. 18. Jordan Hamdan (141), Caleb Fish (165) and Cameron Caffey (197) each collected individual crowns at their respective weight classes. MSU's dominant fall semester came to a close with 10 different wrestlers earning podium finishes, highlighted by five finalists across five different weight classes. Michigan State took home its first tournament title since running away with the team championship at the 2021 Navy Classic a year ago. The Spartans booked their best finish at the Reno Tournament of Champions since placing second in the 2018-19 season.
FIRST LOOK: BUCKNELL
Led by three-time Spartan All-American and MSU Class of 1995 head coach Dan Wirnsberger, the Bucknell Bison enter the fray in East Lansing with a 2-2 overall record and a 1-0 start in EIWA duals. The Bison opened the 2022-23 campaign at home with a 30-6 loss to then-No. 11 Oklahoma State and followed that up with tournament action at the Navy Classic and Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Following wins on the road over Sacred Heart and Edinboro, Bucknell dropped a 21-9 decision at Buffalo before the new year. Bucknell is fresh off a 14th-place finish at the 2023 Southern Scuffle, amassing 38 team points. Individually, the Bison are led by 18th-ranked Darren Miller (141) and No. 22 Kurt Phipps, who paces the team with a 19-7 overall record at 133 pounds. Michigan State and Bucknell get set for the fourth all-time meeting between the two programs, with the Spartans holding a narrow 2-1 edge in the series history.
JENISON MATCHDAY CENTRAL
Click the link here to be redirected to the ticket purchasing page for Friday evening's alumni dual and home opener. General admission tickets are available now online and at the gate beginning one hour before first whistle. Tickets for individual adults are available for $5, while individual youth and senior tickets are available for $3. All Michigan State students will be granted free admission to the dual with a valid MSU ID. Children under the age of 8 will be admitted for free. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 1-800-GO-STATE. Gates will open one hour before the start of the dual.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Michigan State's home opening dual against Bucknell will be streamed live to a worldwide audience via B1G+ with Brendan Schabath and Eric Olanowski calling the action. Click here and sign in with credentials to follow along live with Saturday's dual meet. As always, fans are encouraged to follow the Spartans on Twitter @MSU_Wrestling for score updates as matches finish.
FOLLOW THE SPARTANS
Visit MSUSpartans.com for more information on Michigan State wrestling. Fans can keep up to date with the Spartan wrestling team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by following @MSU_Wrestling.
Players Mentioned
Braden Stauffenberg | Will To Serve | Spartans All-Access
Tuesday, February 18
Spartans All-Access: Layne Malczewski
Monday, January 22
Spartans All-Access: Mayhem at the Mainstage
Tuesday, December 12
Spartans All-Access: Tristan Lujan
Wednesday, December 21