No. 11 Spartans Host No. 13 Wisconsin on Alumni Day Friday

Friday, September 25

East Lansing, Mich.

7 PM

Michigan State University

#13 Wisconsin

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Brandon Munson strikes the ball against NU.

No. 11 Spartans Host No. 13 Wisconsin on Alumni Day Friday

9/24/2026 2:51:00 PM | Men's Soccer

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Michigan State will celebrate 70 years of Spartan Soccer.

EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 11/19 Michigan State men's soccer returns home to face No. 13/14 Wisconsin on Friday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. Friday is also Alumni Day, where the Spartans will celebrate 70 years of Michigan State soccer.

Last time out, MSU captured its second Big Ten victory with a 1-0 road victory over Penn State. The Spartans are 6-1-1 overall.

Jack Vohwinkle and Jessica Kemnitz will be on the call for the B1G+.

LOOKING AT THE BADGERS
Wisconsin started the season with five-straight wins. Since then, the Badgers are 0-1-2 since conference play started. Wisconsin started league play with a tough schedule taking on three ranked teams in Ohio State, Maryland and Indiana.

Markie Hrvojevic leads the team in scoring with four goals and one assist for nine points. Hrvojevic is tied for fourth in the Big Ten in goals scored with four. Judewellin Michel has been excellent in goal this season, allowing only five goals in eight games this season for a 0.44 GAA. He is tied for fourth in the Big Ten with 23 saves.

Wisconsin head coach Neil Jones is in his ninth season with the Badgers with a record of 81-54-26.

SERIES HISTORY
Wisconsin leads the overall series with Michigan State 25-17-7. In East Lansing, the Spartans hold the advantage 9-8-3. In Madison, Wisconsin has the lead 14-7-3. On neutral ground, UW is on top 3-1-1.

The Spartans had won three-straight games in the series, before the Badgers earned a 2-0 win in Madison last season. In that game, no one scored in the first half, but Wisconsin scored two second-half goals to earn the win.

LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS
The Spartans are among the leaders in the NCAA in several categories. Michigan State is second in the country in assists per game and first in the Big Ten with 3.50 apg. MSU is also ninth in the NCAA and second in the B1G in points per game with 8.50 ppg. The Spartans are third in the nation in assists with 28.

HONORING THE PAST
Michigan State will celebrate 70 years of Spartan Soccer on Friday on Alumni Day. Over 50 former Spartans are expected to be honored at half time. MSU will also honor Hall of Famer and National Champion Trevor Harris who passed away earlier this month.

KEEPING UP WITH DARAKDJIAN
With two goals against Northwestern on Sept. 15, senior forward Andrew Darakdjian now has scored four goals this season. The two goals against the Wildcats were his first two Big Ten goals after missing last season with an injury. The transfer from Oakland University has started all eight games this season. He has four goals and one assist for nine points.

HUERTA IS CLUTCH
Last time out, MSU earned a hard fought 1-0 road victory against Penn State on Sept. 18. In the 85th minute, Junior forward Oscar Huerta's diving header would be all the offense that the Spartans needed. The play started with a corner kick from Miles Merritt. The goal was the first of the season for Huerta, while Merritt has two assists.

GREK STEPPING UP
Junior goalkeeper Jake Grekowicz has had a strong start to the season. In his first season as the Spartans' starter, he has allowed only seven goals for a 0.89 GAA. He also has earned four shutouts this season against SIUE, Pitt, Northwestern and Penn State. He is tied for second in the Big Ten in shutouts.

BIG TEN OPENER
With the 2-0 win over Northwestern on Sept. 15, the Spartans are 8-2-3 in their last 13 Big Ten openers. Last season, MSU fell to Washington, 2-1, in Seattle. In 2024, MSU picked up a 1-0 win against the Huskies in East Lansing. The Spartans tied Rutgers on the road 1-1 in the league opener in 2023. In 2022, MSU tied No. 16 Indiana to open league play. In 2021, MSU tied Wisconsin 1-1 in Madison.

AROUND THE BIG TEN
Heading into this weekend, Indiana stands first in the Big Ten standings with seven points. Michigan State, Rutgers and Washington are all tied for second with six points. This is the first time since 2018 that MSU has started the season 2-0 in conference play. Wisconsin, Michigan, UCLA, Ohio State and Penn State are all looking for their first B1G wins of the season.

Senior forward Andrew Darakdjian is fourth in the Big Ten in scoring with four goals and one assist for nine points. Senior Richie Ludwig is first in the conference in assists with seven. As team, MSU is second in the league in points with 67.

CLIMBING UP THE POLLS
This week, the Spartans stand No. 11 in the United Soccer Poll and No. 19 in the Top Drawer Soccer Poll. They are one of five Big Ten teams ranked this week. Indiana leads the way at No. 2. Maryland is ranked No. 4 followed by No. 13 Wisconsin and No. 25 Rutgers.

Michigan State is one three Big Ten teams that have both its men and women's teams ranked, along with Ohio State and Wisconsin. The Spartan women are currently No. 2.

GETTING IN THE STARTING XI
Eight Spartans have started all seven games this season. There have been 26 different players that have seen action in the first eight games and among those 26 players 15 have earned a point. After missing all of last season with a torn ACL, junior forward Mohamed Saad saw his first action against Niagara on Aug. 30. Freshman Ezra Horlings made his collegiate debut in goal in the second half against the Purple Eagles on Aug. 30. Newcomers Leo Conneh and Conner O'Keefe have both started all eight games this season.

LIGHTING UP THE SCOREBOARD
Fifteen different Spartans have earned a point in the first eight games. Senior Andrew Darakdjian leads the way with four goals. Sophomore defender Conner O'Keefe is second with three goals. Five different players have two goals. Nine different Spartans have found the back of the net.

Last season, MSU scored 19 goals in 16 games. So far in eight games, MSU has netted 20 goals already this season.

THE BICYCLE HEARD AROUND THE NCAA
Junior forward Oscar Huerta caught a lot of attention with an assist against SIUE on Aug. 27. In the 47th minute, MSU scored a SportsCenter worthy goal started by Huerta's bicycle kick pass. Huerta's kick perfectly found the head of sophomore defender Conner O'Keefe for his second goal of the year.

DID YOU KNOW?
Michigan State has 68 points through seven games with 20 goals and 28 assists. In 16 games last season, MSU had 57 points off of 19 goals and 19 assists.

HOME SWEET HOME
This was the first time that Michigan State has started the season with five-straight home games. After home wins against UAlbany, Seattle, SIUE, and Niagara, MSU closed out the homestand with a 0-0 tie against Pitt. The Spartans are 5-0-1 this season at home.

MAKING AN IMPRESSION
The Spartans showed off their goal- scoring prowess with six goals in the season opener against UAlbany on Aug. 20. The six goals were the most since a 6-0 win against Western Michigan on Sept. 24, 2008. It was also the most goals scored in a season opener since a 6-1 win against UW-Milwaukee on Sept. 1, 2001.

FULL CIRCLE MOMENT
Freshman midfielder Drew Rensing is following in his father's footsteps in becoming a Spartan. MSU head coach Damon Rensing played at Michigan State from 1993-1996. The younger Rensing has seen action in seven games this season.

KEEP YOUR EYES ON THEM
Michigan State men's soccer team had three players named to the 2026 Big Ten Players to Watch List. Senior midfielder Miles Merritt, junior defender Brandon Munson and sophomore midfielder Peter Soudan were all honored by the league.

Merritt, a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is in his second season at Michigan State after transferring from Incarnate Word.

Munson, a junior who hails from Spring Hill, Florida, started 11 games for the Spartans. He scored one goal with one assist for three points.

Soudan, a sophomore from Western Springs, Illinois, was named to the 2025 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. He also earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman team last season.

O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
Ahead of the start of practice on Aug. 14, Michigan State head men's soccer coach Damon Rensing announced the three captains for the 2026 season in Richie Ludwig, Miles Merritt and Will Eby.

DID YOU ALSO KNOW?
The Spartans added a new member on Aug. 18. Assistant coach Nick Barry and his wife, Maddy, welcomed a Spartan, Charlotte.

UP NEXT
Michigan State will now hit the road for a pair of games at UCLA (Oct. 3) and No. 4 Maryland (Oct. 9).

PRESEASON PLAY
The Spartans played two exhibition games in preparation for the 2026 season. On Aug. 8, Michigan State tied Loyola Chicago, 1-1, in East Lansing. In that outing, junior Oscar Huerta scored the first goal of the exhibition slate. On Aug. 14, MSU earned a draw at Notre Dame, 2-2. Richie Ludwig and Brandon Munson were the goal scorers in that outing.

THE STAFF
MSU head coach Damon Rensing enters his 18th season at the helm of the Spartans. Nick Barry enters his seventh year at MSU. Reid Friedrichs, who enters his fourth year with Michigan State. Friedrichs has plenty of experience in the Green and White as a player, including Big Ten Player of the Year honors in 1996.

Former Spartan Zach Carroll enters his second season as an assistant coach. He was the No. 38 overall pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft by the New York Red Bulls. He earned first-team All-Big honors in 2015.

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON
MSU senior midfielder Colin Arce is following in his father's footsteps. Steve Arce played at Michigan State from 1998-01 when current head coach Damon Rensing was an assistant coach.