EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State wrestling is back in dual action this week for a pair of B1G duals. MSU first heads to University Park, Pa. for an 8:00 p.m. dual at No. 1-ranked Penn State on Friday, January 10. The Spartans conclude the weekend in Jenison Field House on Sunday, January 12 for a 1:00 p.m. dual against Maryland. It's the first home appearance for Michigan State since the MSU Open on November 9, 2024.
Friday's match at Penn State will be broadcast nationally on Big Ten Network, while Sunday's dual will stream on B1G+.
The First Whistle
Michigan State opens B1G action with a 2-1 dual record including road wins at American (20-12) and Ohio (22-19). The Spartans had their 24-match non-conference winning streak snapped at Cal State Bakersfield on Dec. 15 (21-14). MSU has gone 2-6 in Big Ten duals in each of the last two seasons. Michigan State pulled off ranked upsets over then No. 17 Wisconsin (22-15) and No. 26 Illinois (29-10) last season.
The Spartans are 9-25 all-time in duals against Penn State, who enters the weekend ranked No. 1. MSU's last victory over the Nittany Lions came on Jan. 15, 2005 by a score of 19-12. Michigan State is 7-3 all-time against the Terrapins in a series that dates back to 1968. MSU is 5-3 against the Terps since 2016 including a five-dual winning streak from 2019-2023.
| MICHIGAN STATE PROBABLES |
| 125 | Caleb Weiand | R-Fr. |
| OR | Nick Corday | R-So. |
| 133 | Andy Hampton | R-Jr. |
| 141 | Jaden Crumpler | R-Fr. |
| OR | Sean Larkin | Fr. |
| 149 | Clayton Jones III | R-Fr. |
| 157 | Braden Stauffenberg | R-So. |
| 165 | Jay Nivison | R-Sr. |
| 174 | Ceasar Garza | R-So. |
| OR | Marty Larkin | R-Sr. |
| 184 | Ryan Boucher | R-Jr. |
| OR | Cory Thomas | Fr. |
| 197 | #25 Remy Cotton | R-Fr. |
| 285 | Max Vanadia | R-Fr. |
| OR | Josh Terrill | R-So. |
First Look: #1 Penn State and Maryland
Penn State unanimously ranks No. 1 in the NWCA, InterMat and FloWrestling rankings. Maryland is unranked by the NWCA but sits at #27 in the FloWrestling tournament rankings and #27 in the InterMat tournament rankings.
Ten of Penn State's projected starters are ranked at least #12 via InterMat with nine wrestlers sitting in the Top Five of their respective weight classes. Mitchell Mesenbrink and Carter Starocci are the top-ranked wrestlers at their weights with Shane Van Ness, Levi Haines and Greg Kerkvliet ranking #2. The 12 listed probables for Penn State have combined for a 94-4 record this season.
Maryland is 5-5 in duals this season but have five guys ranked via InterMat, with four of them in the Top 15. Ethen Miller is undefeated at 157 and is the highest-ranked Terp at #6. No. 13-ranked heavyweight Seth Nevills is also undefeated at 11-0. Maryland takes on No. 10-ranked Michigan on Friday night prior to arriving in East Lansing for Sunday's dual.
| #1 PENN STATE PROBABLES |
| 125 | #12 Luke Lilledahl | Fr. |
| 133 | #5 Braeden Davis | So. |
| 141 | #3 Beau Bartlett | Sr. |
| 149 | #2 Shane Van Ness | So. |
| 157 | #3 Tyler Kasak | So. |
| OR | Alex Facundo | So. |
| 165 | #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink | So. |
| 174 | #2 Levi Haines | Jr. |
| 184 | #1 Carter Starocci | Gr. |
| 197 | #4 Josh Barr | R-Fr. |
| OR | Lucas Cochran | Jr. |
| 285 | #2 Greg Kerkvliet | Sr. |
| MARYLAND PROBABLES |
| 125 | Tyler Garvin | Fr. |
| OR | Presden Sanchez | Fr. |
| 133 | #14 Braxton Brown | R-Jr. |
| 141 | Dario Lemus | R-Fr. |
| OR | Michael Pizzuto | R-Fr. |
| 149 | #29 Kal Miller | Jr. |
| 157 | #6 Ethen Miller | R-Jr. |
| OR | Mekhi Neal | Fr. |
| 165 | Sammy Gautreau | Fr. |
| OR | Alex Uryniak | Fr. |
| 174 | Branson John | Fr. |
| 184 | #13 Jaxon Smith | R-Jr. |
| 197 | Chase Mielnik | R-Sr. |
| 285 | #13 Seth Nevills | Gr. |
| OR | Sam O'Brian | R-Jr. |
Spartans at Midlands
Michigan State placed 13th out of 25 teams at the 60th Ken Kraft Midlands Championships with 32.5 team points to conclude the 2024 calendar year. A pair of Spartans reached the podium with both Marty Larkin and Max Vanadia placing seventh.
Both wrestlers finished with a 4-2 record at Midlands, with Vanadia winning four matches on the back side of the bracket after dropping his first-round bout. Vanadia's only losses of the tournament were to Stanford's Peter Ming. Larkin dropped a quarterfinals bout before wrestling back to place seventh.
Up Next
Michigan State remains at home for a non-conference dual next week, hosting Buffalo at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 19 inside Jenison Field House. The Bulls are 2-8 this season with wins over Sacred Heart (37-5) and Kent State (20-18).
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
