EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State wrestling returns to Jenison Field House on Sunday, January 19 for a 3:00 p.m. non-conference dual against Buffalo. The Spartans are currently 2-0 this season in duals against non-B1G opponents. Sunday's dual will stream on B1G+.
The First Whistle
MSU is 3-0 all-time against Buffalo winning duals in 2017, 2018 and 2023. Buffalo last wrestled the Spartans in East Lansing in 2018 where Michigan State won 23-12. Six Spartans picked up wins over Buffalo that day including Rayvon Foley, Alex Hrisopoulos, Jaden Enriquez, Logan Ritchie, Drew Hughes and Cameron Caffey. Last season Michigan State defeated the Bulls 26-9 inside the UB Center for the Arts.
Redshirt freshman Remy Cotton is enjoying a breakout campaign for the Spartans entering this week ranked #25/#23 at 197 pounds. Also joining the rankings was redshirt sophomore Ceasar Garza at 174 pounds checking in at #31 after a win over Maryland's Branson John last weekend.
| MICHIGAN STATE PROBABLES |
| 125 | Caleb Weiand | R-Fr. |
| 133 | Andy Hampton | R-Jr. |
| OR | Tristan Lujan | R-Sr. |
| 141 | Jaden Crumpler | R-Fr. |
| 149 | Clayton Jones III | R-Fr. |
| 157 | Braden Stauffenberg | R-So. |
| 165 | Jay Nivison | R-Sr. |
| 174 | NR/31 Ceasar Garza | R-So. |
| OR | Marty Larkin | R-Sr. |
| 184 | Luke Daly | R-Jr. |
| 197 | 25/23 Remy Cotton | R-Fr. |
| 285 | Max Vanadia | R-Fr. |
First Look: Buffalo
Buffalo is 2-8 in duals this season and has lost two straight prior to arriving in East Lansing this weekend. The Bulls are lead by first-year head coach Donnie Vinson, who previously served as the associate head coach at perennial powerhouse Cornell for three seasons. One of his former student-athletes, Hunter Richard, wrestled at Cornell from 2017-22 where he was a two-time NCAA qualifier and a second-place EIWA finisher in 2020.
Buffalo has not competed in dual action in nearly a month, last facing SIUE on December 20 where they were defeated 28-10. Last weekend the Bulls were in action at the David H. Lehman '68 Franklin & Marshall Open where they placed two on the podium. Hunter Shaut placed sixth at 165 pounds going 5-2 and Rafael Knapp took sixth at 175 going 3-2. At 157, Kaleb Burgess went 5-1 on the day and Sam Ewing with 5-1 at 149, but neither placed due to hitting their single-day match limit.
Michigan State is 3-0 all-time against Buffalo, meeting the Bulls in 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2023-24. MSU defeated Buffalo, 26-9, at the UB Center for the Arts last season winning seven bouts. Buffalo last wrestled in East Lansing on November 28, 2018 losing 23-12.
| BUFFALO PROBABLES |
| 125 | Max Elton | So. |
| OR | Caden Barrientos | Fr. |
| 133 | Michael Guigliano | Fr. |
| 141 | Cole French | R-Jr. |
| OR | Aaron Lanster | R-Fr. |
| OR | Andy Lucinsky | R-Jr. |
| 149 | Sam Ewing | R-Fr. |
| OR | Kieran Cullen | Fr. |
| 157 | Kaleb Burgess | R-Fr. |
| 165 | Hunter Shaut | Grad. |
| 174 | Rafael Knapp | R-Fr. |
| 184 | Marcus Petite | R-Sr. |
| 197 | Lonnell Pabon | R-So. |
| 285 | Robbie Unruh | R-Sr. |
Ranked Spartans
Redshirt freshman Remy Cotton has spent most of his breakout season in the rankings after a 9-4 start to his season. Cotton ranks #23 in the FloWrestling rankings and is #25 on InterMat. Last weekend Cotton picked up another tech fall, defeating Maryland's Chase Mielnik, 20-4 in just over six minutes.
Redshirt sophomore Ceasar Garza moved into the FloWrestling ranks this week at #31 after he posted an 11-6 victory over Maryland's Branson John last Sunday. Garza is 10-7 overall in his return to the starting lineup this season and is 3-2 in duals including an 18-12 win over American's Caleb Campos who is ranked #33 on InterMat after pinning #20/22 Lennox Wolak of Virginia Tech at the Southern Scuffle.
Up Next
Michigan State will wrestle a pair of B1G duals at home next weekend hosting No. 25-ranked Indiana (Jan. 24) and No. 7-ranked Nebraska (Jan. 26) inside Jenison Field House. MSU head coach Roger Chandler is a 1997 graduate of Indiana.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
