Wisconsin Badgers
Michigan State
Six to Pin: Michigan State & No. 6 Nebraska
January 23, 2024 | Wrestling
No. 17 Wisconsin wrestles two B1G duals this week
In Spartan territory. Claws out and ready.
— Wisconsin Wrestling (@BadgerWrestling) January 26, 2024
#17 Wisconsin at Michigan State
6 PM CT / 7 PM ET
Watch live on B1G+ via https://t.co/XlcG8gsYGk pic.twitter.com/QDrZoGTmrL
HAMPTON, Va. – No. 17 Wisconsin splits competition this week with a road dual at Michigan State on Friday, Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. CT and returns home to wrestle No. 6 Nebraska on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 1 p.m. CT at the UW Field House.
Fans can watch the Badgers wrestle the Spartans live on Friday on B1G+.
Update: Wisconsin lost to Michigan State, 22-15.
Sunday’s match versus the Huskers will be televised live across the nation on Big Ten Network. Shane Sparks will handle play-by-play and Jim Gibbons joins as analyst.
Here’s six more notes to pin:
1. Last Time Out:
Wisconsin opened the Big Ten dual season with a hard-fought 27-15 loss to No. 7 Ohio State on Jan. 21 at the UW Field House. Highlighted by Youth Team Day, the Badgers welcomed a crowd of 3,563 including 20+ youth teams. Read the recap.
Three Badgers earned big wins against the Buckeyes, led by No. 4 Eric Barnett at 125 pounds with a pin of No. 24 Brendan McCrone in only 32 seconds.
No. 5 Dean Hamiti improved to 16-1 overall with a 18-3 tech fall over OSU’s No. 22 Bryce Hepner and Shane Liegel earned a 14-3 major decision against Seth Shumate.
Every bout is a battle in the Big Ten
— Wisconsin Wrestling (@BadgerWrestling) January 22, 2024
Thankful for the crowd tonight at the Field House pic.twitter.com/38WX8zGnBy
2. Scouting the Spartans
Michigan State is currently 0-3 in the Big Ten standings after losses to No. 13 Michigan (29-12), No. 14 Rutgers (22-13) and No. 1 Penn State (35-0).
Five Spartans hold national rankings: No. 20 Jordan Hamdan (141), No. 21 Chase Saldate (157), No. 9 Caleb Fish (165), No. 21 Layne Malczewski (184), No. 29 Kael Wisler (197).
2. Scouting the Cornhuskers:
No. 6 Nebraska is currently 2-1 in the Big Ten, with two wins against No. 9 Minnesota (19-14) and Purdue (27-14) and a loss to No. 3 Iowa (22-10).
The Huskers have ranked wrestlers in nine of 10 weight classes, led by No. 1 Ridge Lovett at 149 (17-0).
5. NCAA Coaches Rankings Out
The NCAA announced the first coaches’ ranking for the 2024 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships on Monday, Jan. 22.
The coaches’ rankings are determined by a vote of 14 coaches in each weight class with two head coaches from each of the seven conferences in a lead-up to the national tournament March 21-23 in Kansas City.
Six Badgers earned national rankings by the coaches, including Nicolar Rivera making his career debut in a national ranking at 133 pounds.
- No. 5 - Eric Barnett, 125
- No. 32 - Nicolar Rivera, 133
- No. 12 - Joseph Zargo, 149
- No. 5 - Dean Hamiti, 165
- No. 8 - Max Maylor, 174
- No. 15 - Shane Liegel, 184
It’s getting real. 1st set of @NCAAWrestling coaches’ rankings are out
— Wisconsin Wrestling (@BadgerWrestling) January 22, 2024
Game recognizes game as Nico Rivera makes his first national ranking!
5?? @ericbarnett1117 125
3??2?? @nicolar27_r 133
1??2?? @joseph_zargo 149
5?? @HamitiDean 165
8?? @max_maylor10 174
1??5?? Shane Liegel 184 pic.twitter.com/xzTbyOMYJl
5. In the media polls
Five Badgers continue to earn national rankings in the latest Intermat poll, while the team earned a No. 14 team ranking in tournament and No. 17 in duals by Intermat. The Badgers climbed in this week's poll for the National Wrestling Coaches Association to No. 21.
- No. 3 – Eric Barnett, 125
- No. 5 – Dean Hamiti, 165
- No. 12 – Max Maylor, 174
- No. 16 - Shane Liegel, 184
- No. 23 – Joseph Zargo, 149
6. Lineup
No. 17 Wisconsin (6-2, 0-1 B1G) at Virginia Duals
- 125: #3 Eric Barnett (16-2)
- 133: Nicolar Rivera (9-10) and Zan Fugitt (7-3)
- 141: Felix Lettini (3-11)
- 149: #23 Joseph Zargo (12-5)
- 157: Luke Mechler (6-10)
- 165: #5 Dean Hamiti (16-1)
- 174: #12 Max Maylor (10-3) and Cale Anderson (5-4)
- 184: #16 Shane Liegel (15-4)
- 197: Josh Otto (1-5) and Michael Talshahar (6-7)
- 285: Gannon Rosenfeld (1-8) and Brooks Empey (0-3)
Head Coach: Chris Bono
Record at Wisconsin: 47-30 (6th)
Overall Record: 150-88 (15th)
Associate Head Coach: Jon Reader
Assistant Coach: Seth Gross
Coach (RTC): Garrett Model
Michigan State (7-3, 0-3 B1G)
- 125: Tristan Lujan (12-9)
- 133: Andy Hampton (4-15)
- 141: #20 Jordan Hamdan (15-6)
- 149: Braden Stauffenberg (6-13)
- 157: #21 Chase Saldate (16-4)
- 165: #9 Caleb Fish (18-5)
- 174: DJ Shannon (9-12)
- 184: #21 Layne Malczewski (6-5)
- 197: #29 Kael Wisler (20-10) or Lucas Daly (10-7)
- 285: Josh Terrill (23-9)
Head Coach: Roger Chandler
Associate Head Coach: Chris Williams
Assistant Coaches: Willie Miklus
No. 6 Nebraska (7-1, 2-1 B1G)
- 125: #12 Caleb Smith (14-4) or Alan Koehler (3-1)
- 133: #19 Jake Van Dee (13-5)
- 141: #7 Brock Hardy (11-5) or Blake Cushing (12-3)
- 149: #1 Ridge Lovett (17-0)
- 157: #9 Peyton Robb (14-4) or Josh Licking (3-2)
- 165: #18 Antrell Taylor (13-3)
- 174: #33 Bubba Wilson (10-6) or Chris Minto (12-3)
- 184: #3 Lenny Pinto (13-3)
- 197: #15 Silas Allred (15-4)
- 285: Harley Andrews (9-9) or Nash Hutmacher (2-1)
Head Coach: Mark Manning
Associate Head Coach: Bryan Snyder
Assistant Coaches: Tervel Dlagnev, James Green
