Wrestling Begins 2021-22 Season with Michigan State Open

Michigan State Open
Date: Saturday, Nov. 6
Time: 9:30 a.m. ET
Location: Jenison Field House (East Lansing, Mich.)
Watch: Flo Wresting
Live Results: TrackWrestling
Admission: $15 for adults / $5 for high school or younger / (No Bag Policy)

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State wrestling team will start its 2021-22 season on Saturday, Nov. 6, when the Spartans host the Michigan State Open inside Jenison Field House.

Masks are required indoors for all individuals. Michigan State University requires all campus visitors, faculty, staff and students to wear a mask while indoors, regardless of vaccination status.

There is also a No Bag Policy at Jenison Field House. No outside food or beverages are allowed either.

With the return of the event after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the MSU Open will kick off with preliminary-round action at 9:30 a.m.

MSU OPEN IS BACK
The 2021 edition of the MSU Open will feature representatives from 22 collegiate programs, with approximately 376 wrestlers taking part. Michigan State will be among 12 schools entering a nearly full roster, while seven fellow Big Ten schools are set to send student-athletes to the event.

The MSU Open will have both an open division for college and post-college wrestlers and a freshman/sophomore division, as the tournament will be a double elimination event with no team scores. Each wrestler will wrestle a maximum of six matches.

The 2019 MSU Open saw the Spartans earn six top-five finishes, as then-freshman Jordan Hamdan notched MSU's lone individual title in the freshman/sophomore division at 133 pounds. MSU earned four top-five finishes in the open bracket with two others reaching the quarterfinals. Jake Tucker took fourth, Cameron Caffey took third, and Layne Malczewski and Christian Rebottaro claimed fifth place finishes.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
Head coach Roger Chandler brings back seven NCAA Qualifiers from last season, highlighted by a three-time qualifier in Caffey (197), and a Team USA 2021 World Greco-Roman Championship Team member in Peyton Omania (149). Other returning NCAA qualifiers include 2018-19 All-American Rayvon Foley (125), Hamdan (133), Malczewski (184), Chase Saldate (157) and Tucker (165). Foley will be bumping up to the 133 weight class and compete with Hamdan for the starting spot. Two other Spartan starters return, as Rebottaro (285) and Matt Santos (141) are both back in the Green and White.

The team also added seven newcomers, with five freshmen adding to the depth of the roster, while graduate transfer Ryan Vasbinder arrives in East Lansing after being a Division II All-American at McKendree at 197.

QUOTABLE
Coach Chandler's season-opening press conference from Monday, including comments about the Michigan State Open, can viewed via Spartans All-Access.

Up Next
Following the MSU Open, the Spartans head to Annapolis, Maryland for the Navy Classic on Saturday, Nov. 20.

SPARTANS IN PRESEASON RANKINGS
Team
No. 32 – FloWrestling

Rayvon Foley – 125
No. 14 - FloWrestling
No. 13 – Intermat

Peyton Omania – 149
HM – FloWrestling

Chase Saldate – 157
No. 20 – FloWrestling
No. 23 – Intermat

Jake Tucker – 165
No. 18 – FloWrestling
No. 21 – Intermat

Layne Malczewski – 184
No. 23 – FloWrestling
No. 24 – Intermat

Cameron Caffey – 197
No. 12 - FloWrestling
No. 13 – Intermat

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Cameron Caffey

Rayvon Foley

Jordan Hamdan

Layne Malczewski

Peyton Omania

Christian Rebottaro

Chase Saldate

Matt Santos

Jake Tucker

Ryan Vasbinder