Eight Spartan Wrestlers NCAA Bound
3/9/2021 6:14:00 PM | Wrestling
Most MSU has sent to Nationals since 2000.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State wrestling will be sending eight wrestlers to the 2021 NCAA Championships March 18-20 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri, as the NCAA announced the at-large selections Tuesday.
After seven Spartans, Rayvon Foley, Jordan Hamdan, Chase Saldate, Jake Tucker, Drew Hughes, Layne Malczewski and Cameron Caffey earned automatic berths over the weekend at the Big Ten Championships, Peyton Omania was part of the 64 at-large selections announced Tuesday.Â
The eight NCAA bound Spartans is the most since 2000 when MSU also sent eight. Last season, MSU was set to send six plus one alternate, but the NCAA Championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Â
Michigan State head coach Roger Chandler has now led 21 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships since taking over as head coach in 2016-17.Â
The at-large selections join the 266 student-athletes that qualified through their conference tournament finishes over the last two weekends. The at-large selections were made by the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee using the following selection criteria: head-to-head competition, quality wins (defined as wins against wrestlers already in the field), coaches ranking, results against common opponents, conference tournament placement and winning percentage. The committee was also able to use subjective criteria such as, but not limited to, historical performance.
Seeding and brackets for this year's event will be revealed on Wednesday, March 10, during the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Selection Show on NCAA.com at 6 p.m. ET.
Senior 174-pounder Drew Hughes is a four-time national qualifier, the Spartans' first since Nick Simmons (2003-2007). Hughes locked up his spot by finishing eighth at the B1G Championships.
The redshirt-junior dynamic duo of Rayvon Foley and Cameron Caffey at 125 and 197 pounds, respectively, are making their third NCAA Championships appearances. Foley earned NCAA All-American accolades in 2019, finishing seventh, while Caffey was a 2020 NWCA All-American honoree. Foley finishing third at the B1G Championships. It was Foley's highest finish of his three trips to the B1G Championships, after finishing sixth in 2019 and seventh in 2018.
Caffey finished fourth at the B1G Championships, collecting his second top fourth finish in a row, after earning runner-up accolades at 184 last season, as well as ninth in 2019.
At 165, redshirt-senior Jake Tucker, and at 174, redshirt-sophomore Layne Malczewski are both two-time NCAA Qualifiers, qualifying last year. Tucker was sixth at last weekend's conference championships meet, but matching his highest of his three appearances at the B1G meet, joining his last year's place. Malczewski was also sixth at the B1G Championships.
Redshirt-freshman 133-pounder Jordan Hamdan, redshirt-freshman 149-pounder Peyton Omania and freshman Chase Saldate will be making their first NCAA Championships appearances. Saldate finished fourth in his B1G Championships debut, Hamdan was seventh in his first B1G Championships appearance, and Omania finished just out of a top eight finish and spot on the podium.
A total of 33 wrestlers will make up each weight class at the national tournament, and all 33 will be ranked with seeds, which will be revealed Wednesday night during the selection show.
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After seven Spartans, Rayvon Foley, Jordan Hamdan, Chase Saldate, Jake Tucker, Drew Hughes, Layne Malczewski and Cameron Caffey earned automatic berths over the weekend at the Big Ten Championships, Peyton Omania was part of the 64 at-large selections announced Tuesday.Â
The eight NCAA bound Spartans is the most since 2000 when MSU also sent eight. Last season, MSU was set to send six plus one alternate, but the NCAA Championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Â
Michigan State head coach Roger Chandler has now led 21 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships since taking over as head coach in 2016-17.Â
The at-large selections join the 266 student-athletes that qualified through their conference tournament finishes over the last two weekends. The at-large selections were made by the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee using the following selection criteria: head-to-head competition, quality wins (defined as wins against wrestlers already in the field), coaches ranking, results against common opponents, conference tournament placement and winning percentage. The committee was also able to use subjective criteria such as, but not limited to, historical performance.
Seeding and brackets for this year's event will be revealed on Wednesday, March 10, during the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Selection Show on NCAA.com at 6 p.m. ET.
Senior 174-pounder Drew Hughes is a four-time national qualifier, the Spartans' first since Nick Simmons (2003-2007). Hughes locked up his spot by finishing eighth at the B1G Championships.
The redshirt-junior dynamic duo of Rayvon Foley and Cameron Caffey at 125 and 197 pounds, respectively, are making their third NCAA Championships appearances. Foley earned NCAA All-American accolades in 2019, finishing seventh, while Caffey was a 2020 NWCA All-American honoree. Foley finishing third at the B1G Championships. It was Foley's highest finish of his three trips to the B1G Championships, after finishing sixth in 2019 and seventh in 2018.
Caffey finished fourth at the B1G Championships, collecting his second top fourth finish in a row, after earning runner-up accolades at 184 last season, as well as ninth in 2019.
At 165, redshirt-senior Jake Tucker, and at 174, redshirt-sophomore Layne Malczewski are both two-time NCAA Qualifiers, qualifying last year. Tucker was sixth at last weekend's conference championships meet, but matching his highest of his three appearances at the B1G meet, joining his last year's place. Malczewski was also sixth at the B1G Championships.
Redshirt-freshman 133-pounder Jordan Hamdan, redshirt-freshman 149-pounder Peyton Omania and freshman Chase Saldate will be making their first NCAA Championships appearances. Saldate finished fourth in his B1G Championships debut, Hamdan was seventh in his first B1G Championships appearance, and Omania finished just out of a top eight finish and spot on the podium.
A total of 33 wrestlers will make up each weight class at the national tournament, and all 33 will be ranked with seeds, which will be revealed Wednesday night during the selection show.
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