Wrestling Completes Day One of NCAA Championships in Kansas City
3/21/2024 11:09:00 PM | Wrestling
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Michigan State wrestling capped off day one of the 2024 Division I Wrestling Championships on Thursday inside the T-Mobile Center with victories from 165-pounder Caleb Fish and 184-pounder Layne Malczewski.
The Spartans kicked off the tournament in the pigtails round with 125-pound redshirt junior Tristan Lujan picking up his first career NCAA Championships victory over No. 33-seed Browns Mike Joyce, 8-4. Lujan executed two takedowns, while only giving up two escape points and one reversal. The Selma, California, native advanced to the first round to face No. 1-seeded Braeden Davis from Penn State.
Lujan would drop his next two matches against B1G foes Davis (8-1) and Rutgers No. 16-seed Dean Peterson (8-1).
It was a low scoring affair for Malczewski at 184-pounds as he opened the day against North Carolina State's No. 10-seed Dylan Fishback. The only scoring in the match came in the second period with a Malczewski escape after he won the toss to take bottom positioning. Despite the low scoring matchup, Malczewski fended off multiple takedown attempts from Fishback in the third period to off a gritty 1-0 upset.
In the second-round bout, Malczewski squared off against Virginia Tech No. 7-seed Thomas Stewart. The match would go in the favor of Stewart, 10-3.
At 141-pounds, No. 28-seed Jordan Hamdan began his day against the returning All-American No. 6-seed Lachlan Mcneil out of North Carolina where he would drop his first match of the day, 18-2. In his consolation match, Hamdan would face yet another former All-American in Cj Composto where he fell, 18-2
Senior 157-pounder Chase Saldate entered his fourth NCAA Championships as the No. 24-seed and faced a familiar draw for his first match as he faced Michigan's No. 9-seed Will Lewan. Neither wrestler picked up steam going into the second stanza scoreless with Lewan winning the flip and taking bottom position. With a takedown in the second period from Lewan, Saldate battled back from a 4-0 deficit but fell just short, 4-3.
In Saldate would drop his second bout to B1G foe No. 25-seed Trevor Chumbley from Northwestern, 4-3.
Fish would split his two matches of the day. In his first match against No. 12-seed Garret Thompson (Ohio) would surge for two take downs in the third period but couldn't get the edge on Thompson for the second time this season with a 12-6 decision.
Fish would bounce back in his second match against Illinoi's No. 28-seed Chris Moore where it was notted up 1-1 through seven minutes. Fish would body lock Moore and added four swipes to his takedown to walk away with the 8-1 victory.
Malczewski and Fish remains in Kansas City for the second day of the 2024 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships on Friday, March 22 in hopes to reach All-American status. All eight mats will have continuous live coverage throughout the weekend on the ESPN family networks.
POSTMATCH QUOTES
Head coach Roger Chandler
On Malczewski's impact to the program throughout his years…
It's his maturity. He has learned to just manage matches. That's how he was able to come away with that first round win. Second round he didn't wrestle bad, it's a situation of mistiming explosions and shots.
On Jordan Hamdan's injury…
A lot of credit to him. He broke his rib a week ago. Today, he wanted to go out on his terms, I know it wasn't the prettiest performance, but he can hold his head high knowing he went out on his terms.
On Fish closing out his sudden victory match…
That's exactly how I wanted that match to go. I tell Caleb [Fish] all the time, 'wrestle within your box,' and that was the difference between the first and second match. He was very patient in that match and his strength really comes into play when guys get fatigue and tired.
WRESTLING MATCH RESULTS
2024 Division I Wrestling Championships
T-Mobile Center – Kansas City, Mo.
125 pounds / #33 Seed / Tristan Lujan
Pigtails Round | #33 Tristan Lujan (MSU) dec. #32 Mike Joyce (BRWN) 8-4
First Round | #1 Braeden Davis (PSU) dec. #33 Tristan Lujan (MSU) 8-1
Cons. Round One | #16 Dean Peterson (RUT) dec. #33 Tristan Lujan (MSU) 8-1
141 pounds / #28 Seed / Jordan Hamdan
First Round | #6 Lachlan McNeil (UNC) tech fall over #28 Jordan Hamdan (MSU) 18-2
Cons. Round One | #22 Cj Composto (PENN) tech fall over #28 Jordan Hamdan (MSU) 18-2
157 Pounds / #24 Seed / Chase Saldate
First Round | #9 Will Lewan (MICH) dec. #24 Chase Saldate (MSU) 4-3
Cons. Round One | #25 Trevor Chumbley (NW) dec. #24 Chase Saldate (MSU) 4-3
165 Pounds / #21 Seed / Caleb Fish
First Round | #12 Garrett Thompson (OHIO) dec. #21 Caleb Fish (MSU) 12-6
Cons. Round One | #21 Caleb Fish (MSU) dec. #28 Chris Moore (ILL) SV-1 8-1
184 Pounds / #23 Seed / Layne Malczewski
First Round | #23 Layne Malczewski (MSU) dec. #10 Dylan Fishback (NCST) 1-0
Round of 16 | #7 Thomas Stewart (VT) dec. #23 Layne Malczewski (MSU) 10-3
Players Mentioned
