Michigan State
11/13/2026 11:03:00 PM | Wrestling
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Highlighted by five bonus-point wins, the Cal Poly wrestling team earned an emphatic 33-7 victory over Big Ten opponent Michigan State on Friday night in its home opener.
In front of 2,184 fans packed inside the Mott Athletics Center, the Mustangs brought the energy to the mat and put an impressive display. Cal Poly’s 10 wrestlers combined to score 27 takedowns in the dual.
The reigning Pac-12 champion at 125 pounds, Koda Holeman set the tone for the dual with a 20-5 technical fall victory to get things started for the Mustangs. The 17th-ranked wrestler in the country secured five takedowns in his match.
Cal Poly then earned back-to-back victories by decision at 133 and 141 pounds thanks to strong performances by some freshmen making their first career dual appearances. First, Arno Vandanyan grabbed a 5-0 decision then Joshua Requena secured a 2-0 decision thanks to a third-period escape and a riding-time point.
Zaydrein Hernandez, Cal Poly’s third true freshman in the lineup on Friday, dropped a tight 9-3 decision at 149 pounds to make it 10-3 in favor of the Mustangs.
Then Cal Poly rolled, winning the next five matches, including four by bonus points to separate themselves from the Spartans.
At 157 pounds, junior Anthony Berg fell behind 3-1 after the first period, but then wore down his opponent over the final two periods, scoring a whooping eight takedowns — six in the third period — to capture a 26-10 technical fall victory at 5:55 over Darius Marines, ranked No. 29 in the country. He improved to 5-0 on the season with the win.
Junior Jagger French stepped on the mat at 165 pounds and grabbed two takedowns and a 4-point near fall before pinning Michigan State’s Jack Conley 1:14 into the second period.
Fifth-year Cash Stewart took care of business at 174 pounds, capturing a 10-2 major decision with three takedowns.
Ceasar Garza, the defending Pac-12 champion at 184 pounds, made it four-straight bonus point victories for the Mustangs with a commanding 19-3 technical fall at 3:09. The 24th-ranked wrestler in the country secured five takedowns and a 4-point near fall in the bout.
Sophomore Levi Bussey, ranked No. 33 in the country at 197 pounds, scored his third victory over a ranked opponent this season, defeating No. 21 Kael Wilser by a 6-2 decision to make it 33-3 Cal Poly.
The Spartans won by major decision at heavyweight to close out the dual.
The 26-point margin of victory for the Mustangs was their largest since defeating Cal Baptist 32-3 in Riverside on Feb. 16, 2024.
Cal Poly returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 22, to travel to Bakersfield to compete in the Roadrunner Open.
Cal Poly (33) vs. Michigan State (7)
125: No. 17 Koda Holeman (CP) tech fall Drew Hansen (MSU), 20-5 (6:47)
133: Arno Vandanyan (CP) dec. Caleb Weiand (MSU), 5-0
141: Joshua Requena (CP) dec. Connor Younts (MSU), 2-0
149: Evan Gosz (MSU) dec. Zaydrein Hernandez (CP), 9-3
157: Anthony Berg (CP) tech fall No. 29 Darius Marines (MSU), 26-10 (5:55)
165: Jagger French (CP) fall Jack Conley (MSU), 4:14
174: Cash Stewart (CP) maj. Connor O’Neill (MSU), 10-2
184: No. 24 Ceasar Garza (CP) tech fall Gavin Craner (MSU), 19-3 (3:09).
197: No. 33 Levi Bussey (CP) dec. No. 21 Kael Wisler (MSU), 6-2
285: Josh Terrill (MSU) maj. Wesley Wilson (CP), 10-1
Cal Poly was assessed a penalty point (-1) for throwing the headgear
