No. 14 Rutgers Wrestling Earns 29-9 Road Win Over Michigan State
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On Friday night, the No. 14 Rutgers Scarlet Knights did not just survive that gauntlet. They stamped their arrival. With a commanding 29-9 road win over the Michigan State Spartans at Jenison Field House, Rutgers improved to 12-5 overall and 5-3 in Big Ten competition. The victory secured the program’s second consecutive winning Big Ten season under head coach Scott Goodale.
Rutgers Wrestling Surges in the Big Ten’s 'Big Five' Era
It marks the first time in nine seasons the Scarlet Knights have posted back-to-back winning league records. Since joining the conference in 2014-15, Rutgers has now recorded five winning Big Ten campaigns. That is not a fluke. That is a trend. Rutgers wrestling is firmly entrenched among the league’s competitive tier.
Down goes Sparty!#RelentlessPursuit | #GoRU pic.twitter.com/FV2a4YbYco
— Rutgers Wrestling (@RUWrestling) February 14, 2026
Friday’s win capped a powerful finish to conference play. After opening the Big Ten slate with losses to No. 1 Penn State and No. 10 Michigan, Rutgers rebounded to win five of its final six league matches.
The signature moment of the season came on Feb. 16 at Jersey Mike’s Arena when Rutgers stunned then-No. 6 Minnesota, 23-15. That result was historic for several reasons.
It was Rutgers’ first-ever victory over Minnesota. It was the program’s first win in 62 attempts against the Big Ten’s traditional "Big Five" of Penn State, Iowa, Ohio State, Minnesota, and Michigan. It was a breakthrough moment that fueled the late-season surge.
Depending on results across the conference, Rutgers could finish as high as tied for third in the Big Ten standings. That would mark a program first. Against Michigan State, Rutgers flexed its depth and firepower with an 8-2 split in individual matches. Bonus-point victories provided separation early and never allowed the Spartans to gain traction.
No. 29 Andrew Clark delivered one of the night’s biggest momentum swings at 149 pounds. His second-period pin of Clayton Jones was worth six team points and shifted the tone of the duel. At 165, No. 19 Andrew Barbosa overwhelmed Jack Conley with an 18-3 technical fall in the third period, piling up six takedowns in a dominant performance.
No. 17 Lenny Pinto added a 10-2 major decision over former Scarlet Knight Connor O’Neill at 174 pounds. No. 26 Anthony White secured an 8-4 decision over Darius Marines at 157. No. 20 Shane Cartagena-Walsh contributed a steady 10-4 decision at 184.
The early bouts set the rhythm. Ayden Smith opened the dual with a 4-0 decision over Nick Corday at 125 pounds. Dylan Shawver followed with a 7-3 victory at 133.
During Shawver’s match, Rutgers was assessed a team-point deduction after a clock malfunction, and a loss at 141 pounds trimmed the margin to 5-3. That was as close as Michigan State would get all night.
From there, Rutgers controlled the mat. The only ranked-versus-ranked matchup of the evening came at 197 pounds, where No. 16 Remy Cotton faced No. 23 Kael Wisley. Cotton wrestled with composure and precision, earning an 8-1 decision that showcased his technical growth.
He secured a double-leg takedown in the first period. He added another takedown in the second. He accumulated more than two minutes of riding time. And he earned a victory over his former team. At heavyweight, Brandon Toranzo dropped a bout to Josh Terrill. However, by that point, the outcome of the duel was long decided. Rutgers walked out of Jenison Field House with a convincing 29-9 triumph.
Rutgers Wrestling’s Program Trajectory Under Scott Goodale
The win marked Rutgers’ fourth straight victory in the series over Michigan State. Ranked No. 14 in the latest NWCA Coaches Poll, Rutgers continues its steady ascent under Scott Goodale. Winning five of their final six conference matches after a 0-2 start demonstrates resilience.
The Minnesota upset proved they can topple elite programs. The Michigan State road win showed they can dominate in hostile environments. Rutgers now transitions out of conference play to finish the regular season with two nonconference duals.
The Scarlet Knights will host Princeton on Monday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m. at Jersey Mike’s Arena, with the match streaming on Big Ten Plus. They will then travel to Long Island to face Hofstra on Wednesday, Feb. 18.
With a winning Big Ten record secured and a top-10 upset already on the resume, Rutgers carries significant momentum into the postseason. The focus now shifts toward converting dual-meet success into podium finishes at the Big Ten Championships in March.
On Friday night in East Lansing, Rutgers did more than collect another conference win. They reinforced their identity. They showed depth. They showed power. And they showed that in the toughest wrestling conference in the country, they belong.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.