Skip to main content
Join
Team Avatar
Wisconsin

Chris Bono keeps Wisconsin wrestling's focus on Michigan State before Nebraska

IMG_6598by:Nick Kosko•01/24/24•

nickkosko59

USATSI_20254930 (1)
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Wisconsin wrestling coach Chris Bono wants to focus on just Michigan State before looking ahead to Sunday’s dual against Nebraska.

The Badgers (6-2, 0-1) hit the road to East Lansing to take on the Spartans (7-3, 0-3) Friday. But that’s all Bono is focusing on despite a huge home match against the Huskers just two days later.

Sometimes, it’s good for a wrestling team to get out on the road.

“We’re very, very excited about this road trip,” Bono said Tuesday. “Our guys have seemed to do really well on the road this year and going into Michigan State is gonna be no easy task. It’s the heart of the Big Ten season. This is what we look forward to, you know, Friday, Sunday match home and away. 

“The boys are excited. We had a great practice today. You know, the energy Sunday was extremely high with almost 4,000 people in the Fieldhouse, that’s a big number for us. So we’re very excited about Michigan State Friday. That’s all we’re really looking at.”

WrestleState projects Wisconsin to win 21-14 over Michigan State, so it should be a good one. The featured match is projected to be No. 5 Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) against No. 9 Caleb Fish (Michigan State) at 165 pounds.

There’s also the 184 pound match between No. 16 Shane Liegel (Wisconsin) and No. 21 Layne Malczewski (Michigan State). Those should be the swing bouts in the dual.

That’s the primary focus for Bono right now until he and his team switches focus to Nebraska Sunday back at home.

“As soon as the match is over on the way home  … we’ll be ready. But as soon as they come off that mat … we’ll watch them,” Bono said. “But you keep them in the moment. That’s been our theme all year, to live in the moment. We talked about when you have a big win, enjoy it. Let’s not look ahead, you know, let’s be in the moment. 

“I struggle with that in my life, and it’s really helped me, you know, to enjoy a lot more of what’s going on, win or lose, right? You gotta sit here and be in the moment every single day you know, even as a family man. You go home, be in the moment with your wife and kids. If not, life starts to get hard if you don’t do that.”