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    Mark Palmer •

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    Michigan State alums to mark 50th anniversary of NCAA title

    Fifty years ago, Michigan State wrestling claimed a team title at the 1967 NCAA Wrestling Championships, joining the rare club of just a dozen programs to earn a national title.

    Next month, Michigan State wrestling will honor the 1967 National Champions in a weekend-long celebration on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 29-30.

    The celebration starts at noon Friday, with the Varsity S Club Social, followed by a team and alumni social Friday evening from 6-9 p.m. at Reno's East. Saturday's festivities kick off with the Varsity S Club Tailgate & Recognition at Old College Field three hours before the MSU football game vs. Iowa, at which the 1967 national championship wrestling team will be honored.

    Michigan State's 1967 wrestling team
    "They're the standard for Michigan State wrestling," said current MSU head wrestling coach Roger Chandler. "Any time we can bring back and recognize any Spartan team or program that has achieved what we all strive to achieve, I think it's a great day in Spartan history."

    The 1967 Spartans, led by head coach Grady Peninger, were the first Big Ten team to win a national title in wrestling. Michigan State won the National Championship with 74 total points, 11 ahead of cross-state rival Michigan, which came in second.

    At the 1967 NCAAs at Kent State University in Ohio, four Spartans made it to the finals: Don Behm at 130 pounds, Dale Anderson at 137, George Radman at 167 and, at 177, Mike Bradley. Anderson and Radman each earned individual NCAA titles.

    "It's something that we can all point to for the current guys within the program to be around greatness, listen to their stories," said coach Chandler. "Every one of our student-athletes right now has visions and dreams of becoming NCAA Champions and All-Americans. When they're around these guys and they come in and speak to them, it will be an opportunity for them to listen to their stories and how they got there."

    Spartan wrestling alumni are encouraged to participate. To RSVP for the alumni weekend festivities, contact assistant coach Chris Williams at 517-927-6131 or willi756@ath.msu.edu.

    Wrestling fans who have no direct ties to the Michigan State wrestling program can travel back in time and get a taste of that Spartan championship season by reading "A Spartan Journey,""A Spartan Journey," Dale Anderson's 2016 book sharing his memories of that momentous year… and check out the special MSU wrestling page honoring that 1967 NCAA title-winning team with photos and info.
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