After 25 years as the director of MSU’s wrestling program, head coach Tom Minkel will step down after the 2016 season is over. His successor, current associate head coach Roger Chandler, has been with the Spartan wrestling program for nearly two decades.
Minkel, a former U.S. Olympic wrestler known for his interesting quirks, decided with Athletics Director Mark Hollis that an internal candidate would be the best choice to fill the vacancy.
“Roger and Tom are uniquely different individuals,” Hollis said in a press release from June 2015. “We’re going to take that celebration of Tom’s career and push it into a new era of Spartan wrestling.”
Head coach-to-be Chandler enjoyed an outstanding wrestling career of his own at his alma mater, Indiana University, earning All-American honors three times as well as a 2008 induction into the Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame.
“I’d like to thank Mark Hollis and the entire executive staff for giving me the opportunity to be the next head wrestling coach at Michigan State University,” Chandler said. “I’m truly honored and excited that they have placed their confidence in me to lead the program into the future.”
Chandler also played a huge role in the large, nationwide growth of youth folkstyle wrestling. He is on the executive board of Michigan Youth Wrestling Association, or MYWAY, and National United Wrestling Association for Youth, also known as NUWAY.
Spartan fans should already be familiar with an assistant filling the void in one of their NCAA varsity programs. In 1995, an assistant named Tom Izzo succeeded Jud Heathcote.
And just like Izzo, Chandler had been the associate head coach for around five years when he got the call. But that’s where the comparisons end, for now at least. If Chandler wants to leave a legacy like that of Izzo or Minkel, he has a lot of work to do.
In accepting his new position, Chandler will be responsible for carrying the storied program back to relevancy. The wrestling program has struggled as of late in team competitions, but given Chandler’s immense coaching experience, Minkel believes he will get the job done.
“He has a strong work ethic and possesses the fortitude and ability to stay motivated and focused,” Minkel said.
Minkel also said Chandler’s wrestling career will be the cornerstone of his coaching career.
“You have to be able to teach and communicate with kids who are 18 to 23 years old,” Minkel said. “Roger is outstanding at that.
“He clearly has the skill set to be a successful head coach.”
The MSU wrestling team has a meet record of 0-8 this season and conference play is starting to heat up.
The next home meet for the Spartans will be Jan. 15 against Purdue. The team looks to bounce back after two early losses at No. 8 Rutgers and Maryland in 2016.
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