Athletics and Academics led Rogaliner to Michigan State

BY JEFF CHANEY

11/4 - Mitch Rogaliner definitely has his future pinned down.

The Temperance-Bedford senior wrestler recently picked Michigan State

University to continue his grappling career.

But it was a decision not solely made on wrestling, but also the

classroom.

“Michigan State had a lot of opportunities, including financial cost and

that I knew everyone on the team,” Rogaliner said. “And I want to study

pediatrics, and picking MSU was a perfect to wrestle and take pre-med

courses and not be too stressed out by both.”

Temperance-Bedford coach Kevin Vogel is not surprised that studies

was just as important to Rogaliner, who also had Michigan, Old

Dominion, Central Michigan, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Northern Illinois

and Alma pursuing him, as wrestling was.

“Mitch is about as good as they come,” Vogel said. “He is a student, first

and foremost, and that comes from his parents.”

Bit no only do the Spartans get a great student, who carries a 3.9 GPA in

the classroom, they also get a pretty good wrestler.

As a freshman, Rogaliner took first in the state at 103 pounds in Division 1. He came back to finish runner-up at 103 as a sophomore, only to win at 112 last year.

This year Rogaliner has goals to win his third state title, but he also wants to start getting ready to wrestle at the next level. He knows there is a difficult transition from high school to Division I college wrestling, and he is ready to start that transition.

“Our coach (Vogel), was an assistant at Michigan, so I know he can help me get ready for college,” Rogaliner said.

Vogel says there needs to be some tweaking, but that process has already started.

“College wrestling is a lot more physical,” Vogel said. “All last year I kept telling him that he needs to get and be more physical. During this offseason he got with a personal trainer, and he is starting to look the part.

“But Mitch is very good about getting himself ready, he is a real student of the sport,” he added. “He has done what is necessary to make himself better. By wrestling 80 offseason matches, going to national tournaments and seeking out coaching.”

Rogaliner hopes all that work will pay off when he gets to East Lansing.

“State is a very young program,” he said. “The young guys the coaches have brought in will help the program grow. And with me (and fellow recruit Josh Pennell of St. Johns), I think we can also help a lot in achieving goals of championships.”

Rogaliner says his goal is to wrestle at 125 pounds his first couple of years at MSU, and then move up to 133 his next couple of years.

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