Three Spartans Seeded In NCAA Wrestling Championships

March 16, 2005

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Three of the four Michigan State wrestlers competing in the 2005 NCAA Wrestling Championships, March 17-19, in St. Louis, Mo., have been ranked in the top 12 in their respective weight classes.

Coming off his first-career Big Ten championship, sophomore Nick Simmons claimed the highest seed for the Spartans, claiming the No. 2 seed at 125 pounds. Simmons' pursuit of a national championship will begin Thursday morning, March 17, when he takes on 2004 All-American from Buffalo, Mark McKnight. Nick Simmons is currently 28-2 on the season with a team-high nine major decisions.

Nick's brother, Andy Simmons, received the No. 5 seed at 141 lbs. He will square off with Myron Drayton of Delaware State, the winner of the East Regional. Simmons leads the team in pins with 10, and has an overall record of 29-4. Andy Simmons took second place at the 2005 Big Ten Championships, falling to Josh Churella of Michigan, 2-1, in the finals.

Nick Simmons will be looking to improve on his seventh-place finish at the 2003 NCAA tournament. Andy Simmons was one match away from placing at the 2004 NCAA Championships.

In his second NCAA appearance, Darren McKnight pulled the No. 12 seed at 149 lbs. McKnight will clash with Edinboro's Ron Dopelheuer in his first-round bout. McKnight leads the team with 30 victories this season, and took fourth at the Big Ten tournament.

Junior R.J. Boudro was not seeded in his first-career trip to the national tournament. Boudro will face No. 6 Mitch Hancock of Central Michigan in the first round. Boudro has dropped three close decisions to Hancock so far this season. He fell 5-4 in the finals of the MSU Open, 6-3 in a dual meet Nov. 30 and at the 2004 Midlands Championships, 2-1. Boudro is 18-6 this season and has won 11 of his past 13 matches.

Wrestling begins Thursday, March 17, at 11 a.m. CST, at the Savvis Center, and continues through Saturday, March 19.