Trio of Spartans Named NWCA Scholar All-Americans

EAST LANSING, Mich. - A trio of Spartans, Cameron Caffey, Layne Malczewski and Drew Hughes, were each named 2020 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division I Scholar All-Americans on Thursday, as released by the NWCA. To qualify, wrestlers must have a 3.5 cumulative grade point average, with a benchmark of 3.25 for those that qualified for the 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

In total, 175 individuals representing 63 institutions across the country were named to the NWCA Scholar All-American squad. Click HERE for a full list of All-Americans.

"Really proud of these guys for what they've accomplished both in the classroom and on the wrestling mat," said Michigan State wrestling head coach Roger Chandler. "We stress all the time about being balanced and giving your best in everything we do. These individuals are living the lifestyle we preach and because of that, good things are happening throughout the program."

Caffey earned NWCA Scholar All-America honors for the second-straight year. A computer engineering major, Caffey maintained a 3.82 grade point average on top of numerous accomplishments on the mat during the 2019-20 season, including a 27-7 overall record after a runner-up finish at the Big Ten Championships at 184 pounds. Caffey claimed three top 5 finishes in open tournaments, including a second place finish at the Cougar Clash on Dec. 7. Caffey finished 16-2 in the dual season and reeled off 12-straight wins from Jan. 17 to March 8, including six wins against fellow ranked wrestlers during that stretch. Caffey ranked as high as No. 7 by FloWrestling and earned a two-seed at the Big Ten Championships, where he finished second to No. 1-seed Aaron Brooks of Penn State. Caffey was named a NWCA All-American on April 17.

A human capital and society major, Malczewski was third on the team with 25 wins. The redshirt freshman finished the dual season with an 11-7 record and added five wins by fall. Malczewski garnered third-place finishes at both the Navy Classic and Cougar Clash and went 3-2 at the Big Ten Championships on his way to a seventh-place finish while claiming an automatic spot to the NCAA Championships. Malczewski was ranked as high as No. 22 by FloWrestling throughout the season.

Hughes, a 2019 NWCA Scholar All-American, capped his redshirt junior season with an 18-11 overall record at 165 pounds for the Spartans. A interdisciplinary studies major, Hughes went 10-5 in dual action on his way to a seventh-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. Hughes qualified for this third NCAA Championships, becoming the first Spartan to be a three-time qualifier since John Rizqallah in 2015.

Players Mentioned

Cameron Caffey

Drew Hughes

Layne Malczewski

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