MSU Team, Three Spartan Individuals Earn NWCA Scholar All-America Accolades

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Three Michigan State wrestlers, Cameron Caffey, Drew Hughes and Layne Malczewski earned 2012 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division I Scholar All-Americans, announced by the NWCA on Thursday afternoon. Additionally, MSU was one of 30 institutions to earn the DI Team Scholar All-America Award.

To qualify, wrestlers must have a 3.5 cumulative grade point average, with a benchmark of 3.25 for those that qualified for the 2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

A total of 191 individuals representing 59 institutions across the country were recognized with NWCA Scholar All-American accolades. The list included 126 NCAA qualifiers, 37 All-Americans, five NCAA finalists and two NCAA National Champions.

Full NWCA Team Scholar All-American List | Full NWCA Individual Scholar All-American List

This is the second-straight year that the same trio of Caffey, Hughes and Malczewski earned the honor together, while it is the third year in a row for Caffey and Hughes, who both also collected the accolade in 2019.

Caffey, a Carbondale, Ill., native, is majoring in computer engineering, and is a three-time NWCA Scholar All-American and also a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, as well as a two-time MSU Student-Athlete Support Services Scholar-Athlete Award winner for highest grade point average on team.

On the mat, Caffey earned MSU's Co-Outstanding Wrestler Award for the 2021 season, sharing the award with teammate Rayvon Foley. This season, Caffey registered a team-leading 11 wins, and was ranked in the Top 10 for a majority of the season. Caffey finished with an 11-6 record, with five of his losses coming to opponents ranked in the Top 5. Caffey entered the B1G Championships as the No. 4 seed and earned the No. 10 seed at the NCAA Championships, becoming a three-time NCAA Qualifier. Caffey finished with a 5-2 duals record, ranking second on the team, as well as third on the team with 16 dual points. He also shared the team lead in both falls and major decisions, with two of each.

Hughes, a native of Lowell, Ind., graduated this spring with his degree in interdisciplinary humanities. Now a three-time NWCA Scholar All-American, Hughes is also a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.

On the mat, Hughes is a four-time NCAA qualifier, the Spartans' first since Nick Simmons (2003-2007). Hughes locked up his spot at NCAAs by finishing eighth at the B1G Championships. He finished the 2021 season with a 4-9 overall record at 174 pounds, with eight of the nine losses coming against top 15 ranked opponents. Hughes posted a 2-4 B1G duals record, logging one fall.

NWCA Scholar All-American Malczewski Graphic

Malczewski is a native of Macomb, Mich., and the accounting major is two-time NWCA Scholar All-American. He also is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.

Wrestling at 185 pounds, Malczewski is a two-time NCAA qualifier. He finished the 2021 season with a 9-5 record, opening with five-straight wins, including back-to-back falls. Malczewski finished sixth at the B1G Championships, suffering an injury in the consolation semifinals, and the injury limited his action at the NCAA Championships. He finished ranked third on the team in wins, second in dual wins with a 5-2 mark, third in dual points with 16, while sharing the team lead in both falls (2) and major decisions (2), as well as second on the team for quick pin (1:12).

MSU Team, Three Spartan Individuals Earn NWCA Scholar All-America Accolades

Players Mentioned

Cameron Caffey

Rayvon Foley

Drew Hughes

Layne Malczewski

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