Wrestling Hosts MSU Open This Weekend
11/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Nov. 17, 2004
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THE MSU OPEN- The Michigan State wrestling team will once again host the MSU Open this Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 20-21, at Jenison Field House. It is a double elimination tournament; there will be eight placewinners in each weight class. Over 400 wrestlers will compete on 12 mats throughout the two day event. Wrestling will start at 10 a.m. Saturday and will conclude with the finals and medal rounds on Sunday afternoon. One day passes are $10, weekend passes are $12.
A LOOK BACK AT THE 2003 MSU OPEN - Six Michigan State wrestlers finished among the top eight placewinners in their respective weight classes. Darren McKnight (149), Joe Williams (174) and Nate Mesyn (184) all finished fourth, while Anton Hall (174) and Andy Simmons (141) finished fifth.
RESULTS FROM THE MSU OPEN - Results from the MSU Open will be available as soon as possible following each session on the Michigan State official athletic website, www.msuspartans.com. Schools wishing to have the results faxed should contact Kevin Wilson, MSU wrestling contact, at wilso553@msu.edu.
LAST TIME OUT AT THE MUSKEGON C.C. OPEN- The Michigan State wrestling team took home three tournament championships and four others placed as the Spartan underclassmen participated in the Muskegon Community College Open Saturday, Nov. 13. Sophomore Andy Simmons 141 pounds, redshirt freshman Joe Williams at 184 lbs., and freshman Jeff Wimberley at 125 lbs. all took home tournament titles with perfect 4-0 records. Freshmen Tim Hammer II (141 lbs.), Rex Kendle (165 lbs.), Josh Cross (197 lbs.), and Freddie DeRamus Jr. (285 lbs.) also brought home top four finishes. It was the first action for the true freshman in their short MSU careers. The matches do not count toward the wrestlers' official records.
Nick Simmons CHOSEN BIG TEN WRESTLER OF THE WEEK- Simmons earns the first award of the year after he swept through the 125-pound weight class at the EMU Open on Nov. 6. The Spartan sophomore went 4-0 and won the tournament in his return from an Olympic redshirt year. In dominating fashion, he gave up just one point in all four matches and recorded a fall over Jeremy Freiwald of Central Michigan in the second round. He went on to defeat Central Michigan's Matt Steintrager, 9-0, in the championship bout. This is the first career Big Ten Wrestler of the Week award for Simmons.
REWRITING THE BOOKS- In just his sophomore year of eligibility, Nick Simmons has moved into sole possession of eighth place in the all-time career pins list with 24. If he continues on his current pace, could move into the top five on the pins list and into the top 20 on the all-time wins list by the end of the season. Simmons also sits tied for eighth in pins in a season, with 13 during the 2001-02 season.
Nick Simmons SELECTED FOR ALL-STAR MEET- Sophomore Nick Simmons has been selected to compete in the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star meet on Nov. 22 at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, Ill. He will face Oklahoma sophomore Sam Hazewinkle in the 125-pound match. In the preseason rankings released by the NWCA, Hazewinkle is ranked No. 1, while Simmons is ranked No. 3.
FOUR SPARTANS LISTED IN PRESEASON RANKINGS- Sophomores Nick and Andy Simmons, junior Darren McKnight, and redshirt freshman Joe Williams have all been ranked in their respected weight classes. Nick Simmons will start the year ranked No. 3 at 125 pounds, while his brother Andy is No. 5 at 141 lbs. McKnight is ranked as high as No. 14 in some polls at 149 lbs., while Joe Williams will debut at No. 20 at 184 lbs.
FABULOUS FRESHMAN- Freshman John Murphy made his first appearance for the Green and White at the EMU Open and came up with an impressive fifth-place finish at 184 lbs. The Evergreen, Ill., native was the only Spartan freshman to take home a medal. Murphy comes to East Lansing after a high school career where he placed three times in the Illinois state championships for St. Rita High School.
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