Wrestling Opens Dual Meet Campaign At Eastern Michigan
11/29/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Nov. 29, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
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SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGAN- Eagles are preseason ranked fifth in the Mid-American Conference. They are led by senior J.J. Holmes at 174 pounds, who is a preseason All-MAC first team selection and is ranked as high at No. 10 in the nation in some polls. Holmes won the conference championship last year at 165 lbs. EMU finished the 2003-04 season with a 9-9 (0-5 MAC) record.
ALL-TIME AGAINST THE EAGLES- Of teams MSU has faced a minimum of 10 times, it has the third best winning percentage (.900) against Eastern Michigan. All-time, the Spartans are 9-1 against EMU with their last meeting coming in 2001, which was a 39-7 victory for the Green and White. The last time the Spartans opened their dual meet season with Eastern was Dec. 11, 1994, when State defeated EMU 32-12 at Jenison Field House. In the past 25 seasons, Michigan State has opened on the road 12 times and is 5-6-1 in those meets.
A LOOK BACK AT THE 2003 NORTH CAROLINA OPEN - The Spartans had their best tournament performance of the season at the North Carolina Open a year ago, taking four first place finishes and six other medals. Andy Simmons (141 lbs.), Darren McKnight (149 lbs.), Anton Hall (174 lbs.) and Nate Mesyn (184 lbs.) all took home tournament championships. Jeff Clemens (197 lbs.) and Mike Keenan (285 lbs.) took home second place, while Spencer Nadolsky (285 lbs.) took third, Matt McCarty (157 lbs.) claimed fourth and Tony Greathouse (133 lbs.) and Arsen Alexsanyan (157 lbs.) notched fifth-place performances.
Andy Simmons SHINES THE MSU OPEN- The Spartans had a solid showing at their own tournament Nov. 20-21, taking a total of eight medals. The team was led by sophomore Andy Simmons (141 lbs.) who recorded three falls, and outscored his other two opponents 16-3. This included a 6-2 decision over No. 8 Ronald Tarquinio, who defeated Simmons at the 2003 MSU Open, 3-1. No. 5 Simmons is now 8-0 on the season with two tournament championships. Darren McKnight (149 lbs.), R.J. Boudro (174 lbs.) and Joe Williams (184 lbs.) all earned second place finishes. Jeff Wimberley, third at 125 lbs., and Justin Mora, fourth at 165 lbs., both took home their first medals as Spartans. Senior Matt McCarty (157 lbs.) and redshirt freshman Bryan Harney (165 lbs.) both took sixth place.
Nick Simmons COMPETES AT THE NWCA ALL-STAR CLASSIC- Held each year at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, this meet pairs some of the nation's finest at each weight class. No. 3 Simmons dropped a heartbreaking, 2-0 decision to No. 1 Sam Hazewinkel. He will get another shot at the 125-pounder from Oklahoma in a dual meet, Feb. 25 at Jenison Field House.
THE FABULOUS FRESHMEN- The Spartans' true freshmen have been a pleasant surprise in the first three preseason tournaments of the year, taking home a total of eight medals. Jeff Wimberley (125 lbs.) has led the way, claiming first at the Muskegon Open and third at the MSU Open. Tim Hammer (141 lbs.), Rex Kendle (165 lbs.), Justin Mora (165 lbs.), Josh Cross (197 lbs.) and Freddie DeRamus have all notched top four finishes, while John Murphy, fifth at 184 lbs., was the lone freshman to place at the EMU Open the opening weekend of the season.
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 earned 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.
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.
Players Mentioned
