Wrestling Debuts 18th In Preseason Tournament Rankings
9/12/2005 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Sept. 12, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Coming off a 20th place finish in last March's NCAA Championships, the Michigan State wrestling team debuts No. 18 in Amateur Wrestling News' preseason tournament rankings, released Sept. 7.
Five Spartan grapplers are also ranked in the top 20 in their weight classes, including 2005 All-Americans, juniors Nick and Andy Simmons.
Nick Simmons, who finished fourth at 125 pounds, will start the 2005-06 season ranked fourth. Three of the top four wrestlers at 125 pounds are from Big Ten schools.
Andy Simmons debuts as the sixth-ranked wrestler at 141 pounds, after taking sixth at the NCAA Championships. In the Big Ten Championships and NCAA Championships combined, Simmons faced wrestlers ranked second through fifth, and faced No. 1 Teyon Ware in his final regular season match of the year.
Senior Darren McKnight is ranked No. 14 at 149 pounds to start 2005-06. McKnight set a career high in victories last season, improving his finish at every tournament, eventually claiming fourth at the Big Ten Championships.
Senior R.J. Boudro, is ranked No. 10 at 174 pounds, but will drop a weight class to 165 pounds for his final year of eligibility. Sophomore Joe Williams, who will also drop a class, is ranked No. 20 at 184 pounds, where he compiled a 22-8 record before suffering a season-ending knee injury in 2004-05.
The Spartans kick-off the 2005-06 season Nov. 5 at the Eastern Michigan Open in Ypsilanti, Mich.
Players Mentioned
