After posting just a 2-12 record on the season, the MSU wrestling team will look for better results at the Big Ten Championships this weekend, enjoying three pre-seeded contenders.
Redshirt freshman Andy Simmons, sophomore Darren McKnight and senior Nate Mesyn each were selected as preliminary seeds in their respective weight classes.
"I think Andy's seed is the best seed on our team," head coach Tom Minkel said. "It puts him in a position where I think he can contend for a Big Ten title. That's certainly his goal and our goal for him."
The pre-seeds, announced Tuesday, are determined by a vote from the conference's head wrestling coaches after evaluating season results. The bracket for the championships will be made Friday.
Simmons, ranked No. 7 in the nation in the 141-pound division, posted a 28-7 overall record and finished 7-1 in the Big Ten this season.
"It's a good seed," Simmons said. "I feel like it could've been a little bit better, but I'll take it."
"I'm pretty confident. Hopefully I'll come out on top, that's my main goal," he added.
Simmons' No. 2 seed places him behind Iowa's Cliff Moore, who handed Simmons two of his losses this season. If they both reach the finals, there is a chance the two could face each other again.
"I'd be pretty excited. I'd like to wrestle him again," he said. "I'd like to get a little revenge on him if I could. It'd be some fun, and I just want to win the Big Tens."
Despite the team's struggles in the dual-meet season, Minkel said he feels several of the wrestlers, even those not seeded, could do well.
"I think quite a few of our kids, if they can be just little bit better now than during the year, can have a pretty good tournament," Minkel said. "We've had a lot of close matches during the course of the year, and if we can turn some of those close losses into wins over the weekend, we can have a pretty good tournament."
Iowa leads the pre-seeded top spots with three No. 1 seeds in Luke Eustice (125 pounds), Moore (141 pounds) and Tyler Nixt (174 pounds). Michigan, Illinois and Ohio State each were awarded two No. 1 pre-seeds and Minnesota's Damion Hahn, took the top pre-seed for the 197-pound division.
Mesyn (184 pounds) and McKnight (149 pounds) take the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds respectively in each of their divisions.
"I feel I'm in a good spot," Mesyn said. "The only person I really didn't want to wrestle first was the first seed, this kid from Illinois (Brian Glynn), but anyone else I can pretty much hang with.
"I've got a chance to beat anybody at 184, so I'm not too worried about it."
McKnight said although the Big Ten Championships are important, everyone's main goal is to make it to the NCAA Championships.
"But this is important for next year too because a lot of the top-seeded guys - the top two guys - are sophomores. So, I'll be seeing them next year too," he said.
The championships will take place on Saturday and Sunday at St. John Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
