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Wrestling

SPORTS

Simmons brothers dominate at tourney

Esther Gim
November 7, 2005

Juniors Nick Simmons and Andy Simmons won titles at 125 pounds and 141 pounds, respectively, at the Eastern Michigan Open on Saturday. The brothers from Williamston got identical 5-0 records as the MSU wrestling team kicked off the season. Four other wrestlers placed in their respective weight classes, including senior Darren McKnight (third place, 149 pounds), and freshman Nick Palmieri (197 pounds), redshirt freshmen Tim Hammer (141 pounds) and John Murphy (184 pounds). The Spartans host the MSU Open Nov.

SPORTS

Wrestlers start year at Ypsilanti tourney

Tom Keller
November 4, 2005

The MSU wrestling team will hit the mats for the first time this season at the Eastern Michigan Open in Ypsilanti on Saturday. The Spartans are ranked in the top 20 in most national preseason polls, and are led by All-American brothers Nick and Andy Simmons. Nick Simmons was named Most Outstanding Wrestler at last year's EMU Open.

SPORTS

Wrestling team signs Palmieri for 2005-06

Esther Gim
April 20, 2005

The MSU wrestling team inked Nick Palmieri to a National Letter of Intent for the 2005-06 season, head coach Tom Minkel announced Tuesday. In his senior season at Mayfield High School in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, Palmieri complied a 43-4 record at 215 pounds.

SPORTS

Nick Simmons named Big Ten champ

Chris Meagher
March 14, 2005

Nick Simmons won his first Big Ten Championship, and four Spartans qualified for the NCAA Championships on March 5-6 at the Big Ten Championships in Iowa City, Iowa. MSU finished eighth out of the 11 Big Ten schools, and Illinois won its first Big Ten Championship since 1952. At the NCAA Championships starting Thursday, Simmons will be joined by his brother, sophomore Andy Simmons, and juniors Darren McKnight and R.J.

SPORTS

WEB-ONLY: Wrestling team heads to Iowa for Big Ten Championships

Chris Meagher
March 4, 2005

The No. 20 MSU wrestling team will head to Iowa this weekend, facing some stiff competition in the 2005 Big Ten Championships, hosted by Iowa. The Spartans will have their work cut out for them, with eight Big Ten schools ranked in front of the Spartans. MSU (7-6-1 overall, 4-3-1 Big Ten) faces another setback as it will be without 184-pound redshirt freshman Joe Williams, due to a nagging knee injury. "He's probably going to have surgery in another week or so," MSU head coach Tom Minkel said.

SPORTS

Q&A player of the week: R. J. Boudro

Chris Meagher
March 3, 2005

The junior was named the Big Ten Wrestler of the Week after pummeling Oklahoma's Brad Martens 18-5 on Friday to improve his 2004-05 record to 16-5. The State News: How do you feel you've been wrestling recently? Boudro: Real good.

SPORTS

Spartans falter in final match

Chris Meagher
February 28, 2005

More than 1,000 people came to Jenison Field House on Friday night to see some big-time wrestling, and big-time wrestling was what the fans got. In what could be a preview of late NCAA Championship matchups, No.

SPORTS

Wrestling team drops to No. 19 Hoosiers

Jennifer Toland
February 14, 2005

The MSU wrestling team, injured and flu-stricken, lost to No. 19 Indiana, 33-4, on Saturday. Junior Darren McKnight won his 28th match of the season, giving the Spartans their only victory of the day. Sophomore Nick Simmons started off the meet by losing his first match of the season.

SPORTS

Grapplers take down Buckeyes

Chris Meagher
January 24, 2005

The No. 20 MSU wrestling team won 14 of its 20 matches en route to two dominating victories this past weekend at Jenison Field House. Led by pins from sophomore Andy Simmons and redshirt freshman Joe Williams and a technical fall from junior Darren McKnight, MSU overpowered an injury-depleted Kent State on Friday, 36-7.

SPORTS

No. 20 Spartans have 'upper hand' in meets

Chris Meagher
January 20, 2005

The No. 20 MSU wrestling team will be busy at home this weekend as the Spartans host two dual meets at Jenison Field House. The Spartans will face Kent State on Friday and Ohio State on Sunday, and are feeling good going into the weekend. "I actually think we have the upper hand in this dual," said sophomore Andy Simmons on facing Ohio State, who tied for third in the 2004 NCAA Championship. Head coach Tom Minkel said his team matches up well. "They're not as strong a team as they were last year, but they're always a good team," he said. The Spartans are coming off a long week as their trip to Oklahoma was plagued by bad weather, airport closings, traffic jams and flight cancellations. "We are starting to come out of it," said Minkel of the fatigue his team faced.