| Simmons named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week |
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By Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
03/08/2006
Nick Simmons (Williamston, Mich./Michigan State University) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for the week of Feb 28 - March 6
Each week, TheMat.com will select an Athlete of the Week, based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling, from youth programs through the Senior level. The announcement will be made each week on Wednesday.
Simmons, a junior, captured the Big Ten championship March 4-5 by winning a loaded 125-pound weight class that included returning NCAA champion Joe Dubuque of Indiana, two-time NCAA runner-up Kyle Ott of Illinois and seventh-ranked John Velez of Northwestern.
Simmons downed No. 7 seed Travis Lang of Minnesota 7-0 in the quarterfinals, outlasted Velez 6-3 in an overtime tiebreaker in the semifinals and defeated Ott 7-0 in the finals.
Simmons, who placed fourth at the NCAAs last year and seventh in 2003, repeated as Big Ten champion. His brother, Michigan State junior Andy Simmons, won the Big Ten title at 141.
Nick Simmons will carry a 31-0 record into the NCAA tournament March 16-18 in Oklahoma City. He is expected to be the No. 1 seed.
Simmons is ranked No. 3 in the USA in freestyle at 55 kg/121 pounds. He placed third in the U.S. World Team Trials in 2005 and was sixth in the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2004.
Simmons was a four-time state champion (1998-2001) at Williamston High School where he compiled a 211-0 record with 187 pins. He is an independent studies major.
Note: To nominate a wrestler for TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week, send the athlete's name, accomplishments for the week and career accomplishments to Craig Sesker at csesker@usawrestling.org
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