Nick Simmons (wrestler)
Nick Simmons (born October 25, 1982)[1] of Clear Lake, Texas is a retired American wrestler who represented the United States at the 2011 World Wrestling Championships. Simmons was known as the "East Lansing Strangler" for his ability to pin at a high rate, partially due to his above-average height for a wrestler at his weight.[2]
High school
Simmons attended Williamston High School in Williamston, Michigan from 1998-2001. Simmons was one of the most successful high school wrestlers in history, finishing his prep career 211-0 with 178 pins, including 54 consecutive pins in his sophomore year. Williamston also won team state championships in Simmons' sophomore and junior years.
College
At Michigan State University, Simmons was a four time NCAA placer and three time Big 10 champion, including finishing fourth in 2008 and fifth in both 2009 and 2011. Simmons is second in Michigan State history with 138 wins, and first with 4 pins.[3]
International
Simmons took an Olympic redshirt during the 2002-2004 school year, winning the Pan American Championships. In 2005, Simmons competed in the University World Games, finishing in 5th place after losing in the bronze medal match. Simmons continued to make world teams (top 3 at the World Team Trials) for most of the next decade, including making the World Team in 2011. At the 2011 World Wrestling Championships, Simmons took 5th place, going 4-2 with losses to eventual silver medalist Radoslav Velikov and bronze medalist Hassan Rahimi.