Since the inception of the MHSAA (Michigan High School Athletic Association) state championships in 1961, numerous wrestlers have left an indelible mark on the sport. This article delves into the history of Simmons Academy of Wrestling, showcasing some of its most distinguished wrestlers and their remarkable achievements.
Notable Wrestlers and Their Accomplishments
The following wrestlers have achieved significant success at the state, national, and international levels.
1. Kevin Jackson, Lansing Eastern (1982-1985)
Jackson was a two-time state champion. After high school, he was a four-time NCAA All-American at Louisiana State University and Iowa State University. He went on to be a two-time gold medalist at the Pan American Games and won a gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. He is one of five Americans to win three World/Olympic titles. Jackson went on to serve as the National Freestyle Coach for USA Wrestling from 2001-2008. Following his stint there, he returned to his alma mater, leading the Cyclones from 2009-2017. In 2017, Jackson was named National Freestyle Development Coach, where he worked with USAW’s elite age-level competitors and oversaw the Elite Accelerated Program, in addition to working with the Senior-level team. He was the first American to win the Takhti Cup in Iran and he has also won a middleweight title in the UFC.
2. Zeke Jones, Ann Arbor Huron (1982-1985)
Jones won a state title as a senior. At Arizona State University, he was an NCAA finalist, a three-time all-American, and a three-time Pac 10 champion. He then became a six-time National Champion and a four-time World Cup Champion. He was a World Champion in 1991 and won a silver medal at the 1992 Olympics. He also won gold medals at the Pan American and the Goodwill games. Following his competitive career, Jones served as an Olympic Team coach in 2004, 2008, and 2012. He also served as an assistant at West Virginia, Arizona State, and Bloomsburg before becoming Head Coach at Penn, where he served from 2005-07. In 2015, he returned to Arizona State, where he currently is the Head Coach.
3. Andre Metzger, Cedar Springs (1978)
Metzger won a state title as a senior and then embarked on one of the most storied careers in wrestling. A four-time NCAA placer at the University of Oklahoma, he was an NCAA champion as a junior and as a senior. Metzger went on to be a seven-time National Freestyle champion and a four-time silver medalist at the World Championships. On the national level, he won five Juniors National titles - in Greco in 1976, and double titles in 1977 and 1978. He also placed 5th in freestyle in ’76 and 3rd in Greco in ’75. In 1977, Metzger won bronze at the Junior Worlds. At the 1978 Dapper Dan Classic, he won his match and was named Outstanding Wrestler. Later that year he was named to the WrestlingUSA Dream Team. He would go on to The University of Oklahoma, where he became a four-time NCAA All-American and two-time NCAA champ. He placed 5th, 2nd, 1st, and 1st in his four trips. Metzger was a Big 8 Champ in 1981 and ended his Sooner career with a record of 114-14-3. While in college, he made his first senior-level World Team, in 1979. He won bronze at the World Championships that summer, making him the youngest American medalist at worlds - which stood until Kyle Snyder won it. A five-time US Nationals champ in freestyle, Metzger also won the US Nationals in Greco in 1980. He made four world teams during his career - in 1979, 1982, 1986, and 1987. He was 4th in 1982, was a silver medalist at the ’86 Worlds and won bronze again in ’87.
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4. Nick Simmons, Williamston (1998-2001)
Simmons was a four-time state champion, finishing his career with a 211-0 record. He twice set the record for single-season pins with 57, and of his 211 wins, 178 came by pin.
2011 Worlds Freestyle 55kg - Nick SImmons (USA) vs. Nikolay Noev (TJK)
5. Greg Johnson, Lansing Everett (1964-1967)
Johnson was the original “Magic Johnson” at Lansing Everett. A two-time state champion in high school (1966-67), Johnson went on to Michigan State University, where he became the first Big 10 wrestler to win three NCAA national championships (1970-2). Johnson was also a three-time Big Ten champion and is a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He finished his Michigan State career with a 54-5-2 record and the Amateur Wrestling News named Johnson its 118-pound Wrestler of the Decade. Johnson was a two-time state champion at Lansing Everett, in 1966 and 1967. He was 3rd at the AAU Nationals in 1967 and made the 1968 Junior Olympic team, also finishing 2nd at the Olympic Trials in 1968. His career at Michigan State did not officially begin until 1970, after sitting out in 1968 and being sidelined by injury in 1969. He dropped his second match of that season before running the table en route to an NCAA title at 118 lbs. He would win NCAA Championships in his final two seasons as well, becoming the first Big Ten wrestler to win three titles. A three-time Big Ten champ as well, Johnson was named Outstanding Wrestler at the 1972 Big Ten tournament. During his time at MSU, Johnson led the Spartans to three straight top-three finishes at NCAA’s - 2nd in 1970, 3rd in 1971, and 2nd in 1972. His career record was 54-5-2 and he was named to the AWN All-Decade Team for the 1970s at 118 lbs. Johnson spent time at Clarion and Utah as an assistant coach following his competitive career, eventually landing a head coaching gig at Illinois, where he was at the helm from 1978-1983.
6. Brent Metcalf, Davison (2002-2005)
Metcalf may be the most successful wrestler of all time in the state. A four-time individual state champion, Metcalf is also a four-time team state champion and is the lone eight-time state champion in Michigan history. He finished his career with a 228-0 record. In his three years for the Hawkeyes, Metcalf put up a record of 108-3, including a 69-match winning streak at one point. He won two NCAA titles and was runner-up as a junior. A two-time Big Ten Champ, Metcalf was the 2008 Hodge Trophy winner and Outstanding Wrestler at the 2008 NCAA’s. Also that year he was named the Jesse Owens Big Ten Athlete of the Year. He was OW at the 2008 and 2009 Big Ten Championships as well. Metcalf would go on to compete at four World Championships, making teams in 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2015. He was second at the Trials in 2009, 2011, and 2012. He also was twice a runner-up at the prestigious Ivan Yarigin Golden Grand Prix in Krasnoyarsk, Russia.
7. Myles Amine
Amine graduated from Detroit Catholic Central High School where he captured back-to-back Michigan state titles, winning at 140lbs (2014) and 160lbs (2015) in his Junior and Senior seasons, respectively. On the national scene, Amine was a NHSCA Senior National Champion and was a Fargo All-American with a seventh-place finish in junior freestyle. Additionally, he was a Cadet Pan-American Silver Medalist at 63kg and placed third at FILA Cadet Nationals in 2013. One of many Amines to wrestle at Michigan, Amine because a five-time NCAA All-American (2017, ’18, ’19, ’21, ’22). Amine became the first five-time placewinner in NCAA Championships history with finishes of 4th, 3rd, 3rd, 3rd, and 2nd. Myles was also a two-time Big Ten champion in both 2021 and 2022, helping to lead the Wolverines to an upset title over eventual national champs Penn State. Even with all of that success through high school and college, Amine’s greatest accomplishments have come in his international career. Wrestling for San Marino, Amine earned a bronze medal at the 2020 (2021) Olympics in Tokyo at 86kg, becoming the first ever freestyle Olympic medalist from the University of Michigan. Myles was also a bronze medalist at the World Championships in 2023, and he was a Gold medalist in Budapest at the 2022 European Championships.
8. Mark Churella, Farmington (1972-1975)
A state champion in 1975, Churella went on to an illustrious career at the University of Michigan. He was a three-time National Champion and was a four-time all-American who went 132-13 during his college career. The patriarch of the Churella wrestling family was a 1975 state champ at Farmington, after placing 2nd as a junior and 3rd as a sophomore. He was 2nd at the 1974 Junior Nationals in freestyle, and won the tournament a year later in 1975. He went on to have the most successful career in Wolverine history at Michigan. Churella placed 3rd at NCAA’s as a true freshman and then rattled off three straight NCAA titles, being named Outstanding Wrestler in 1978 and scoring falls in both the 1978 and 1979 finals matches. A two-time Big Ten champ, he compiled a record of 132-13 with 41 falls, both program highs at the time of his graduation. In freestyle, Churella won the Junior World Championship in 1977 and because of the impending boycott of the Moscow Olympics in 1980, did not compete on the senior level past that year. He was the head coach of UNLV from 1979-1984 and established the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite during that time, which has become the toughest in-season tournament in college wrestling. Churella was inducted into the University of Michigan Hall of Honor in 1996 and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1999.
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9. Steve Fraser, Hazel Park (1973-1976)
Fraser was a state champion who went on to be a two-time all-American at the University of Michigan. Fraser then became the first American to win a gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1984 Olympics. A 1976 state champion for Hazel Park, Fraser also became a two-time NCAA All-American at Michigan. He placed 6th in 1978 and 5th in 1980, also coming up one win away from the podium in 1979. From that point until his retirement, Fraser etched his name into USA Wrestling. He won US National titles in 1981 and 1983, also making the World team in 1982. In 1983 he was named Outstanding Wrestler at the US Nationals and won gold at the Pan-Ams. A year later, made the Olympic team, ousting Mike Houck, who was a returning World teamer and would go on to win the Worlds in 1985. At the Olympic Games, he defeated three-time World Champion Frank Andersson of Sweden before advancing to the Gold Medal Match. There, he defeated Ilie Matei of Romania, 1-1, in the finals. He won the US’ first-ever Olympic medal in Greco, with the added bonus of it being a Gold. Fraser was an assistant coach at Michigan from 1980-1987, an assistant at Eastern Michigan from 1987-1993, and US Greco coach from 1997-2014. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1994, the University of Michigan Hall of Honor in 2006, and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.
10. John Fisher, Flint Northern (1981-1984)
Fisher went 54-0 as a senior and won the Class A state title at 126 pounds. He then went to the University of Michigan, where he went 183-21 for his career. Fisher placed top-four in the state three times for Flint Northern, closing out his high school career with a state title in 1984. He was runner-up at the Junior Nationals in Greco in both 1983 and 1984. Following his senior year, he won a Junior World title in freestyle on American soil, in Washington D.C. At Michigan, Fisher reached the podium as a true freshman, placing 4th at NCAA’s. After a redshirt year, he placed 4th, 3rd, and 4th, respectively, in his final three seasons to become just the fourth four-time All-American in program history. A three-time Big Ten Champ, Fisher is Michigan’s all-time wins leader with 183, against just 21 losses. He posted a 68-3 mark in duals and picked up 43 career falls - fifth most for the Maize and Blue. An impressive International career would follow, as Fisher placed 5th at the Tblisi tournament in 1990. He won the US Nationals in 1992 and faced John Smith in the Olympic Trials final that year. Fisher took the first match from Smith, who was the five-time reigning World and Olympic champ at the time. Smith would ultimately take the final two bouts of the series and go on to win his second Olympic gold, but Fisher holds the distinction of being the last American to defeat him. Fisher earned silver at the World Cup in 1993 and was 2nd at the 1996 Olympic Trials as well, falling again to the eventual Olympic Champ- Tom Brands. In 2019, Fisher was inducted into both the Michigan Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the University of Michigan Hall of Honor. Olympic team and won a World Cup title.
Additional Notable Wrestlers
Here's a list of other accomplished wrestlers:
- Casey Cunningham, Fulton (1991-1994)
- Jon Reader, Davison (2003-2006)
- Cameron Simaz, Allegan (2004-2007)
- Dave Dean, Montrose (1981-1984)
- Ben Bennett, Rockford (2005-2008)
- Rod Severn, Montrose (1980-1983)
- Adam Coon, Fowlerville (2010-2013)
- Joe Pantaleo, Roseville (1982-1985)
- Gabe Dean, Lowell (2009-2013)
- Taylor Massa, St. Johns (2008-2012)
- Justin Zeerip, Hesperia (2004-2007)
- Zac Hall, St. Johns (2011-2014)
- Roger Wildmo, Durand (2008-2011)
- Jordan Thomas, Greenville (2009-2012)
- Trevor Stewart, Detroit Catholic Central (2002-2005)
- Mark Weber, Goodrich (2005-2008)
- Kyle Waldo, Rockford (2006-2009)
- Mike Mills, Mt. Pleasant (1976-1979)
- Ryan Churella, Novi (1998-2001)
- Travis Piccard, Allendale (1999-2002)
- Josh Churella, Novi (1999-2003)
- Jeremiah Tobias, Manchester (1997-2000)
- Pat Boyd, Grand Rapids West Catholic, Mt. Pleasant (1982-1985)
- Matthew Brady, Kearsley (1988-1991)
- Joe Warren, East Kentwood (1992-1995)
- Ben Whitford, St. Johns (2012-2013)
- Dan Yates, Hesperia (2006-2009)
- A.J. Grant, Clarkston (1995-1999)
- Tim Lambert, Forest Hills Eastern (2009-2012)
- Paul Donahoe, Davison (2001-2004)
- Chase Metcalf, Davison (1999-2002)
Hall of Fame
The achievements of these wrestlers have not gone unnoticed. Many have been inducted into various Halls of Fame, including the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the University of Michigan Hall of Honor, solidifying their legacy in the sport.
State Champions
The following table showcases a selection of state champions from various schools:
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| Wrestler | School | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan Prescott | Whittemore-Prescott | 2015 |
| Lincoln Olson | Davison | 2015 |
| Devin Skatzka | Richmond | 2015 |
| Adam Coon | Fowlerville | 2013 |
| Taylor Massa | St. Johns | 2012 |
| Collin Zeerip | Hesperia | 2010 |
| Kyle Waldo | Rockford | 2009 |
| C.C. Weber | Goodrich | 2009 |
| Brandon Zeerip | Hesperia | 2009 |
| Mark Weber | Goodrich | 2008 |
| Justin Zeerip | Hesperia | 2007 |
| Joe Mendez | Lowell | 2005 |
| Brent Metcalf | Davison | 2005 |
| Nick Simmons | Williamston | 2001 |
| Ryan Churella | Novi | 2001 |
| Matthew Brady | Flint Kearsley | 1991 |
The Simmons Academy of Wrestling has a storied past filled with exceptional athletes who have achieved remarkable success. These wrestlers have not only excelled in high school and college but have also made significant contributions to the sport on the national and international stages. Their dedication, skill, and perseverance serve as an inspiration to future generations of wrestlers.