Holland Reporter

The National Wrestling Coaches Association has recognized Joey Simcoe, the head coach of Grand Valley State University, as the NWCA Super Region 3 Coach of the Year. This marks the second time Simcoe has received this honor, having previously been awarded in 2020.

Simcoe's leadership comes at a pivotal moment for Grand Valley State, which reinstated its wrestling program after a 32-year hiatus. Under his guidance, the team achieved a dual meet record of 13-7 and concluded the regular season ranked 11th in the NWCA Coaches poll. The Lakers also secured a 13th place finish at the Midwest Classic and fourth place at the NCAA Super Region 3 tournament with a total of 97.5 points.

Four wrestlers from Grand Valley State qualified for the NCAA Championships. Among them, Josh Kenny stood out by winning the Super Region 3 title in the 174-pound category. Chris Donathan (2nd/149), Seth Konynenbelt (3rd/184), and Wyatt Miller (3rd/197) also earned spots in Division II wrestling's top competition.

Expressing gratitude for his award, Simcoe stated, "I am humbled and appreciative to be honored as the Super Region 3 Coach of the Year." He emphasized that it was a collective achievement: "This is a team and coaching staff award and I am so proud of what we accomplished in our first year back as a varsity sport."

Looking ahead, Grand Valley State will compete at the NCAA Championships on March 15 and 16 in Wichita, Kansas.