March 4, 2005

East Lansing, Mich. - Junior R.J. Boudro (Richmond, Mich.) transferred to Michigan State for the 2004-2005 season from Michigan. After being a walk-on for two years with U-M's program and seeing limited action, he is excelling on the mats for the Spartans, compiling a 16-5 record on the season, including victories in six of his last seven matches. His success led to a No. 3 seed for the Big Ten Championships in his weight class (174 pounds), as chosen by the Big Ten head wrestling coaches. The Big Ten Championships are being held March 5-6 in Iowa City, Iowa.

Q: You played football in high school as well as participating in wrestling. What made you choose to continue wrestling and not football?
A: I have been doing it for so long and you know so many people. Wrestling is different from any other sport in the way you know people - you can meet people at tournaments and see them throughout your life. The network that I have built in wrestling is just amazing.

Q: How did it feel to defeat Nick Roy from Michigan in the dual at MSU Feb. 18?
A: It felt unbelievably good. From the moment I decided to transfer, that match is what everybody was asking about - `what's going to happen when you wrestle Michigan?' I just said `come and find out'. It was sold out - 4000 people. It was awesome. I could not have jumped it up anymore. He is a good buddy, but it was a great match.

Q: What made you choose sociology as your major?
A: I want to be a teacher - I love kids, and I want to be a coach. I like sociology; I had a lot of sociology classes at Michigan, so I am also thinking about getting a master of social work and being a school psychologist. I have a lot of thoughts in mind.

Q: How does it feel to be going into the Big Ten Championships seeded No. 3?
A: I started for two years at Michigan and never got to wrestle in the Big Ten Tournament, so even getting the opportunity to go to the tournament - I am so psyched; I can't wait to wrestle, especially being seeded as high as I am. I have a great shot to do some things; I have a really good shot at making the finals. I'm psyched. I'm just ready to wrestle. I can't wait.

Q: Does your seed position give you any added pressure for your performance?
A: No, not at all. I love pressure. The more hype to it, the more I want to do it. That is the way I feel about it.

Q: What is one characteristic a wrestler must have to be successful on the mat?
A: You have to be mentally tough. From my freshman year in college to now, the way I approach a match has totally changed. You approach a match like you are going to win every time. It is hard to do that when you have no confidence. Here (at MSU), these expectations gives the sense of confidence that you have to have to win.

Q: What is one thing you have learned during your wrestling career that you will carry through life?
A: Hard work. You can carry that through anything. I know my work ethic and my mental toughness - if I put that into anything I do, I'm going to be successful.

Q: Do you have any pre-meet rituals?
A: I warm-up the same way, do the same moves in the same order; tie my shoes the same way. I say a prayer during the national anthem - I always have to do that. I go dancing in a club on Wednesday night; I did it once and I wrestled really well, so I kept doing it the rest of the year. I have so many things; I don't think about them, I just do them.