“Whatever is in me is stronger than what is out there to defeat me.” – Caroline Myss

The very definition of resiliency is the capacity to withstand or recover quickly from difficulties. If you know Luke Simcox, he is that guy. He’s gritty, tough, savvy and a true leader. Simcox is also smart, articulate  and a guy that any coach would want leading their squad. Simcox finished his high school career at Central Mountain High School with a record of 137-18. He had two 5th place finishes and ended his career winning two individual titles in the PIAA, which is arguably the best state for high school  wrestling state in the country. What a career. He’s had battles with guys like Matt Repos, Pierson Manville and recent Ohio State commit, Maddox Shaw. It’s no wonder why Rob Koll would want him to be a Tar Heel. Luke is going to The University of North Carolina and will undoubtedly be a guy that leads them to be a trophy contender at NCAA’s. He’s battle tested, resilient. 

Luke Simcox started wrestling at a very young age. He was 4 when he started attending practices because his dad was coaching. He didn’t necessarily compete but began to grow a love for the sport. That love  soon developed into a desire to compete. When Luke was 7 years old, he received a dirt-bike for winning a tournament from his parents. That is  a pretty great incentive. It was something that paired his two  passions, wrestling and dirt bike riding. Simcox then began to have increasing success winning PJW’s at age 10. This was the moment that launched his career. He not only had others believing in him, Luke Simcox began believing in himself. That’s a dangerous combination. Luke credits his parents and sister, Darbi (Pitt Gymnastics recruit) for a lot of his success. “ I had such a great support system, they did everything to make sure I was successful, endless car rides to practices and tournaments to find the best competition.” It happens in this sport, although rare in life for young people to have this type of backing, unwavering support paired with the self motivation that takes to be the very best. Luke Simcox had that. It allows athletes to solely focus on their craft. Simcox took full advantage of that opportunity becoming one of the top ranked wrestlers in the country. 

For anyone who thinks Luke Simcox has had an easy route to where he is, you would be mistaken. He has battled injuries from early on to more serious ones now. He battled through a torn shoulder against Bo Bassett in the Powerade finals. He dropped that one but kept it closer than most other competitors. Luke Simcox is resilient. Does that stop him? Not a chance. This guy is as mentally strong as they come. “The injuries I sustained made me hungrier, people didn’t think I would be the same after them. Their doubt pushed me.” Luke credits a lot of that his practice partners Dalton Perry (PSU Commit) as well as others for his continued progress. He tore his shoulder before states last season but wanted to compete for his team. He not only wrestled but won the tournament. That takes as much physical toughness as it does mental. That’s what you get with Luke Simcox, he resilient, he’s an ultimate competitor. 

After originally committing to The University of Pennsylvania during his junior year, Luke decided to reconsider some things. He took some more visits to Penn State, Pitt and NC State. He also had an unofficial visit to  North Carolina and fell in love. He committed to being a Tar Heel. The fit was ideal. Luke stated that he wanted to be one of the ones to “take the program from good to great.” It’s pretty safe to say that this is a guy to build a program around. He’s a leader. No nonsense, go to work kinda guy. He’ll be a person who makes others better, not only on the mat  but off as well. A guy who had been through a lot in his early career, he’s resilient. You think he’ll waste this opportunity, absolutely not. Luke Simcox may very well be one of the most under the radar STUD wrestlers you’ll ever find. I think he likes that. It’s motivation. Injuries and other set backs won’t keep this guy down. He’s a competitor, he resilient, one of the very best in the country. This is a name you absolutely need to keep an eye on. He won’t disappoint.