Nadeau to wrestle at W. Virginia

Tucker Nadeau, a three-sport, all-state standout at Flathead High School, will continue his sporting and academic career at West Virginia.

Nadeau made that decision on Tuesday when he signed with the Mountaineers, a member of the Big 12 Conference.

He will receive an academic scholarship and wrestle at 184 collegiately.

The talented 5-foot-9 senior wrapped up the 2017-18 mat season with a perfect record (48-0) and a state championship at 182 pounds in February in Billings.

Only 20 of his matches this season went the full three periods. He never trailed after the first or second periods.

He was on his back just once, at the Tri-State tournament.

“It kind of freaked me out a little bit,” he said of being on his back.

“It was just for a couple seconds.”

On his perfect season ...

“One of my goals was to be an undefeated state champ,” he said.

“I think achieving that surprised me a little bit.”

He wrestled three times at state, winning twice by pin and once by major decision.

Nadeau was a starting linebacker for the Braves football team and is one of the key players again this spring for the state champion Black and Blue rugby team.

“Tucker just has a tremendous work ethic and he is just going to keep growing in the sport,” Flathead wrestling coach Jeff Thompson said in a press release.

“Tucker is one of those wrestlers who is a late bloomer. Tucker’s potential to be very successful in college is through the roof. West Virginia recruited Tucker not only for the wrestler he is now, but the wrestler he will be in the future.”

Oregon State, Purdue, Pennsylvania and Duke were also pursuing Nadeau for their wrestling programs.

The University of Arizona, University of British Columbia and Central Washington were offering scholarships for rugby.

Carroll College and Rocky Mountain College were interested in him joining their football programs.

“I was looking at playing rugby at that point in college, but keeping my options open,” Nadeau said after wrestling.

“I talked to the (West Virginia wrestling) coach a little bit, took a trip (during spring break).

“I really liked the school,” he said.

“It’s set in rolling hills, mountainous. The Spanish program is really strong. I heard a lot of good things about the coach (Tim Flynn).”

Flynn, who compiled a 223-95-5 record in 21 seasons at Edinboro University, takes over a struggling West Virginia program. The Mountaineers were 6-7 this past season and are 27-39 in matches over the last four years.

Nadeau won the Tri-State (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho), Best of the West (Pasco, Washington), Pacific Northwest Classic (Spokane, Washington) and Rocky Mountain Classic (Missoula) wrestling tournaments as a senior.

He finished third at state his junior year with a 40-4 mark.

He placed fifth at state as a sophomore, but did not place as a freshman.

Nadeau was a team wrestling captain for two seasons. He finished with a career mat record of 138-40. He won 68 matches by pin.

He has been selected to play in the Montana East-West Shrine football game this summer.

Nadeau carries a 4.0 GPA in Flathead’s IB (International Baccalaureate) program and plans to major in Spanish Education. He scored a 35 out of 36 on his ACT.

He is also the Student Body treasurer and is a National Merit finalist.

“Tucker is that great example to never give up on your dreams of being a Division 1 athlete,” Thompson said.

“Tucker was never a state champion or standout wrestler growing up, but he kept to the grind and working hard to get better. Now he’s going to be wrestling in the Big 12 and still loves the sport of wrestling. Tucker is a workout fanatic and is in the weight room almost as much as he is on the mats. He benched 345, squatted 485, and cleaned 265 this last week. That’s a strong high school kid right there.”

While wrestling will have his full attention in college, Nadeau hinted his rugby career may not be over.

“I might try and get in there a little bit if I can fit it around my wrestling schedule,” he said.