David Simental is leaving Pueblo again.
The former all-state player at Pueblo West High School is leaving Colorado State University Pueblo and transferring to the University of Nebraska-Kearney. It will mark Simental’s fourth institution in five years.
He has two years of NCAA basketball eligibility remaining.
In his second season at CSU Pueblo this past winter, Simental set the school’s single-game scoring record and was a second-team all-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference selection for the second consecutive season.
“A big part of it had to do with academics,” Simental said about leaving his hometown and CSU Pueblo. “The graduate programs here didn’t interest me and (Kearney) has a good grad program in coaching.
“I felt it was time for me to move on and felt like this was the best situation for me.”
A 6-foot-2, 185-pounder, Simental is expected to play point guard for the Lopers, which play in the NCAA Division II Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association.
“We’re extremely excited to have David join us. I think he fits our program — from a character stand point, on the court, in the classroom and in the community — to a tee,” UNK coach Kevin Lofton said in a press release. “He’s a perfect fit when it comes to all of those things.
“He can play multiple positions but we’ll have him at point guard. David can score it at all three levels with his strength being mid-range shooting. He’s a good three-point shooter, has the ability to get to the basket and makes plays for others. David is exactly what we need at the guard spot right now.”
School record: Simental sets CSU Pueblo men’s basketball points record vs. Westminster
Simental was the 2016 Colorado Prep Basketball Player of the Year while playing at Pueblo West and has been among the RMAC’s top scorers the past two seasons. He averaged 15.9 points per game in 2019-20 and scored 18.9 points per game this past season (18 games).
Simental had eight games where he reached at least 20 points including a school-record 48 in a 106-103 overtime loss to Westminster (Utah). He made 14 of 20 shots (5 of 8 threes) as well as 15 of 16 free throws in that game. Simental has ranked among NCAA Division 2’s best free throw shooters the past two years, connecting on 93{13aab5633489a05526ae1065595c074aeca3e93df6390063fabaebff206207ec} of his attempts in 2021.
“From what David said with all of our guys being college students, No. 1 is their education and he felt our university didn’t have the graduate program he needed,” CSU Pueblo men’s basketball coach Matt Hammer said. “We’re supporting him and wish him the best.”
More:CSU Pueblo men’s basketball team season preview
A two-time second-team all-RMAC pick, Simental shot 56{13aab5633489a05526ae1065595c074aeca3e93df6390063fabaebff206207ec} from the field as a redshirt junior while also supplying 2.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per night. He ranked in the RMAC top seven in scoring, field goal and free throw percentage. He carries a 3.96 grade point average as a sociology major.
“We recruited him out of junior college and felt like we were very close to getting him but it just didn’t go our way. He decided he wanted to stay closer to home,” Lofton said. “The second time around, because of the relationship we had built with him, I think that played a major factor in him coming.”
Prior to returning home to Pueblo Simental played at Division II Montana State-Billings and Central Wyoming College. He was a second-team all-Region IX pick at CWC, averaging 15.6 points, 2.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds. His freshman season at MSUB was cut short after five games due to injury.
“Every time I’ve (transferred) I thought it was the best decision at that time,” Simental said. “I’m going to miss the community (of Pueblo), playing for my home town and representing. There’s a lot of good people here.”
Chieftain senior sports reporter Jeff Letofsky can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @jeffletofsky
More Stories
Should Lecturers Read Copiously From PowerPoint Slides To Students?
Math Games to Make Your Kids Love Mathematics
Daily Life Therapy (Higashi) for Autism