Every game at NC State produces new narratives that mold the foundation of programs, for better or worse. Is it too early to reach a verdict, or is it time to panic? Let’s judge some of the biggest overreactions for the Wolfpack as the school year winds down.
“NC State baseball will return to Omaha.”
In January, this column previewed NC State baseball and its chances at making the fifth College World Series in program history after qualifying in 2024. A questionable offense was the pivot point, and the verdict was that this prompt could be further explored on the other side of March.
It’s now April, and nothing has changed.
The Wolfpack ranks No. 13 in the ACC in hits — nearly 100 behind first-place Georgia Tech. That inconsistency has defined the season thus far.
While NC State holds a 21-11 record and a respectable 7-5 ACC mark, the team remains wildly inconsistent game to game. The Wolfpack suffered non-conference losses to Liberty, Richmond, Ohio State, Alabama and Coastal Carolina.
The pitching staff — including junior Golden Spikes Award candidate Dominic Fritton — has been a stabilizing force, but not enough to mask an offense that disappears too often. Runs to Omaha require a meticulous combination of momentum, reliability and production throughout the order, not just week-by-week flashes. As of now, the Wolfpack hasn’t put all three together.
At this point in 2024, NC State was 18-12 coming off the last of five consecutive losses, before winning an away series against then-No. 2 Clemson. Baseball is inherently inconsistent, making that kind of turnaround, especially under experienced head coach Elliott Avent, possible.
But, again, it’s hard to envision a team without a proven scoring arsenal competing for a national title.
Conclusion: Overreaction
“Wes Moore and women’s basketball disappointed in the NCAA Tournament.”
Mathematically, it’s easy to say NC State women’s basketball underachieved this winter. Any team that was preseason No. 9, a presiding Final Four participant and a 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament has the same mindset: championship or bust.
But given the context of the Wolfpack’s tumultuous 2024, a Sweet 16 berth should be celebrated as the achievement it is.
After starting 4-3, head coach Wes Moore and the women won 20 of their last 22, including a double-overtime dethroning of then-No. 1 Notre Dame. An unforgettable senior class went unbeaten in Reynolds Coliseum, ending with an emotional dismantling of 7-seed Michigan State in the Round of 32.
The Wolfpack came into 2024 with a glaring weakness on the interior, but found a solution by midseason with freshman forward Tilda Trygger, who became a budding star by February. However, those issues resurfaced against LSU, as the Tigers outrebounded Moore’s squad 52-36 and scored 20 more points in the paint.
Even still, it took a 16-4 run for the Tigers to overcome a fourth-quarter deficit to advance past the Pack, who’ll feel this loss as much as any other team in college basketball.
Two weeks later, Moore can look back and smile at the resilience and growth of the gritty 2024 squad. The Sweet 16 finish, though it fell short of expectations, remains a solid achievement and building block for 2025.
Conclusion: Overreaction
“Vince Robinson is already the Wolfpack wrestling G.O.A.T.”
Redshirt freshman Vince Robinson didn’t win a high school state title. Now he’s a national champion — and perhaps the best to wear NC State red-and-white.
Robinson cruised past the No. 19, 11, 6 and 2 ranked wrestlers en route to the 125-lb. national crown. He became the program’s first-ever national champion at 125 pounds — the lightest weight class in collegiate wrestling.
“I’ve got a lot of will to win,” Robinson said. “Before I step on the mat, I know nobody wants this more than me. Nobody wants it more than me. It’s like somebody’s trying to take everything I want.”
The Wolfpack boasts 27 All-American finishes from 14 individuals under head coach Pat Popolizio, including 2025 honorees Robinson, 285-lb. redshirt senior Isaac Trumble and 174-lb. redshirt junior Matty Singleton.
Robinson’s entry to NC State’s G.O.A.T. conversation stems from the dominance he displayed as a freshman. The Chicago, Illinois native went 23-3 in his rookie campaign, winning 10 matchups against opponents who finished in The Open Mat’s top 20.
However, Robinson has entered a conversation alongside former Wolfpack national champs — Nick Gwiazdowski and Michael Macchiavello — and annual contenders like Trent and Hayden Hidlay. Gwiazdowski won back-to-back national championships in 2014 and 2015 at 285 while both Hidlay brothers earned an All-American selection all four years in Raleigh.
The concept of “greatness” depends largely on personal philosophy. Greatness typically hinges on long-term impact, and, as such a young wrestler, Robinson doesn’t have the legacy to claim such a lofty title. But in terms of talent and trajectory, the future Wolfpack great has an elite case.
Conclusion: Overreaction
