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 during winter conference play.
“Wolfpack wrestling will have a tournament qualifier in every weight class.”
Even by six-time-reigning ACC Champion standards, NC State wrestling had a historic winter in 2024. A Wolfpack wrestler was in all of the NCAA Championship’s 10 weight classes. Eight were top-10 seeds and three qualified for All-American recognition — an award given to the top-eight tournament performers in each weight class, unlike other NCAA sports where All-Americans are voted upon. The stage is set for a 2025 season with six of the 10 wrestlers returning to action, coupled with a promising redshirt freshman class.
The sixth-ranked Wolfpack answered expectations early this season with a 9-1 record, boasting All-American contenders throughout the team. Redshirt senior Kai Orine, who placed eighth in the 133lb division last March and is currently No. 12, leads four returning qualifiers from last year’s tournament. Alongside the returners are redshirt sophomore Matty Singleton, No. 20 in the 174 class, redshirt junior Isaac Trumble and redshirt freshman Vince Robinson, who are ranked in the top four of the heavyweight and 125lb divisions, respectively. These seven athletes will push for automatic bids and title contention in their weight classes.
However, the remaining three spots present a challenge to follow last season’s masterclass. At 197lbs, senior Christian Knop is a clear-cut starter, but a borderline tournament qualifier. Knop, ranked No. 26 nationally, has lost two of his last three matches and has yet to make the postseason in his collegiate career, unlike the other wrestlers on the brink of qualifying.
Head coach Pat Poplizio has also struggled to fill the void left by senior Ryan Jack and junior Jackson Arrington, who used their redshirt years and will return in 2026, in the 141lb and 149lb divisions. Both were top-four seeds in the 2024 championships.
Redshirt freshman Koy Buesgens has taken tremendous strides at 149lbs, most recently being named ACC-Co Wrestler of the Week and shooting up to No. 21, but has a grueling upcoming schedule. The Pack faces No. 19 UNC-Chapel Hill, No. 16 Stanford and No. 11 Virginia Tech in consecutive matchups with all three boasting the Nos. 5, 7 and 1 ranked wrestlers, respectively, in the division. Winning just one of those could be enough to spurn a tournament berth, but that’s easier said than done.
The biggest threat to this claim arises at 141lbs, with redshirt freshman Tyler Tracy only holding one win this winter. In his last three matchups, he has lost by technical fall, an 8-0 majority decision and a 9-5 decision against an unranked opponent. The best chance for the Wolfpack to have a championship wrestler at 141 would be Orine moving back up in weight as he did to start the year, which is unlikely as he is a two-time All-American at 133.
The NCAA allots a specific number of automatic bids for athletes based on win percentage, coaches’ rank and RPI ranking by wrestlers within a given conference. In the past two years, the ACC has received 34 and 28 total bids, averaging about three bids per division. Six of the seven aforementioned mainstays sit comfortably in the top three among ACC performers, while each of the three question marks is fighting from the outside. These auto-qualifiers could prove crucial come March, with a limited chance at approximately four at-large bids per weight class for all of college wrestling to compete over.
Conclusion: Overreaction
“NC State men’s basketball can’t close games.”
Wolfpack men’s basketball has lost five straight despite leading by double digits in multiple outings, the culmination of which was Monday night against No. 2 Duke. The Wolfpack built a 13-point lead in Durham, arguably the best basketball it’s played this season, but it was squandered after a 23-2 run by the Blue Devils.
What can’t be overstated is the mentality of the Wolfpack in those moments: play not to lose, rather than playing to win. Getting out of the flow of the offense is this team’s kryptonite, whether in front or behind. Settling for out-of-rhythm jump shots, contested floaters in the lane and forcing layups all display a lack of trust in the offense — mistakes a typical freshman has coached out of him in training camp but have become a consistent inconsistency for the Wolfpack, specifically closing games.
Take Saturday afternoon against SMU for example, where it was an 18-1 run that gave the Mustangs an insurmountable lead in the first half. During that stretch, the Wolfpack took 11 shots — 10 were jumpers, with seven coming off the dribble. The basket that ended the run was a desperation heave from Jayden Taylor through a double team off the bounce.
Read more here about the Wolfpack’s struggles to close games.
Conclusion: Not an overreaction
“NC State baseball will return to Omaha.”
After earning 38 wins and a College World Series berth last season, NC State baseball head coach Elliot Avent returns to lead a revamped Wolfpack squad.
The preseason No. 13, NC State seeks to follow a stellar 2024 with another trip to Omaha, Nebraska with numerous unknowns surrounding the group. The Wolfpack lost each of its top five at the plate in terms of at-bats, hits and home runs, raising concerns about its ability to generate offense. The only player on the roster with 200+ at-bats a year prior is transfer sophomore infielder Chris McHugh, who arrives from VCU. Top hitters returning from a year ago are sophomore catcher Alex Sosa, junior outfielder Josh Hogue and sophomore infielder Luke Nixon, who had a combined 425 at-bats for the Pack last season.
On the other hand, pitching will be the highlight of the squad with two of its top three pitchers returning from 2024. Junior Dominic Fritton and sophomore Ryan Marohn combined to pitch 132 innings a year ago with 118 strikeouts and a combined ERA of 6.00. The leftie duo will be joined by graduate righty Matt Willadsen, who missed the 2024 season due to injury after a stellar 2023 in which he led the team in innings and strikeouts. Willadsen has the fifth-most career starts and the ninth-most strikeouts in school history.
A defensive-minded Wolfpack can win games, but an even mix of offense and defense is a formula for success. The teams that met in the national championship last season, Tennessee and Texas A&M, were top-six in team ERA and top-25 in scoring, proving that a one-dimensional baseball team may not be the formula for the ultimate goal.
NC State opens the season as the fifth-highest-ranked ACC team behind Virginia, North Carolina, Florida State and Duke, with Wake Forest and Clemson filling the slots directly behind the Pack. The Wolfpack have won at least 36 games every full season since 2015 and over 1,000 in 28 seasons under Avent.
If — or when — Avent finds a groove with his rotation, this Wolfpack team will be back in Omaha for the fifth time in program history. But for now, it’s hard to envision a team without a proven scoring arsenal competing for a national title. Let’s get through March and revisit this.
Conclusion: Overreaction
