NC State wrestling hoisting an ACC championship trophy at the end of the regular season has become an annual sight for Wolfpack fans.
Once again, NC State wrestling won the ACC wrestling regular season title in front of an electric Reynolds Coliseum crowd this past Friday. Through five dual meets, the red-and-white consistently shined en route to the championship. Here are the biggest takeaways from the Pack’s journey to the ACC regular season title.
The ACC still runs through Raleigh
For the past several years, NC State has set the standard for the ACC. Once again, the Wolfpack proved itself as the class of the conference.
Virginia Tech — a perennial powerhouse in its own right — seemed poised early in its dual meet with the Pack to steal the crown. The Hokies jumped out to an early 12-3 lead over NC State after winning four of the first five bouts. Midway through the bout, it certainly seemed like all hope was lost for the Wolfpack.
However, head coach Pat Popolizio’s squad had other plans. NC State went on a heater and won five-consecutive bouts to close the dual meet and topple Virginia Tech 20-12. While the Hokies have an impressive program, they’ll have to wait at least one more year to claim the ACC crown.
Trent Hidlay cements himself as an all-time great
Wolfpack fans have been lucky to witness redshirt senior Trent Hidlay blossom into a superstar. After dominating in the 184-pound weight class, Hidlay moved up to the 197 class and has looked even more impressive. The four-time NCAA All-American and three-time ACC Champion has positioned himself as a national championship contender this season, currently ranked No. 2 in the nation.
In ACC play, Hidlay has dominated his competition, earning extra points in each of his five bouts. Hidlay outscored his opponents 92-15, which included three top-30 opponents. With nobody even challenging Hidlay, the Pack’s star has ascended into the ranks of one of the greatest to ever wrestle at NC State.
Multiple national title contenders
While Hidlay has garnered the most attention this season, he’s not the only Wolfpack wrestler who looks like a national title contender. Besides Hidlay, NC State has three wrestlers ranked in the top five — No. 5 redshirt junior Kai Orine, No. 4 junior Ryan Jack and No. 4 sophomore Jackson Arrington in the 133, 141 and 149-pound classes respectively.
All three wrestlers are poised to take home individual ACC championships. From there, they’d travel to Kansas City, Missouri for the NCAA championships March 21-23. While there’s still plenty of work to do, Orine, Jack and Arrington have positioned themselves as perfectly as possible to end the season as national champions.
A rising star emerging
After Hidlay moved up to the 197-pound weight class, the natural question was how could NC State replace his production in the 184 slot. Redshirt freshman Dylan Fishback has stepped into the role and immediately made a name for himself. Despite only being a redshirt freshman, Fishback is already rated the No. 11 wrestler nationally.
While Fishback posted a 2-2 ACC record, he proved he can hang with anyone. Additionally, he still has plenty of time to develop. For now, Fishback is gearing up for a run at his first individual ACC title.
