With the stakes as high as ever this season, NC State wrestling opened the season on a high note, dominating the Battle at The Citadel competition. Taking five first-place finishes and eight top-three finishes, the Wolfpack dominated the field.
The Charleston-based competition featured five other squads, including Air Force, Appalachian State, Duke, George Mason and The Citadel. Dominating in almost every bracket for each weight class, the Wolfpack left no doubt that it was the most talented group in the event.
Entering the match, the Wolfpack unveiled a new-look lineup, with several notable changes. Trent Hidlay, Alex Faison, and Jarrett Trombley — all regular starters — have graduated and moved on from college wrestling, while senior Ryan Jack and junior Jackson Arrington are redshirting. However, redshirt junior Isaac Trumble and redshirt sophomore Matty Singleton return from redshirts and will play a major role in this year’s team.
With this year’s lineup looking different, several wrestlers gained valuable experience in this competition. A pair of true freshmen, Draegen Orine and Jaydon Robinson, both earned top-three finishes in the event, including a first-place victory for Orine in the 133-pound championship. In his final bout of the day, Orine defeated redshirt sophomore Troy Hohman in an all-Wolfpack finale, showcasing the red-and-white’s depth.
Draegen Orine’s older brother, redshirt senior Kai Orine earned a first-place finish of his own in the 141-pound bracket, defeating Robinson in the final bout. The older Orine brother enters the season ranked No. 6 nationally and is pursuing a national championship this season. A win in the Battle at The Citadel is a strong start and the first step towards reaching his fullest potential this season.
In the 165-pound competition, No. 22 redshirt junior Derek Fields made an emphatic statement in his first opportunity of the season. Fields opened quickly, earning back-to-back pins to open the day. In the championship match, Fields won a top-25 battle over No. 25 Evan Maag from George Mason in a 14-9 decision.
The Pack also won the 197-pound bracket, thanks to a strong day from No. 27 redshirt senior Christian Knop. The red-and-white wrestler ripped through the bracket, defeating his three opponents by a combined score of 33-11, including a 7-0 victory over No. 28 Patrick Brophy from the Citadel. With Hidlay no longer occupying the 197-pound slot in the Wolfpack’s lineup, Knop showed he is a worthy wrestler to follow the Wolfpack legend.
Rounding out NC State’s first-place finishers was redshirt freshman Vince Robinson — older brother of Jaydon Robinson. The older Robinson dominated the 125-pound tournament, showing his potential for a breakout year. Robinson ended his run with a 19-2 victory in the first-place bout.
Next up, NC State will compete at WrangleMania against the Campbell Camels on Nov. 9 at 4 p.m. All-time, the Wolfpack holds an 11-0 record against the Camels, most recently defeating Campbell 33-6 in 2022.
