In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last four years, NC State wrestling is really good. Like four-time reigning ACC champion, must-see good.
Wolfpack fans never fail to show up for the big sporting events like football and men’s basketball, and in the last few years they’ve even started to fill up the seats for some of the more successful non-revenue sports like women’s basketball and baseball.
All of the aforementioned sports are events NC State students and fans should make an effort to attend. Now you can add wrestling to that list.
I’ll admit, it wasn’t until I got to college and began writing for Technician that I really started to learn the rules of wrestling, and even after four years of watching it, I still have a lot to learn. However, even if you don’t know much about wrestling, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it.
With as successful as NC State has been the last few years, wrestling has become a must-attend event for all Wolfpack fans. No matter what your level of wrestling knowledge is, the environment that is on display in Reynolds Coliseum is one that all fans should experience.
For one, there’s no better atmosphere for college wrestling in the country than the Old Barn, and perhaps the best example of this was the February 2020 matchup between NC State and UNC. That match drew the largest crowd ever for a wrestling match in Reynolds with 4,383 fans, and the competition itself did not disappoint as the two teams went down to the wire with NC State pulling it out thanks to a heavyweight win by junior Deonte Wilson.
While not every match is that crowded, fans still always show up and make it a great atmosphere for college wrestling.
In addition to the crowd element, the event organizers put on a show that has to be experienced. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think you’re in a professional wrestling setting with the spectacle that’s created. When each wrestler runs out onto the mat, he is accompanied by shooting flames beside the tunnel, much like the NC State football team’s entrances in Carter-Finley Stadium.
Any event in Reynolds is going to be good, especially when the band is there, which it has been for some of the Pack’s top matchups. The band adds an extra element to college athletics that isn’t even remotely matched in professional sports, and for the fans, there’s no better sound than hearing the NC State fight song during a big event.
Still, with all of the pageantry aside, wrestling is as exciting as it is primarily because of how successful the team has been, especially in recent years. As mentioned, NC State has won the last four ACC Championships and has placed in the top 10 in three of the last four NCAA Tournaments, making itself known as a wrestling powerhouse.
The Pack also hasn’t lost a home wrestling match since 2019, so if you go, you’re likely going to see a win.
Even if you don’t know anything about wrestling, you’re still going to be entertained. The guys are absolutely ripped and are going after it hard, and I’ve come to find that other than maybe football, wrestling is the most physical college sport.
If there’s a time for you to get into NC State wrestling, it’s right now because the team needs your support. This Friday, Feb. 10, the No. 7 Pack takes on No. 18 Pitt in what is perhaps the biggest home match of the year. The Panthers are the only ACC team that has not lost a conference match this year and just recently beat Virginia Tech, the only team that has beaten NC State this season.
It’s Senior Night, there are eight ranked vs. ranked matchups, and the top spot in the ACC is on the line, making for what should be a must-see event in Reynolds. After Pitt, it’s a road match at North Carolina, who NC State has beaten in the last nine matchups and will be going for a 10th on Feb. 17. How cool would it be to fill Carmichael Arena with red and watch the Pack beat up the Tar Heels?
And finally, the 2023 ACC Wrestling Championships will be in Reynolds on Sunday, March 5. It’s right here on campus and students get in for free, so what excuse do you have not to show up and pull for the Pack as it goes for its fifth straight title?
No matter your wrestling knowledge, all NC State fans should make an effort to attend at least one wrestling match. The wrestlers will try and entertain the crowd much like Russell Crowe in Gladiator, and you won’t be disappointed.
