It’s that time of the year when most teams are preparing to head for their national tournaments. The Wolfpack wrestling team is no exception to that as it starts its very own NCAA journey in St. Louis, Mo. Qualifying as many as five wrestlers for the nationals, the Pack is set to make an impact on the big stage.

The last time State wrestled on the big stage, it was a forgettable experience with both wrestlers bowing out early. However this season brings enough reason for optimism with a good mix of upper and lower classmen making up the team.

Senior Darius Little leads the charge for N.C . State in the 141-pound category. Ranked No. 8 in the nation, Little is 33-10 for the season after losing the title match in the ACC championships in double over-time. Fellow ranked senior Quinton Godley has amassed a 31-13 record for the season and finished third in the ACC championships. True freshman Coltin Fought, who has been ranked for majority of the season, and senior Colton Palmer were also runners-up in the ACC championships in the 149-pound category. 

Technician spoke to head coach Carter Jordan just shortly before the team left for Missouri.

Technician: What did you think about the team’s performance at the ACC championships?

Jordan: It was phenomenal, the best performance all year long especially with five guys qualifying for the NCAA tournament. We were going into the tournament trying to win, but it was probably a little bit of a stretch in terms of being realistic. But, because we stretched ourselves so much for that goal, we achieved the real goal that mattered, and that’s getting guys into the national tournament. I don’t know if we can wrestle any better than we did.

Technician: Was there anyone whose performance surprised you?

Jordan: I wasn’t surprised by anybody, but I was really proud of KoRonne Jones after he finished up the season with two wins in the tournament, which was fantastic. He didn’t qualify for the NCAA’s, but he came back and beat two guys he had lost to during the year.

Technician: How is this year’s team in the NCAA’s different from last year?

Jordan: We only had two guys last year, so that’s a big improvement from two to five. It’s a direct reflection of the character of the guys on the team. It’s great leadership from our upperclassmen. We have three seniors that are going to be there, one true freshman, and one true sophomore who are very talented, so we have the potential to score a lot of points. We are excited.

Technician: How excited are you about the future considering this is a very young team?

Jordan: Going from not a lot of commitment to the tremendous amount of commitment from the administration that we have now makes me very excited. I am really excited, because they can look back on it four to five years from now. They will have been a big part of the turnaround. These young guys will get the experience first-hand of going to the national tournament.

Technician: How have you prepared your team to shine on the big stage?

Jordan: I think the biggest thing when you are talking about a conference tournament or national tournament is that you have got to be who you are. I have “reckless abandon” written on the white board outside my office. That’s how we wrestled in the ACC tournament, and that’s how you wrestle at the national tournament. You can’t be careful; you can’t back your way into the wind. You have to let it all go. We have to continue that. The biggest mistake coaches can make is over-coach. These guys know who they are. They are not going to change in a week.  We have talked about poise that one needs, how you can’t get caught up with bad calls in officiating, and you can’t caught up in crowd noise. You just have to plow through.

Technician: What are your realistic expectations from your team?

Jordan: Last year we finished No. 52, which was disappointing. But, we only took two guys.and certainly we would feel extremely disappointed if we didn’t finish ahead of that place with the five guys we are taking. I think to stretch ourselves, we need to shoot for a top-25 finish. If we finish in the top-25 with this group of guys, it will be a phenomenal year. I will be upset if we don’t finish in the top-25, but to turn this around so quickly will be out of this world.