Come Saturday, N.C . State will be heading into the 2012 ACC wrestling championships in Chapel Hill.
The Pack (7-9, 1-4 ACC) will be looking to expand on its momentum after winning three of the last four fixtures going into the conference tournament. A solid performance will most likely ensure the Wolfpack’s representation at the NCAA championships.
State currently has three ranked wrestlers on its roster. One of those, No. 10 senior Darius Little, felt that it would work out to be an advantage for the whole team. Little also said it would be a timely confidence booster for No. 22 senior Quinton Godley who has spent much of the season unranked.
“I feel like with Coltin [No. 30 Coltin Fought] being ranked, he can help the lighter guys out,” Little said. “With me in the middle and Q [Quinton Godley] in the upper weights, we can help people get better. It’s a great confidence booster for Q and everything. He is No. 2 right now in the ACC, and I really think he is going to end up pulling up a big victory in the ACC.”
Despite winning the championship after finishing second-best in the 141-pound category last year, Little said he has some unfinished business to complete.
“I know the ACC as I have faced almost everybody except for Nelson [No. 9 Nick Nelson from UVA ], to whom I lost early this year due to a technicality,” Little said. “I didn’t know the rules as there was a rule change. When I wanted to wrestle him at Reynolds, his coach didn’t let him wrestle, saying he was hurt. I really want to face him, I want to get Nelson.”
Godley, competing in the 174-pound category, felt he was ready going into the tournament.
“Going to the ACC championships, I am pretty confident,” Godley said. “I am treating it like any other tournament. We have two bids [NCAA] in my weight class, so I am pretty excited about that. Wrestling is what I do, I will be going out there in my best shape. I am just ready to go out there and show up.”
Godley felt that by tournament’s end, he wanted to earn the respect of his competitors more than anything else.
“As a wrestler, I want to win every match,” Godley said. “I want to wrestle tough, never quit, and never give up — win or lose. Every time I go out there I want to be known as the guy who busts his butt. I want people to hate to wrestle me. I want everybody to say, ‘That guy over there, he is in shape, he is tough, he never quits, he never gives up.’
“That’s my motto, I never quit.”
Coach Carter Jordan, who has the experience of guiding the Pack to a conference championship win in 2007, said he was satisfied with the work his team had put in this season.
“We are really wrestling well right now,” Jordan said. “We have won three of our last four matches. The guys are healthy; they feel good. It’s going to take a very special effort for us to win it because of our youth, but we have a shot. Our job as coaches is to get them into the best positions as we can, and we feel like we have done that.”
Despite his triumvirate of ranked wrestlers, Jordan felt there were others on the team who could spring a few surprises.
“Matt Nereim can surprise a few people,” Jordan said. “I think Nigel Jones can surprise some people. I think Robert O’Neil and Korraine Jones can too. I think all our guys who have struggled throughout the year are wrestling really well right now. We are extremely confident in their ability and are looking forward to Saturday.”
The ACC championship is set to begin at 10 a.m . in the Carmichael arena at UNC-Chapel Hill. The semis start at 1 p.m . and the final at 7 p.m .
