Tomorrow marks senior Joe Caramanica’s final opportunity to win his weight class title in the NCAA Championships, something that he has been looking forward to for years.
“I’ve been waiting for this my whole life, all 22 years,” Caramanica said. “I’m excited and antsy.”
Caramanica, Darrion Caldwell, Kody Hamrah, and Darrius Little traveled to St. Louis yesterday to compete in the 2009 NCAA Wrestling Championships that will begin Thursday.
Since the ACC tournament March 7, the four grapplers have been practicing by following an Olympic training schedule, according to coach Carter Jordan.
“We practice on the Olympic training schedule, which is three days on and one day off,” Jordan said. “We’ve been doing this since coach Jerrod Sanders got here [five years ago] from Oklahoma State.”
The Pack was able to get in two legs of this training, having two-a-days during the first leg and taking it easier on the second, only having formal practice once a day.
“These guys are in shape,” Jordan said. “They just need to keep their weight down.”
Caldwell, a junior, will be making his third NCAA appearance this year. Last year he placed fifth in the 149-pound bout and said he looks to pick up where he left off.
“I want to come out with that gold medal,” Caldwell said. “I have worked hard enough to get there and I want to pick up where I left off last year.”
Caldwell enters the championship ranked third with a record of 33-1 on the season and is undefeated in conference matches.
“This year I’m more relaxed than I have been in previous years,” Caldwell said. “I’m going to just go out there and be me — stay focused with the task at hand.”
After wining the title at the ACC Tournament in the 157 weight class, redshirt senior No. 19 Hamrah will be appearing for the __ time in the NCAA’s. He enters the tournament with a record of 31-8 on the season and is 10-1 in the ACC.
Little, a sophomore, will be making his first NCAA appearance with a season record of 17-15. According to Jordan, Little has matured this season after his ACC tournament performance.
“He finally grew up,” Jordan said. “Darrius [Little] beat two guys that he lost to earlier in the year.”
Like Little, Caramanica is a qualifier for the NCAA Championships as a result of his ACC Tournament performance. In Caramanica’s first round he suffered a minor concussion, yet still pulled out a win. He was forced to sit out the rest of the tournament.
“I feel great, and I’m ready to go,” Caramanica said. “I was ready to go for ACC’s, but now I’m just even hungrier.”
Caramanica, wrestling in the 141-pound weight class, has a record of 11-8 this season. He notes that his determination will help him achieve victory.
“My expectation is to wrestle hard for all seven minutes and if I do that then I will win,” Caramanica said. “I’m ready to get out there and start getting focused.”
Caldwell and Caramanica coined the term “the duo” this season and said they are excited to both be competing in the Championships.
“The duo is back this weekend,” Caramanica said. “I’ve been waiting for this all year. We’re going to turn some heads when we get there.”
According to Jordan, all four men are likely to make an impact this weekend.
“I predict a top-20 finish,” Jordan said.
