Freshman Daniel Bullard keeps a Duke player from scoring a reversal. The NC State wrestling team beat Duke 34-6 in the ACC opener at Reynolds Coliseum on Jan. 11." />
Logan LaBo
Freshman Daniel Bullard keeps a Duke player from scoring a reversal. The NC State wrestling team beat Duke 34-6 in the ACC opener at Reynolds Coliseum on Jan. 11.
For the second straight year, the NC State wrestling team received an at-large bid to the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Duals Championship Series.
The No. 7 Wolfpack (12-2, 4-1 ACC) will host the No. 16 Michigan Wolverines (8-6, 4-5 Big Ten) Friday evening in Reynolds Coliseum.
A year ago, the record-breaking 2015-16 NC State wrestling team had a great first appearance in the event as it defeated then-No. 2 Iowa, 21-17. The Pack was the first-ever ACC team to defeat the Hawkeyes, and doing so in Iowa City only added to the significance of the feat.
This year, given NC State’s stellar record, head coach Pat Popolizio’s young team was selected to host a dual. A grateful Popolizio stressed the magnitude of the event.
“We are honored and excited to be able to host one of the NWCA National Duals,” Popolizio told NC State Athletics. “Our administration, staff and athletes’ hard work and commitment have put us in this position. We are very thankful for this opportunity and look forward to a great turnout from our student body and fans this Friday night in Reynolds.”
The Pack’s challenge will be defeating a young and talented Wolverine team. Friday’s matchup will be the fifth time this season that State has faced a ranked team. Of the previous four, NC State went 2-2, defeating No. 25 Pittsburgh and No. 23 Appalachian State, but falling to No. 7 Nebraska and No. 5 Virginia Tech.
NC State is coming off only its second loss of the season after falling to top five Virginia Tech 20-14 Saturday, Feb. 11. The Pack rebounded from its lone other loss this season, to Nebraska, by defeating Old Dominion 25-13.
Michigan recently lost a heartbreaker to conference foe No. 18 Wisconsin, falling 19-18 despite winning five bouts. The Wolverines finished their season ranked eighth in the Big Ten, a stacked conference that is home to behemoth wrestling programs: Penn State, Iowa, Ohio State and Nebraska, all of which are currently ranked in the top 10 in the nation.
Going off of its last dual, Michigan has five wrestlers individually ranked, including a No. 2 ranking at 165. In its last matchup, NC State had eight of its 10 starters ranked, including Kevin Jack, who is No. 2 at 141.
On paper, the Wolfpack holds a slight edge over the Wolverines, but it will likely be a tight match the whole way.
NC State’s Jamal Morris, a redshirt sophomore currently ranked No. 16 in the 133 weight class will likely face off with Michigan’s Stevan Micic, who currently holds the No. 7 ranking.
Either redshirt junior Chad Pyke or redshirt junior Brian Hamann will likely square off with Michigan’s No. 2 Logan Massa in the 165 bout. Massa is coming off of a huge 9-7 victory over Wisconsin’s Isaac Jordan, who was ranked No. 3.
NC State holds a ranking edge in the 141, 149, 184 and 197 bouts.
A win on Friday would help propel NC State into the ACC championships, which will also be held in Reynolds Coliseum on Saturday, March 4. The NWCA National Dual is set to begin at 7 p.m..