The No. 4 NC State men’s wrestling team continues its conference play as it returns to Reynolds Coliseum on Friday, Jan. 22 to host the No. 12 Pittsburgh Panthers.

This dual against Pitt (3-0, 1-0 ACC) will kick off the Pack’s toughest stretch of the season, with matchups against three ranked teams, with Pittsburgh followed by No. 14 North Carolina and No. 8 Virginia Tech. 

In its toughest matchup yet this season, the Wolfpack (3-0, 1-0 ACC) will look to continue its stellar winning streak not only against Pitt, but in the nation. The Pack currently runs the nation’s longest winning streak with 20-straight victories, following the team back to 2019.

While NC State is predicted to come out of this matchup with a win, Pitt presents itself as a serious threat to this team’s excellent record, beating the Pack in Reynolds only two years ago.

The two-time defending ACC Champion and No. 4 Micky Phillippi will be hitting the mat for Pittsburgh in the 133-pound matchup against No. 16 redshirt sophomore Jarrett Trombley. Phillippi was able to get the best of the Trombley in last season’s matchup, 4-0, and is favored to do the same on Friday, but not without a fight.

Also threatening the Wolfpack this Friday is Pitt’s Jake Wentzel, another defending ACC champion in the 165 weight class. No. 17 redshirt senior Thomas Bullard was able to defeat Wentzel in last season’s matchup against the Panthers. However, with Bullard coming off a pair of recent losses, taking down Wentzel will not be an easy job this time around.

Favored to win in the 174 matchup is No. 12 redshirt senior Daniel Bullard. However, Pittsburgh’s Gregg Harvey has been able to come out victorious against Bullard the past two years in a row.

Making his debut against Pitt for the Wolfpack will most likely be true freshman Ed Scott, who is coming off a major decision against Virginia and a tight loss the week before. Competing against Pitt’s Luke Kemerer, there is a strong chance Scott can secure the decision for the Wolfpack.

While Pittsburgh has proven to be stacked with talent this year, the Panthers have also lost some competitors to graduation, including two-time ACC Champion Demetrius Thomas, who got the victory last season over No. 18 junior Deonte Wilson. With Thomas gone, Wilson is expected to secure the heavyweight win in this matchup.

With No. 4 redshirt sophomore Trent Hidlay finally back on the mat for the Wolfpack and fresh off his first win, NC State will be in full force Friday. As long as the Wolfpack’s stacked starters can avoid upset, the Wolfpack can predict a victory even larger than the year before.

NC State will host the Pittsburgh Panthers Friday, Jan. 22 inside Reynolds Coliseum, with the first bout starting at 6 p.m.