The No. 3 NC State wrestling team will travel to Chapel Hill to take on the No. 14 Tar Heels Jan. 29 at 6 p.m.
The Pack (4-0, 2-0 ACC) will be looking to continue a seven-match winning streak against the Tar Heels, as well as continuing its record-breaking winning streak nationwide.
UNC (2-0, 1-0 ACC) won against ACC competition last weekend, defeating Duke 29-9 and maintaining a No. 14 rank in the NWCA Coaches Poll. As a team, the Tar Heels don’t pose an overall threat to NC State, but there will be some matches that will push the Pack where it hasn’t felt pressure this season.
In the 133-pound matchup, UNC redshirt junior Jamie Hernandez is ranked No. 11, according to InterMat, above No. 14 redshirt sophomore Jarrett Trombley. Hernandez went 16-10 last season, with two of those wins against Trombley. Trombley is coming off a loss last week against Pitt, but he is 4-1 this season, so he should be able to secure this match for the Pack.
UNC’s Zach Sherman, who is currently ranked No. 10, will go head-to-head against No. 11 redshirt senior Tariq Wilson in the 141-pound matchup. Sherman is only ranked one place above Wilson, but both won their matches in the previous week, so this will be one of the most highly contested matches of the night.
Redshirt junior Austin O’Connor is ranked at the top of the 149-pound class, and the Pack will most likely start freshman Ed Scott against him. O’Connor has only had one match this season against Gardner-Webb, but he went 25-1 in matches last year. The 149-pound matchup will be a tough one for the Pack, especially if O’Connor represents UNC.
In the 165-pound matchup, UNC redshirt senior Kennedy Monday will be up against redshirt senior Thomas Bullard. Monday is 3-0 already this season while Bullard is 2-2. These two haven’t competed against each other before, and this will be another match that will put pressure on the Pack.
NC State freshman Isaac Trumble earned ACC Player of the Week honors after his collegiate debut upset win in last week’s matchup against Pitt. Trumble will be matched up with UNC’s Max Shaw, who posted an 11-3 major decision against Duke last week.
https://twitter.com/ACCWrestling/status/1354142059754610688?s=20
This matchup poses some challenges for NC State; however, the Wolfpack should be able to continue its winning streak if it is able to overcome opponents, like Hernandez and Sherman, that are similarly matched in skill to their NC State opponents.
The matchup will be broadcast on ACC Network at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 29.
