As everyone welcomes a new year, the NC State wrestling team looks to begin its dual season and defend its ACC Championship title. The season kickoff takes the Wolfpack to Gardner-Webb University on Sunday, Jan. 3 at 1 p.m.

NC State went undefeated last season at 15-0 and won the ACC championship with 81 team points. This was its second consecutive championship win, and this season will bring a chance for the Pack to fight for a third title. 

Brothers redshirt senior Hayden Hilday, awarded 2020 ACC Wrestler of the Year, and redshirt sophomore Trent Hidlay, awarded 2020 ACC Freshman of the Year, are both returning to the Wolfpack in their same weight classes, 157 and 184, respectively. Redshirt sophomore Jakob Camacho is another name to note on NC State’s roster after being awarded the 2020 ACC Championship Most Valuable Wrestler. 

NC State and Gardner-Webb have not met in a dual match since 2014 when the Pack bested the Bulldogs, 26-8. 

Gardner-Webb finished the 2020 season with a 5-9 overall record, 3-4 conference record and four fourth-place wrestlers in the Southern Conference Wrestling Championship, earning it fifth place in the SoCon championship. This was its best record since the 2017 season and seeing as the program retained most of its top wrestlers, the Bulldogs will be looking to continue improving their record. 

The Bulldogs’ retained three out of their four wrestlers that placed fourth in the SoCon championship last year: Brandon Bright, RJ Mosley and Samuel Mora. Mora is competing in the 165/174 weight classes, same as the Wolfpack’s redshirt seniors Daniel (174) and Thomas Bullard (165). 

Outside of those three, Will Edmiston in the 125/133 weight classes had one of the better overall records on the team last year, 11-9. 

NC State will be traveling to Boiling Spring for this matchup against the Bulldogs on Sunday, Jan. 3 at 1 p.m.