The NC State wrestling team opened its dual slate with three competitions, and three wins, at the annual Journeymen/Asics Northeast Duals in Albany, New York. The two-day weekend competition featured three duals on Saturday, and an individual pod-style tournament on Sunday.

The No. 8 Wolfpack (3-0) began its dual season with a bang on Saturday, defeating Ithaca, No. 19 Oklahoma and The Citadel. Head coach Pat Popolizio’s squad won 23 of its 30 total dual bouts, including all 10 against The Citadel. Sunday saw 10 wrestlers compete in the Journeymen Classic tournament, five of which finished at 2-1 or better.

NC State opened its weekend with a decisive 30-12 win over Ithaca College. State won seven of the 10 bouts, five of which came as bonus-point wins. Sophomore Tommy Cox won the 125-weight bout by pin in the first period while redshirt freshman Daniel Bullard followed with a pin of his own in the 174-weight bout.

Redshirt junior Malik McDonald won the 285-bout by major decision. McDonald was making his heavyweight debut after wrestling at 197 last season.

Full Results: No. 8 NC State – 30, Ithaca – 12

125 pounds | Tommy Cox (NC State) fall Anthony Stramiello; 2:28 ~ (Team score: 6-0)

133 pounds | Tariq Wilson (NC State) major decision Tito Colom; 16-5 ~ (10-0)

141 pounds | Ben Brisman (Ithaca) decision Will Clark; 6-4 ~ (10-3)

149 pounds | No. 18 Jamal Morris (NC State) major decision Demetri Dorsaneo; 16-3 ~ (14-3)

157 pounds | Sam Schneider (Ithaca) decision Robbie Rizzolino; 5-2 ~ (14-6)

165 pounds | No. 19 Brian Hamann (NC State) decision Nick Velez; 6-3 ~ (17-6)

174 pounds | Daniel Bullard (NC State) fall Steven Rice; 2:13 ~ (23-6)

184 pounds | Jake Ashcraft (Ithaca) injury Nicky Hall; 4:06 ~ (23-12)

197 pounds | Tyler Johnson (NC State) decision Dalton Elias; 11-7 ~ (26-12)

285 pounds | Malik McDonald (NC State) major decision Jake O’Brien; 11-3 ~ (30-12)

A decision win is denoted as winning the match by fewer than eight points and gives the team three points. A major decision is denoted by winning the match by 8-14 points, and gives the team four points. A technical fall is denoted by winning the match by 15 or more points and gives the team five points and a fall or ‘pin’ gives the team six points. Forfeits, disqualifications and defaults are also all worth six team points.

In the second dual of the day, NC State faced its first ranked opponent of the season in No. 19 Oklahoma. The dual featured one ranked matchup, with senior No. 2 Kevin Jack defeating No. 16 Mike Longo by technical fall 24-5. Overall, the Wolfpack won six of the 10 matches, four by bonus points, including one pin by redshirt senior Brian Hamann at 165.

Full Results: No. 8 NC State – 27, No. 19 Oklahoma – 13

125 pounds | Christian Moody (OK) decision Tommy Cox; 11-5 ~ (Team score: 0-3)

133 pounds | Jacob Rubio (OK) major decision Jamel Morris; 12-2 ~ (0-7)

141 pounds | No. 2 Kevin Jack (NC State) technical fall No. 16 Mike Longo; 24-5 ~ (5-7)

149 pounds | No. 14 Davion Jeffries (OK) decision Sam Melikian; 10-5 ~ (5-10)

157 pounds | Hayden Hidlay (NC State) major decision Justin Thomas; 12-1 ~ (9-10)

165 pounds | No. 19 Brian Hamann (NC State) fall Jeremy Thomas; 3:35 ~ (15-10)

174 pounds | No. 13 Yoanse Mejias (OK) decision Daniel Bullard; 8-6 ~ (15-13)

184 pounds | No. 3 Pete Renda (NC State) technical fall Matthew Waddell; 16-1 ~ (20-13)

197 pounds | No. 9 Michael Macchiavello (NC State) decision Andrew Dixon; 9-3 ~ (23-13)

285 pounds | Malik McDonald (NC State) major decision Connor Webb; 13-3 ~ (27-13)

For the final dual of the day, NC State took down The Citadel in dominating fashion, winning 43-0 by taking all 10 bouts. Redshirt senior Pete Renda, the No. 3 ranked wrestler in the country at 184 pounds, picked up a win by pin in the first period of his match. Four other Wolfpack wrestlers won by technical falls.

Full Results: No. 8 NC State – 43, The Citadel – 0

125 pounds | Tommy Cox (NC State) decision Charles Kearney; 6-1 ~ (3-0)

133 pounds | Tariq Wilson (NC State) major decision Andrew Szalwinski; 14-2 ~ (7-0)

141 pounds | No. 2 Kevin Jack (NC State) technical fall Ethan Phillips; 16-1 ~ (12-0)

149 pounds | No. 18 Jamal Morris (NC State) decision Ty Buckiso; 6-3 ~ (15-0)

157 pounds | Hayden Hidlay (NC State) technical fall Doug Gudenburr; ?-? ~ (20-0)

165 pounds | No. 19 Brian Hamann (NC State) technical fall Rian Burris; ?-? ~ (25-0)

174 pounds | Daniel Bullard (NC State) technical fall Michael Lopouchanski; ?-? ~ (30-0)

184 pounds | No. 3 Pete Renda (NC State) fall Chandler Sambets; 4:11 ~ (36-0)

197 pounds | No. 9 Michael Macchiavello (NC State) decision Sawyer Root; 11-5 ~ (39-0)

285 pounds | Michael Boykin (NC State) major decision Michael McAleavy; 10-2 ~ (43-0) 

NC State has now started at least 3-0 in each of its past three seasons.

On Sunday, a handful of Wolfpack wrestlers competed in the Journeymen Classic, a pod-style tournament. All those that wrestled competed in three matchups except for Cox, who went 2-0 at 125 pounds. Redshirt junior Jamel Morris went a perfect 3-0 at 133 pounds. In the third-place heavyweight matchup, McDonald defeated teammate senior Michael Boykin 4-3 in extra time.

NC State will compete in its first home matchups on Saturday when the team welcomes UNC-Pembroke, Utah Valley University and Reinhardt to historic Reynolds Coliseum for the annual Wolfpack Duals.

All stats and figures courtesy of gopack.com.