It's lunch time Friday, and I had a few minutes to start up starting wrestling chatter. Some free-flowing thoughts, opinions, etc. (sorry, this turned out much longer than expected) …
New-Look Staff Has A Lot Of Promise
• All of the coaching staff changes are complete, after losing assistant Donnie Vinson to Cornell. Timmy McCall, a Fayetteville native who was a pretty successful college wrestler at Wisconsin and has been on staff since 2015, slides over from volunteer coach to fill the vacancy, and alum and program staffer since graduation Kevin Jack moves from recruiting coordinator to volunteer assistant.
It's basically the staff from last year each sliding over one seat to fill the hole, and I know McCall is highly thought of in the wrestling community at large. I even know of multiple coaches from other D1 programs (including rival ones) that think very highly of him.
• One source has even pointed out to me that it will be NC State's most successful staff, in terms of college wrestling accomplishments on the mat. Associate head coach Adam Hall was a four-time NCAA qualifier, two-time All-American and two-time Pac-10 champion. They've been lucky to hang on to him as long as they have IMO, he's widely recognized as a rising star in the college wrestling world.
McCall was ranked in the top 10 at 197 pounds the end of his college career and a two-time NCAA qualifier out of the rugged Big Ten. He qualified for the US World Team Trials as recently as 2019.
Jack, of course, was a three-time All-American at NC State that graduated in 2018 and has been on staff ever since. When he finished his career, he was only the fifth 3x AA and was second in school history for wins. Plus, he All-Americaned at NCAAs out of nowhere as a true freshman that was pulled out of redshirt halfway through the year. It's valuable to have that first-hand experience/example on staff.
Start Of The Season Around The Corner/Weight Changes
Well, the college season won't start until November, but several from NC State will be in action at the upcoming World Team Trials Sept. 11-12. Despite the Olympics taking place this summer, there is still a full World Championships happening. Olympic medalists were automatically given the spot at their weight class, if they wanted it (and most of the US team medaled in Tokyo).
That has caused some weight class shuffling, in addition to the weight changes some of the team is taking on themselves.
Most notably, Hayden Hidlay is competing at 79 kg (~174.2 lbs). He's been a 157-pounder for his college career, but expects to move up to 174 this season. So this is his first "trial" run at the weight (and it's an absolutely stacked weight class, including five-time Olympic/World champion Jordan Burroughs). So he'll be tested arguably moreso in this tournament than the entire college season at 174 (not to say there aren't good 174s in college, but some of these guys are multiple-time NCAA champs).
I thought Hidlay looked bigger (which I thought would be hard to do) when he did his Rokfin event where he wrestled an exhibition against younger brother Trent, an NCAA finalist at 184 pounds last year. I heard Hayden was around 180 when they wrestled, Trent 200-205.
Trent will compete at 92 kg (202.8 lbs) at Trials … the US has Olympic champ David Taylor at 86 kg so he's got that weight class, pushing everybody else up. Among the luminaries at that weight: J'Den Cox (two-time world champ, 3x NCAA champ), NC State NCAA champ Michael Macchiavello, and former NCAA champs Kyven Gadson, Myles Martin, Drew Foster, plus promising young Wolfpacker Isaac Trumble.
The US also boasts the Olympic champ at 125 kg, but Gable Steveson was the only medalist to pass on the spot. That means former Wolfpacker Nick Gwiazdowski, now on staff as a volunteer assistant at Cornell, is probably the favorite at that weight.
Other current/former Wolfpackers expected to be in the Trials: former wrestler/current assistant coach at Cal Poly Sean Fausz (61 kg), redshirt sophomore Jakob Camacho (61 kg) and former All-American at NC State/RTC athlete Tommy Gantt (74 kg).
More On Weight Changes
Not that it means anything is written in stone, but the college roster has been updated with weight classes for the upcoming season. What stuck out to me:
• Sixth-year senior Thomas Bullard is listed as a 157/165. I heard long ago and said as much on the board that I heard it was possible he'd drop down to the weight class vacated by Hidlay after qualifying for NCAAs the last three years at 165 (and being a generally successful wrestler despite not earning All-America honors yet).
• Redshirt sophomore Jarrett Trombley split 133 with freshman Ryan Jack last year. Jack, however, is listed at 141, making Trombley a strong favorite to start there. I'd guess his biggest competition for the spot comes from classmate Alex Urquiza. 141 likely comes down to Jack or redshirt freshman Kai Orine.
• Ed Scott, who started last year at 149 pounds and was in my humble opinion an NCAA snub, is listed as a 149/157, but I think 149 was a tough cut for him. With super senior Tariq Wilson moving up to his third college weight class (I'll still never know how he made 133) he should have 149 locked down, which could allow Scott to redshirt and still be a redshirt freshman next year … again, not that anything is settled, that's just my guess.
• Sixth-year senior Nick Reenan is listed as a 174/184 … he's been as high in the lineup as 197. If he's healthy he could factor in somewhere, but 174/184 could be Hidlay/Hidlay. We'll see how this plays out …
• 165, to me, seems like the biggest question mark, if Bullard goes 157 and Hidlay 174. But, again, I don't think anything is set in stone. It could be best for Scott to go 157, Bullard 165, etc. These are the things that need to be determined in the preseason. Possible 165s outside of Bullard include freshmen Derek Fields (top-50 recruit), Jacob Null (top-50 recruit) or Brant Whitaker, or second-year frosh Donald Cates.
Preseason Rankings!!!
Two things to keep in mind when discussing InterMat's preseason rankings:
1. The majority of wrestlers returned for this season. These weight classes are going to be stacked. Probably the strongest-ever NCAA field from top to bottom, and a record number of guys who have already won titles.
Unfortunately, Iowa had a team for the ages last year, and I think only Penn State can give them a run for their money. Iowa has all 10 ranked among Intermat's top 15 nationally at their weight class, including seven ranked among the top four, and Penn State has four No. 1s, a No. 4 and a No. 5.
For a comparison, NC State has nine ranked — three in the top 6, then six more ranked between Nos. 11 and 20. Really, I feel this could be NC State's best team ever … and they don't reach the team-best NCAA performance of No. 4.
2. As I noted above, I don't think all weight class decisions have clarity at this point (there are other schools that don't even know if some Olympians are coming back yet), but let's dive in regardless …
• That's not to say NC State won't be good. Just that it's going to be ultra-competitive. InterMat's tournament formula based on the individual preseason ranks puts the Wolfpack tied for 8th at NCAAs, with Minnesota.
However, they'd be in striking distance of No. 6 Missouri and No. 7 Cornell (an NCAA race — and possible dual — between NC State and Cornell could be juicy, after they took Vinson and Gwiazdowski in the offseason), and obviously if a few guys "overperform" their ranking, you can always climb higher. I think the ceiling for this team is No. 3/4.
• The closest ACC team is No. 11 Pittsburgh, followed by No. 15 Virginia Tech and No. 17 UNC. Only 13 team points separate the Pack from UNC, so it should be a super competitive year in the ACC.
• The dual rankings are a little more subjective/eye test (not to mention the difference is scoring structure, where a more well-rounded team pays off) and those InterMat preseason rankings list NC State at No. 6.
In these, the Pack is followed by No. 10 Virginia Tech, No. 16 UNC and No. 20 Pittsburgh.
Here's where individuals ranked (note: they had Jack at 133 and Trombley at 141, but the roster would indicate that is likely to be reversed):
125 R-So. Jakob Camacho - No. 11 (2nd in ACC)
133 Fr. Ryan Jack - No. 20 (5th)
141 R-So. Jarrett Trombley - No. 16 (2nd)
149 R-Sr. Tariq Wilson - No. 3 (1st)
157 NR
165 R-Sr. Thomas Bullard - No. 17 (2nd)
174 R-Sr. Hayden Hidlay - No. 6 (2nd, behind former NCAA champ Mekhi Lewis of VT)
184 R-So. Trent Hidlay - No. 3 (1st)
197 Fr. Isaac Trumble - No. 18 (3rd)
HWT Jr. Deonte Wilson - No. 18 (2nd, the defending ACC champ was listed behind VT transfer Nathan Traxler, who made the NCAA blood round at Stanford last year)
New-Look Staff Has A Lot Of Promise
• All of the coaching staff changes are complete, after losing assistant Donnie Vinson to Cornell. Timmy McCall, a Fayetteville native who was a pretty successful college wrestler at Wisconsin and has been on staff since 2015, slides over from volunteer coach to fill the vacancy, and alum and program staffer since graduation Kevin Jack moves from recruiting coordinator to volunteer assistant.
It's basically the staff from last year each sliding over one seat to fill the hole, and I know McCall is highly thought of in the wrestling community at large. I even know of multiple coaches from other D1 programs (including rival ones) that think very highly of him.
• One source has even pointed out to me that it will be NC State's most successful staff, in terms of college wrestling accomplishments on the mat. Associate head coach Adam Hall was a four-time NCAA qualifier, two-time All-American and two-time Pac-10 champion. They've been lucky to hang on to him as long as they have IMO, he's widely recognized as a rising star in the college wrestling world.
McCall was ranked in the top 10 at 197 pounds the end of his college career and a two-time NCAA qualifier out of the rugged Big Ten. He qualified for the US World Team Trials as recently as 2019.
Jack, of course, was a three-time All-American at NC State that graduated in 2018 and has been on staff ever since. When he finished his career, he was only the fifth 3x AA and was second in school history for wins. Plus, he All-Americaned at NCAAs out of nowhere as a true freshman that was pulled out of redshirt halfway through the year. It's valuable to have that first-hand experience/example on staff.
Start Of The Season Around The Corner/Weight Changes
Well, the college season won't start until November, but several from NC State will be in action at the upcoming World Team Trials Sept. 11-12. Despite the Olympics taking place this summer, there is still a full World Championships happening. Olympic medalists were automatically given the spot at their weight class, if they wanted it (and most of the US team medaled in Tokyo).
That has caused some weight class shuffling, in addition to the weight changes some of the team is taking on themselves.
Most notably, Hayden Hidlay is competing at 79 kg (~174.2 lbs). He's been a 157-pounder for his college career, but expects to move up to 174 this season. So this is his first "trial" run at the weight (and it's an absolutely stacked weight class, including five-time Olympic/World champion Jordan Burroughs). So he'll be tested arguably moreso in this tournament than the entire college season at 174 (not to say there aren't good 174s in college, but some of these guys are multiple-time NCAA champs).
I thought Hidlay looked bigger (which I thought would be hard to do) when he did his Rokfin event where he wrestled an exhibition against younger brother Trent, an NCAA finalist at 184 pounds last year. I heard Hayden was around 180 when they wrestled, Trent 200-205.
Trent will compete at 92 kg (202.8 lbs) at Trials … the US has Olympic champ David Taylor at 86 kg so he's got that weight class, pushing everybody else up. Among the luminaries at that weight: J'Den Cox (two-time world champ, 3x NCAA champ), NC State NCAA champ Michael Macchiavello, and former NCAA champs Kyven Gadson, Myles Martin, Drew Foster, plus promising young Wolfpacker Isaac Trumble.
The US also boasts the Olympic champ at 125 kg, but Gable Steveson was the only medalist to pass on the spot. That means former Wolfpacker Nick Gwiazdowski, now on staff as a volunteer assistant at Cornell, is probably the favorite at that weight.
Other current/former Wolfpackers expected to be in the Trials: former wrestler/current assistant coach at Cal Poly Sean Fausz (61 kg), redshirt sophomore Jakob Camacho (61 kg) and former All-American at NC State/RTC athlete Tommy Gantt (74 kg).
More On Weight Changes
Not that it means anything is written in stone, but the college roster has been updated with weight classes for the upcoming season. What stuck out to me:
• Sixth-year senior Thomas Bullard is listed as a 157/165. I heard long ago and said as much on the board that I heard it was possible he'd drop down to the weight class vacated by Hidlay after qualifying for NCAAs the last three years at 165 (and being a generally successful wrestler despite not earning All-America honors yet).
• Redshirt sophomore Jarrett Trombley split 133 with freshman Ryan Jack last year. Jack, however, is listed at 141, making Trombley a strong favorite to start there. I'd guess his biggest competition for the spot comes from classmate Alex Urquiza. 141 likely comes down to Jack or redshirt freshman Kai Orine.
• Ed Scott, who started last year at 149 pounds and was in my humble opinion an NCAA snub, is listed as a 149/157, but I think 149 was a tough cut for him. With super senior Tariq Wilson moving up to his third college weight class (I'll still never know how he made 133) he should have 149 locked down, which could allow Scott to redshirt and still be a redshirt freshman next year … again, not that anything is settled, that's just my guess.
• Sixth-year senior Nick Reenan is listed as a 174/184 … he's been as high in the lineup as 197. If he's healthy he could factor in somewhere, but 174/184 could be Hidlay/Hidlay. We'll see how this plays out …
• 165, to me, seems like the biggest question mark, if Bullard goes 157 and Hidlay 174. But, again, I don't think anything is set in stone. It could be best for Scott to go 157, Bullard 165, etc. These are the things that need to be determined in the preseason. Possible 165s outside of Bullard include freshmen Derek Fields (top-50 recruit), Jacob Null (top-50 recruit) or Brant Whitaker, or second-year frosh Donald Cates.
Preseason Rankings!!!
Two things to keep in mind when discussing InterMat's preseason rankings:
1. The majority of wrestlers returned for this season. These weight classes are going to be stacked. Probably the strongest-ever NCAA field from top to bottom, and a record number of guys who have already won titles.
Unfortunately, Iowa had a team for the ages last year, and I think only Penn State can give them a run for their money. Iowa has all 10 ranked among Intermat's top 15 nationally at their weight class, including seven ranked among the top four, and Penn State has four No. 1s, a No. 4 and a No. 5.
For a comparison, NC State has nine ranked — three in the top 6, then six more ranked between Nos. 11 and 20. Really, I feel this could be NC State's best team ever … and they don't reach the team-best NCAA performance of No. 4.
2. As I noted above, I don't think all weight class decisions have clarity at this point (there are other schools that don't even know if some Olympians are coming back yet), but let's dive in regardless …
• That's not to say NC State won't be good. Just that it's going to be ultra-competitive. InterMat's tournament formula based on the individual preseason ranks puts the Wolfpack tied for 8th at NCAAs, with Minnesota.
However, they'd be in striking distance of No. 6 Missouri and No. 7 Cornell (an NCAA race — and possible dual — between NC State and Cornell could be juicy, after they took Vinson and Gwiazdowski in the offseason), and obviously if a few guys "overperform" their ranking, you can always climb higher. I think the ceiling for this team is No. 3/4.
• The closest ACC team is No. 11 Pittsburgh, followed by No. 15 Virginia Tech and No. 17 UNC. Only 13 team points separate the Pack from UNC, so it should be a super competitive year in the ACC.
• The dual rankings are a little more subjective/eye test (not to mention the difference is scoring structure, where a more well-rounded team pays off) and those InterMat preseason rankings list NC State at No. 6.
In these, the Pack is followed by No. 10 Virginia Tech, No. 16 UNC and No. 20 Pittsburgh.
Here's where individuals ranked (note: they had Jack at 133 and Trombley at 141, but the roster would indicate that is likely to be reversed):
125 R-So. Jakob Camacho - No. 11 (2nd in ACC)
133 Fr. Ryan Jack - No. 20 (5th)
141 R-So. Jarrett Trombley - No. 16 (2nd)
149 R-Sr. Tariq Wilson - No. 3 (1st)
157 NR
165 R-Sr. Thomas Bullard - No. 17 (2nd)
174 R-Sr. Hayden Hidlay - No. 6 (2nd, behind former NCAA champ Mekhi Lewis of VT)
184 R-So. Trent Hidlay - No. 3 (1st)
197 Fr. Isaac Trumble - No. 18 (3rd)
HWT Jr. Deonte Wilson - No. 18 (2nd, the defending ACC champ was listed behind VT transfer Nathan Traxler, who made the NCAA blood round at Stanford last year)
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