NC State Wrestling Moves Up To #5

RALEIGH, N.C. – Behind a resounding 29-3 win at #12 Nebraska and a first place team finish at the Reno Tournament of Champions this past weekend, the NC State wrestling team has moved up one spot and is now ranked #5 nationally in the final USA Today/NWCA Coaches Poll of the 2017 calendar year.

After starting the season at #8, the Wolfpack spent the previous four weeks of the season ranked #6. NC State has now been ranked in the top-10 in 32 straight polls, after having not reached the top-10 since 1993.

NC State is a perfect 10-0 on the season, the second-best start in school history, and currently leading the NCAA in dual. The Pack has outscored its opponents 365-51 (36.5-5.1) on the year, and won 85 of the 100 (85.5%) matches in duals.

Dating back over the last three seasons, the Pack as won 46 of its last 49 duals.

With the win at #12 Nebraska, the Pack was won 14 of its last 17 duals against ranked foes, and is 7-1 in such matchups outside of Raleigh in that span.

In this week’s individual rankings by InterMat, NC State has six starters ranked, including five in the top-10. Pete Renda (184 pounds) and Hayden Hidlay (157) are both ranked #3, Kevin Jack (141) is #4, Michael Macchiavello (197) is #7, Sean Fausz (125) is #8, and Beau Donahue (149) is #17. Hidlay, after picking up a pair of top-10 wins, was named by both FloWrestling and TheOpenMat as the Wrestler of the Week and was also the co-ACC Wrestler of the Week, winning that award for the second straight week.