Hidlay, Macchiavello Win Gold at U23 World Team Trials

Rising redshirt-sophomore Hayden Hidlay won the Gold at 70 kg, while recently graduated Michael Macchiavello won the 92 kg weight class.

With their wins, both Hidlay and Macchiavello advance to the U23 World Championships which will take place in Romania in November.

After placing second at Senior-level events, the U.S. Open and the World Team Trials, Hidlay broke through claiming Gold at the U23 World Team Trials. Hidlay advanced to the best-of-3 finals with six straight wins, all techs and outscoring those final five foes 51-0.

In the finals, Hidlay took the first bout 8-4 over Northwestern’s Ryan Deakin, only for Deakin to even the series 1-1 after a tech. In the finals, Hidlay was down 3-1 late, but scored the winning takedown with only one second left.

Competing in his first tournament since winning a NCAA title back in March, Macchiavello went a perfect 7-0 in winning his weight class. Macchiavello breezed into the best-of-three finals with a pair of pins and outscoring his foes 28-3. He then won both finals matches against Hunter Ritter of Wisconsin, 5-3 and a 15-5 tech in the final bout.

A pair of rising redshirt-seniors on the Wolfpack brought home fourth place finishes – Sean Fausz at 61 kg and Malik McDonald at 97 kg.

Fausz went 3-0, outscoring his foes 43-19, before falling in the quarterfinals. McDonald scored a pair of pins and a 10-0 tech fall win to advance into the semifinals.

Also competing in his first post-collegiate tournament, Kevin Jack placed sixth at 65 kg, as he had to medically forfeit his final two matches. Jack breezed into the semifinals, going 4-0 and outscoring his opponents 35-4, with three 10-0 tech fall wins. In the semifinals, Jack was pinned and suffered a leg injury which prevented him from competing in the consolation bracket.

The Wolfpack Wrestling Club scored more team points then any other team in freestyle.