@PackWrestle Aims for Fourth Straight ACC Championship
After capturing back-to-back-to-back ACC gold in 2019, 2020 and 2021, the NC State wrestling team will be looking to tie a school record with a fourth straight ACC Championships (1988-91), as the Wolfpack head to the 2022 ACC Championship on Sunday, March 6 in Charlottesville, Va.
The schedule: 11:00 AM First Round Matches • 1:00 PM Semifinals • 3:30 PM Consolation Semifinals • 5:00 PM Consolation Finals • 7:00 PM Finals.
The finals will be televised on the ACC Network, and all the other action will be streamed on ACC Network Extra on two mats.
#PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast: ACCs Preview
Heading into this weekend’s ACC Championship in Charlottesville, NC State head wrestling coach Pat Popolizio and host Brian Reinhardt go weight-by-weight on Episode 92 of the #PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast.
A Chance to be Among the Best
If NC State captures its fourth straight ACC Championship, the Wolfpack will be tied for the second-most consecutive ACC titles in the history of the conference, a streak that hasn’t been reached since 2000. Maryland won the first 20, then both North Carolina and NC State have put together streaks of four straight ACC Championships.
- Maryland - 20 consecutive titles from 1954-73
- North Carolina - 4 consecutive titles from 1984-87
- NC State - 4 consecutive titles from 1988-91
- North Carolina - 4 consecutive titles from 1992-95
- North Carolina- 4 consecutive titles from 1997-00
Heading into the 2022 ACC Championship, NC State leads all current schools with 18 titles, followed by North Carolina with 17. Maryland holds the all-time mark with 24.
Leading the ACC Pack
The Wolfpack had four wrestlers finish with a perfect record against ACC opponents in duals, and three enter the 2022 ACC Championship as a No. 1 seed.
- 149 - Tariq Wilson 5-0 in ACC (4 ranked wins)
- 184 - Trent Hidlay 5-0 in ACC (4 ranked wins)
- 197 - Isaac Trumble 5-0 in ACC (4 ranked wins)
- 285 - Tyrie Houghton 3-0 in ACC (1 ranked win)
Hayden Hidlay Goes for Fifth Straight ACC Title
Hayden Hidlay has the chance to do something that has never been done in the history of the ACC, and we are betting in the history of the NCAA too, win a fifth career individual title.
Hidlay has claimed ACC Gold each of this first four attempts, all at 157 pounds. Now, with last season being a ‘free year’, he returns for his fifth and final time, this time up at 174 pounds.
It appears only Hidlay and Central Michigan heavyweight Matt Stencel will be going for a fifth conference title this year.
Two Others Look to Repeat as Champions
The Pack won a total of five individual ACC titles last year, the most since 2007, and in addition to Hayden Hidlay two others return looking to defend their crowns as No. 1 seeds in 2022.
Tariq Wilson and Trent Hidlay both won their first career ACC titles last season. Wilson was the champion at 141 pounds and after finishing as runner-up in both 2019 and 2020. Hidlay was the runner-up in his first go at ACCs in 2020, and won the title last year at 184 pounds.
In addition to the three returning with a 2021 ACC title, R-So. Jakob Camacho not only won the 125 pound championship in 2020 as a R-Fr. by beating NCAA Finalist #2 Mueller of UVA, but he was also named the Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Experience vs. Youth
NC State is bringing a 50/50 mixture of both experience and youth to the 2020 ACC Championship. Five of the Pack’s starters have already wrestled in 16 previous ACC Championships, while the other five have combined for just two, both at different weights.
Tariq Wilson, Thomas Bullard and Hayden Hidlay will all be competing in their fifth, while Jakob Camacho and Trent Hidlay will be in their third. Four of the five Pack wrestlers who will be competing in at least their third ACC Championship have already won in individual title as well (Camacho, Wilson, Hayden Hidlay, Trent Hidlay).
On the other end, NC State will have four freshmen in their lineup at this year’s ACCs. Kai Orine (133 pounds), Ryan Jack (141) and Isaac Trumble (197) will all be competing in their first ACC Championship. Fellow freshman Ed Scott (157) placed fourth last year at 149. In addtion to the freshmen, junior heavyweight Tyrie Houghton will me making his second appearnace, he was at 197 pounds back in 2020
Pack Finishes in Top-10 for Seventh Straight Year
After claiming the ACC Dual Championship with a perfect 5-0 mark, and going 13-1 overall, the NC State wrestling team finished ranked fourth in the final NWCA Coaches Poll.
Not only has the Pack finished in the top-10 of the final poll each of the last seven seasons, but NC State has been ranked in the top-10 in 98 straight polls dating back to the 2015-16 season.
NC State recorded four ranked wins on the season, including a pair of top-10 victories: #7 Virginia Tech (21-10) and #10 Missouri (19-12). The Pack’s lone loss of the season was a neutral site affair to then-No. 1 Iowa, 19-15.
Head of the Table
In capturing the fourth ACC Dual Championship in the last five seasons by beating all five ACC teams, the Pack outscored its five conference foes a combined 147-33 and won 40 of the 50 individual matches.
2022 ACC Championship Lineup
125 • No. 2 seed R-So. Jakob Camacho
Danbury, Conn. • Danbury HS
Third ACC Championship appearance, has been the #2 seed each time … ACC Champion and Most Outstanding Wrestler in 2020 defeating NCAA Finalist #2 Mueller of UVA 11-4 … Fell to VT’s Latona 2-1 in OT in last year’s final … Sits at 14-3 on the season, 3-3 vs. ranked foes … Went 10-3 in duals, 4-1 vs. ACC foes (outscored them 55-23 with a pin) … All three losses this year to top-20 wrestlers … A perfect 10-0 in bonus point matches this year, and 17-0 over the last two seasons … Four of his last five wins have been bonus point wins.
133 • No. 3 seed R-Fr. Kai Orine
Imperial, Mo. • Seckman HS
First career ACC Championship appearance … Split time as the Pack’s starter at 133 pounds with R-So. Jarrett Trombley, but won the job and started every ACC dual … Went 2-3 vs. ACC foes, with the final four bouts vs. top-25 wrestlers … In his first career ACC dual, downed Duke’s Doolittle by tech fall, 17-2 then followed up with a 10-4 win over #22 Courtney of UVA … 12-4 on the season, 6-4 in duals … All four losses to top-25 wrestlers, three in top-10 … Took first place honors at the Wolfpack Wrestling Club Open z; Went a perfect 5-0, with three bonus point wins, and beat teammate Trombley in the final, 2-0.
141 • No. 3 seed Fr. Ryan Jack
Danbury, Conn. • Danbury HS
First career ACC Championship appearance … Moved up to 141 pounds to claim the starting spot, was the back-up at 133 last season … Went 3-2 vs. ACC foes … Had a forfeit at Duke in the first ACC dual, downed Cedeno of UVA 4-3, and #22 Gerardi of VT 4-3 in the finale … Both ACC losses to top-10 foes … The win over #22 Gerardi was his first career ranked win … 14-6 on the season, 7-5 in duals … Four of five dual losses have been to top-15 foes, three in top-8 … 5-0 in bonus point wins this season, 10-0 all-time.
149 • No. 1 seed Gr. Tariq Wilson
Steubenville, Ohio • Steubenville HS
Fifth career ACC Championship appearance, first two at 133 then next two at 141 … ACC Champion at 141 pounds last year, 10-1 major dec. over UNC’s Sherman in the final … Placed second in both 2019 and 2020 … Consensus #3 ranked wrestler at 149 pounds in every poll … Competing in third different weight class in his career … First two seasons at 133, then next two at 141 before this year at 149 … 5-0 vs. ACC foes this season, four of which were vs. ranked foes, three in top-20 … In dual finale, scored a 9-3 dec. over #5 Andonian of VT … Perfect 13-0 on the season, 12 wins coming in duals … Is 18-0 in duals over the last two years, 27-1 over the last three … 5-0 vs. ranked foes this season, 9-0 over the last two seasons, and 21-11 for his career.
157 • No. 3 seed Fr. Ed Scott
DuBois, Pa. • DuBois HS
Second ACC Championship appearance, placed fourth last year at 149 pounds … A consensus top-10 wrestler in every poll … Moved up to 157 pounds for the season, was the Pack’s starter at 149 pounds last season … 4-1 vs. ACC foes … Pair of ranked wins, lone loss on the season was 11-10 to UVA’s Keating … Did not face UNC’s O’Connor, scored 21-6 a tech fall vs. Phillips instead … 19-1 on the season, 12-1 in duals, 5-1 vs. ranked foes … 15 bonus point wins (five pins), has outscored foes 217-70 … Ranks #9 in the NCAA for most dominate, avg. of 3.90 … Had a 6-4 over #5 Monday of Princeton, his first top-five win … Named ACC Wrestler of the Week after knocking off #15 Jacques of Missouri 3-2 and scoring a first-period pin over #8 Young of Iowa.
165 • No. 2 seed Gr. Thomas Bullard
Lawrenceville, Ga. • Archer HS
Fifth career ACC Championship appearance, first was at 157 in 2017, last three at 165 … Was second in 2019, and third each of the last two … 14-5 on the season, 6-4 in duals … All five losses on the season have been to ranked foes … 4-1 vs. ACC foes, lone loss was 4-3 in OT to #14 Wentzel of Pitt … Outscored ACC foes 26-7 … Since the Southern Scuffle, is 7-1 outscoring foes 65-7 with five shutouts in eight bouts … Lone loss was to Wentzel … Placed eighth at the Southern Scuffle, MFF his last two matches … Scored a 3-2 win over Penn State freshman Facundo in the quarterfinals.
174 • No. 2 seed Gr. Hayden Hidlay
Lewistown, Pa. • Mifflin County HS
Fifth career ACC Championship appearance, ACC Champion each of previous four at 157 … 8-0 (all ranked wins) in previous trips, outscoring foes 92-23 … Along with Central Michigan HWT Stencel, going for NCAA-record 5th conference title … Consensus top-five wrestler at 174 pounds … Moved up from 157 pounds where he was his first four years … 4-1 vs. ACC foes this year … Suffered a pin vs. #9 Lautt of UNC, came back two days later with a 3-1 OT win over #3 Lewis of VT … Is 33-1 all-time vs. ACC foes, 23-1 in duals, 19-1 vs. ranked ACC opponents … 12-1 on the season, outscored foes 117-23 thus far with two pins … Eight wins for bonus … Second in school history in career win/loss percentage (.920 - 103-9), only behind Nick Gwiazdowski (.973).
184 • No. 1 seed R-So. Trent Hidlay
Lewistown, Pa. • Mifflin County HS
Third ACC Championship appearance, has faced VT’s Bolen in the final bout both previous times … Defending champion with 3-1 OT win last year, fell in 2020 final 2-1 … Ranked either #2 or #3 in every poll at 184 pounds … Perfect 5-0 (four ranked wins) vs. ACC foes this year … Four going for bonus points, and outscoring conference opponents 53-16 with a pin … Perfect 15-0 on the season, 13-0 in duals … 13 of 15 wins this season have been for bonus (outscoring foes 156-41 with four pins) … 7-0 vs. ranked foes, six for bonus points and outscoring foes 98-29 … 11-1 vs. ranked foes over the last two seasons … 33-1 all-time in bonus point matches.
197 • No. 1 seed Fr. Isaac Trumble
Springfield, Neb. • Millard South HS
First career ACC Championship appearance … Perfect 5-0 vs. ACC foes this year, four were ranked wins, two were top-15 … Outscored conference foes 23-6 … Each of his last three wins have been shutouts vs. ranked foes … Sits at 16-3 on the season, 10-3 in duals … Since being pinned at Princeton (1/9), is 7-0 outscoring foes 40-9 … Named co-ACC Wrestler of the Week after defeating 2021 NCAA Finalist #6 Bonaccorsi, 2-0 … The week prior, downed #13 Aiello of Virginia 7-5 in OT, then after his match was commissioned into the U.S. Army … Used a late third-period takedown to defeat #4 Elam of Missouri 5-3.
285 • No. 2 seed Jr. Tyrie Houghton
Weddington, N.C. • Weddington HS
Second career ACC Championship appearance, filled in for starter Nick Reenan at 197 pounds in 2020 and placed fourth … Has split time at heavyweight with R-Fr. Owen Trephan … Represented the Pack in all three NCAA Coaches Panel Rankings at #24 … 3-0 in ACC action … Got his first career ACC dual win with a 4-1 win over Duke’s Niesenbaum, then 4-2 win over #31 Miller of UVA and 9-4 over Pitt’s Slinger … Saw action at both 197 pounds and heavyweight in each of his first two seasons, has been exclusively at heavyweight the last two season … 18-7 on the season, 4-3 in duals … Perfect 8-0 in bonus point matches, 12-0 over the last two years … Is 3-4 in ranked matches, wins also over #30 McAleavey of The Citadel and #24 Nevills of South Dakota State.