The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1043000
NOVEMBER 2018 ■ 107 remaining five lineup spots, including for- mer NCAA qualifiers Malik McDonald (a fifth-year senior expected to start at 197), Thomas Bullard (redshirt sophomore, 165), Daniel Bullard (redshirt sophomore, 174) and Jamal Morris (fifth-year senior, 141). However, none will be just handed a starting role, and the Pack has no fewer than three options at both 141 and heavyweight, its most wide-open lineup positions. Like the past several years, more than just the 10 starters will see mat time throughout the campaign — Popolizio has learned the most important statistic is NCAA finish, which requires keeping his team fresh for the end of a long season. "At almost every weight class, we have guys that can go deep in the national tour- nament right now, and then some. It's go- ing to be an exciting group of guys to watch compete," he said. "The goal is to win a national title. Re- alistically, are you going to do that every year? I don't know, but I know we'll have individuals that put themselves in position. I know we're training to do that." ■ Redshirt sophomore 133-pounder Tariq Wilson was not the Pack's starter at the beginning of last season, but eventually won the spot and broke out at the NCAA Championships by placing third. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS Three Wrestlers To Watch 133-pound redshirt sophomore Tariq Wilson He was so fun to watch at the NCAA Champion- ships that Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs campaigned on Twitter for him to be named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler. In six bouts, he racked up 24 takedowns and al- lowed just two, plus he gave the eventual champ his best match of the year at the weight class before falling in overtime. 157-pound redshirt sophomore Hayden Hidlay Listed by FloWrestling as the No. 11 pound-for- pound wrestler nationally, he leads one of the ACC's toughest weight classes. His lone loss last year came to defending champion Jason Nolf, who is No. 1 in the pound-for-pound rankings. 184-pound redshirt sophomore Nick Reenan The ACC boasts three of FloWrestling's preseason top 10 at 184, and Reenan had the best offseason of the trio — probably in all of college wrestling. When he competed for Team USA's World Championships spot in June, he admitted he was focused on the 2019 NCAA Championships eight months away. Before he gets that chance, he'll be tested with regular-season duals scheduled against wrestlers listed in Flo's preseason national rankings at No. 1 (Ohio State), No. 3 (Nebraska), No. 4 (Virginia Tech) and No. 6 (North Carolina).