The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1249704
MAY/JUNE 2020 ■ 17 Several FloWrestling experts called NC State's down-to-the-wire win over rival North Carolina in front of a record crowd of 4,383 fans the best dual of the year. Only nine other programs nationally eclipsed that number of fans in a single dual, and the Wolfpack finished 14th na- tionally with an average of 2,133.8 fans for its five ticketed events. This year alone the program drew two of its top four attendance marks and four of the top 10. "NC State people have jumped on board with this team, and that's just been awesome to be a part of," said Popolizio, who can still recall how quiet Reynolds was his first few years on the job. "When you see them compete, they pour their heart and soul into it, and it's because they know people care. "Now, that trickles down into recruiting. When you're talking to the best kids in the country, you can say, 'Look at the environ- ment that's been created here.' That's going to pay dividends. "Yes, our athletes and coaches have been working hard, but when people ask, 'How did you guys make that next jump to com- peting to win a national title?' we can say it's because the whole university and area got behind college wrestling here." Redshirt junior 157-pounder Hayden Hid- lay, the team's star, remembers Popolizio telling his charges before they left the locker room for the UNC match to expect a sellout. He and his teammates scoffed at that notion. However, when Hidlay and his brother Trent walked out for the captains' coin toss, there were indeed few, if any, empty seats and an electric atmosphere coursing through the arena before the match even started. "It definitely exceeded my expectations. It looked like there were just people hanging from the ceiling, trying to find a spot to sit," Hayden remembered. Both Hidlays were named first-team All- Americans to help keep the family trophy case well stocked. Hayden was also dubbed the league's Wrestler and Scholar-Athlete of the Year, while Trent was named the ACC's top freshman. It says something that Trent's toughest competition for that latter honor probably came from classmate Jakob Camacho, the surprise 125-pound ACC champ, after he upset a wrestler who made the NCAA fi- nals a year earlier. Camacho and 165-pound redshirt junior Thomas Bullard were both named second-team All-Americans. "I don't know how many times as a coach you're going to get a team like this that you know is ready for more elite-level competition," Popolizio said. "I thought we were getting hot at the right time. We were going to be a pretty dangerous team, one that could've and should've brought home a team trophy [for a top-four finish at the NCAA Championships]. "I guess you can call it a perfect season, other than being able to go and compete at the NCAA Tournament." Without a single grappler in his final year of eligibility during the 2019-20 season, the squad has a chance to claim that NCAA team trophy and perhaps do something even more special next year. ■ This year's match against UNC — the first- ever top-10 dual between the rivals — drew 4,383 fans, a Reynolds Coliseum record for wrestling and a mark reached by just nine other wrestling programs for a dual this year. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS