The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1456098
MARCH/APRIL 2022 ■ 45 muscle and holding every little detail of his life to a higher standard. It wasn't that he was necessarily doing things wrong — he just wasn't doing every- thing right, and that has changed. "His maturity off the mat has car- ried over to on the mat — his discipline, lifestyle, sleep patterns, eating patterns, study habits," head coach Pat Popolizio said. "You get all that under control, it re- ally allows your wrestling to take off, and that's what you're seeing with Ed Scott." "A lot of these little lifestyle changes matter," Scott echoed. "You have to live a very clean lifestyle, whether that's nutri- tion or keeping your room clean, making sure you're on top of school. That stuff can stress you out, and you don't want any more stress than you already have. "Last year, I wasn't the best at being organized; my room wasn't as clean as it is now; I wasn't eating as healthy. Now I'm eating healthy, my room's clean, I'm stay- ing on top of school. I just feel a lot better." Having a clean room is essential to be- ing a championship wrestler? To Scott, the answer is unequivocal. "One-hundred percent," he stressed. "It's very strange to think something as small as that can make an impact on your performance, whether it's school or wrestling … but it can become a stress factor that you don't need." The results have backed up Scott's theory. He has gone 19-1 during the regular season and was ranked No. 8 nationally heading into the postseason. Beyond the sheer number of wins, he racked up bonus points (winning by eight points or more, or pinning his op- ponent) in 15 of his 20 bouts. "I think it all starts back last year, when he didn't get to the national tour- nament," Popolizio said. "I thought that was a huge disappointment for him, and as an athlete you let some of those let- downs motivate you. "That's what I saw this offseason — he put the time in. Wrestling means so much to him that he was unwilling to let those things happen again." According to NCAA.com, Scott was the country's 10th most dominant wres- tler of the regular season (minimum 16 matches) by averaging 3.9 team points per win (a regular decision is worth three). His seven technical falls (winning by 15 points) ranked as the second most in the land, while he added five pins. "I love putting on a show for every- body to watch," he said. "I want to put up as many points as possible, and if I can pin you I'm going to pin you. That's just how I wrestle. "I think I've been doing a lot better at wrestling with more of a controlled chaos. I have a super high pace, but if I control that pace, wrestle strategically and exert my will on you, that's when I wrestle my best." Among his most notable wins this year were victories over wrestlers with the following national rankings as of early March: Nos. 6, 9, 20, 22, 24 and 31. In his lone defeat, he was inches away from pinning his opponent before losing by one point to a top-20 foe. "My season has gone really well so far, but I think I have a lot more to give and a lot more I have to show still," he said. "I have a lot of room to improve, and I'm getting there, but I want to peak for ACCs and NCAAs. "I'm super excited about this year so far, and I just hope it continues to get even better." Scott knows in his sport everybody starts over with a 0-0 record in the postseason. All anybody will remember is how a wrestler performed at the end of the year, so he hasn't accomplished his goals yet. After all, there's only one time a na- tional title can be won — and that's in March. "If I said my goals are anything less than winning an NCAA championship, I would be lying to myself and every- body else," he noted. "I might not be predicted to win, but I'm going to go after that goal with everything I have — my heart, my mind, my body. "It's not going to matter to me what I have to sacrifice to get to that goal, I'm going to sacrifice it." A messy room and imperfect eating habits just happened to top that list. ■ After a 6-6 debut last year at 149 pounds, Scott moved up to 157 and notched a 19-1 record during the regular season. He entered the postseason ranked eighth nationally. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS " His maturity off the mat has carried over to on the mat — his discipline, lifestyle, sleep patterns, eating patterns, study habits. You get all that under control, it really allows your wrestling to take off, and that's what you're seeing with Ed Scott. Head coach Pat Popolizio on Scott