The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/644580
20 ■ THE WOLFPACKER TRACKING THE PACK NC State sophomore Kevin Jack had an improbable run at the 2015 NCAA Championships, and he has carried the momentum over into this season. Jack finished fifth in the 141-pound weight class at the NCAA Champion- ships, which led to him earning All-Amer- ica and ACC Freshman of the Year hon- ors. He was the first NC State freshman to be named All-American since 1991. He originally expected to redshirt last year and entered the NCAA Champion- ships unseeded. Jack's championship run came to an end when he fell to even- tual four-time national champion Logan Stieber of Ohio State in the semifinals. Amateur Wrestling News named him the No. 2 rookie in the country after he finished with a 31-9 record, which in- cluded going 3-0 in duals and a fourth- place finish at the ACC Championships. Jack entered the National Duals Feb. 22 with a 20-3 record, including going 14-2 in dual matches and 7-3 versus ranked opponents. He earned ACC Co-Wrestler of the Week accolades after defeating No. 7 Solomon Chishko of Virginia Tech Feb. 12 and No. 6 Matt Manley of Mis- souri Feb. 14. Jack recently took some time to talk with The Wolfpacker about last year's great postseason run, NC State's terrific regular season this winter and his aca- demic goals. How did the momentum from last year carry over to this year? "For me personally, it's been a huge thing. If you saw my season last year, it was a roller coaster. I redshirted until the last three matches and then came out of no- where and did what I did. Then I placed high at nation- als, and that gave me a spark in the offseason. It gave me something to look at this year. I wanted to improve upon on that even more at nationals." Did last year's finish change your goals at all for this season? "I wouldn't say it changed my goals. I've always wanted to be a national champion in college. I think it made me work harder knowing I was at that level. "Before, I don't know if I believed I was at that level. After seeing what I was capable of doing, I definitely started to believe more that I was at that level and could compete with the best." You became the first Division I freshman from the state of Connecticut to earn All-America honors. Was there a sense of pride in helping put Danbury, Conn., on the map? "Definitely. Coming from Connecticut, there are not many people that look at you and think you are going to do much at the D-I level. To do that was awesome." Is it hard to not think about trying to win a national title? "I don't really think about it in crazy amounts. It's obviously in my head and I think about it. "I know this is the year that I definitely could go and do it. I try not to think about it too much. You still have to wrestle one match at a time." What was the thrill of being the ACC Co- Wrestler of the Week in mid-February after back-to-back big wins? "That is always a nice thing. It means you did some - thing that week, which is great." What are the pre-match emotions when you battle a ranked opponent? "It's more exciting. With me, I don't have too many nerves going. I do get excited to wrestle some of the top guys in the country. You get to prove yourself to people who think you are not up there yet." How do you think you have improved this season? "I definitely think I have on bottom, I worked a lot with the coaches. I just need to stay on top of people, getting that riding point and being able to turn people. "Those are the biggest things I've improved upon from last year." How exciting has it been with all the team success this year? "It has definitely been a crazy year. I think we've bro - ken all the records here at NC State. That is awesome. Everyone here is together and it's like a family now. "We are all on the same page. We are all doing the right things out of the room. I think that is why we are doing so well this season." Do more people recognize you around cam- pus? "I think we are getting there, not fully yet, but more than it has been." What age did you get hooked on wrestling? "I started in the third grade, but my friend and I both decided to go out in the first grade. I didn't like it and stopped for a year. My dad pushed me back into it, and all my friends were doing it. Ever since then, I loved it. "I never thought about wrestling in college until my junior year of high school. I never thought I could go to a D-I college. Then I got to the point in my career where I thought I was good enough to do that." What traits would you use to describe your wrestling style? "Probably that I'm taller than everyone and I have length over everyone, and that helps out a lot." What are you studying at NC State? "I applied into sports management. I'm not so sure yet what I'll do, but I'd like to stay around sports the rest of my life. I wouldn't mind maybe coaching or being an athletic director." What do you like to enjoy away from sports? "I just like to hang with a lot of the guys or messing around at home. During the summer, we'll go to the beach. We are always outside playing basketball or football." Who inspires you? "My dad, Keith Jack, has always inspired me and been by my side on everything. Even when I was doing good or not doing good, he was always by my side. "My parents always backed me up. They have always been there for me no matter what." ■ Last year, Jack became the first Wolfpack freshman to be named All-American since 1991. PHOTO BY LARRY BLANKENSHIP Getting To Know: Kevin Jack ■ Wrestling Quick Questions Go-to place to eat in Danbury, Conn.? Bagelman. Who would you like to see in concert? Eminem. Any superstitions? I always have to listen to some type of music before my matches. Funniest NC State wrestling teammate? Either Beau Donahue or Sam Speno, who are both my roommates. Favorite pet phrase from coach Pat Popolizio? "At the national tournament, you could be injured, but you still have to wrestle." Who is the worst dancer on the team? Probably Nick Gwiazdowski. What road place has been fun to wrestle at? Oklahoma State. What wrestler on another team do you always follow to see how they are doing? Bryce Meredith, who used to wrestle here but transferred to Wyoming. Last good movie you watched? "Ride Along 2" with Kevin Hart. Most memorable match at NC State? My quarterfinals match against the Virginia Tech kid [No. 4 seed Devin Carter] that I upset last year at nationals.