The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/699450
132 ■ THE WOLFPACKER came down to a third set between Thomas Weigel from State and Dennis Uspensky from WFU, which Weigel won 6‑3. ■ Recruiting Class Of The Year As if wrestling did not turn enough heads with its performance on the mat this past winter, it was equally impressive after signing a 12‑grappler class that both FloW‑ restling.org and InterMat Wrestling rated No. 1 nationally. Five signees ranked in the top 75 of the country overall (all weights), according to InterMat, and an additional pair were listed in the top 20 of their respective weight class. The headliner is 195‑pounder Nick Re‑ enan, a late addition who is listed No. 9 nationally and No. 2 at 195 pounds. Oth‑ ers that stood out include Hayden Hidlay (No. 13 overall, No. 2 at 152), Thomas Bullard (No. 18 overall, No. 3 at 170), Daniel Bullard (Thomas' brother, No. 42 overall, No. 7 at 182) and Tariq Wilson (No. 75 overall, No. 11 at 126). Also, Michael Rogers was a top‑75 over‑ all prospect and top‑10 heavyweight in 2015 who did a post‑graduate year before coming to Raleigh. "We are looking forward to getting them here to start training towards their goal of becoming ACC and NCAA champions, along with their post‑college aspirations," head coach Pat Popolizio said. "Our staff did an outstanding job putting this excep‑ tional class together." "The Wolfpack have the momentum of a most excellent 2015‑16 regular season that included dual meet wins at Oklahoma State and Iowa," InterMat's Josh Lowe wrote. "This recruiting haul further validates the work that Pat Popolizio and his assistants have done in Raleigh over a short period of time." ■ Senior Salutes These five seniors are among those who have completed their Wolfpack careers and left their marks on the fields of play. JACOBY BRISSETT, FOOTBALL This fall, NC State is almost certain to have four former quarterbacks on NFL rosters after Brissett was drafted in the third round by the New England Patriots. With Patriots' superstar Tom Brady facing a possible four‑game suspension to start the year, Brissett could even find himself in a battle for a temporary starting job. Brissett closed out his Wolfpack ca‑ reer last season by completing 237 of 395 passes for 2,662 yards with 20 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He compiled the ninth‑best single‑season passing yardage total in school history, the 10th‑most touch‑ downs thrown and tied for the seventh‑ most completions. Brissett finished his career with 5,268 passing yards (seventh most in school his‑ tory), 458 completions (fifth) and 43 touch‑ down passes (fifth). WILL GILBERT, BASEBALL The unheralded star was arguably the Pack's MVP this year, and the left‑handed reliever certainly served as the most consis‑ tent performer on the pitching staff. Gilbert threw in 24 games, tossing 52 2 ⁄3 innings and allowing only 48 hits while striking out 62 batters. He posted a 5‑1 record and 2.22 earned run average and saved six games, tying for the team lead. Gilbert, who missed a couple of weeks in May with a minor arm injury, tied for sec‑ ond in games pitched, was second on the team in ERA, third in wins and strikeouts, and fourth in innings pitched. The highlight of Gilbert's year came in the NCAA Raleigh Regional against Coastal Carolina. Facing a do‑or‑die sce‑ nario, Gilbert came out of the bullpen in the second inning and proceeded to throw a career‑high eight innings, allowing only one earned run on five hits, walking one while striking out nine to help NC State get an 8‑1 win to force a final elimination game. Gilbert was picked in the eighth round of the MLB Draft by the Oakland A's. CHRISTIAN MCCURDY, MEN'S SWIMMING McCurdy was a key cog in the men's swimming team's rise to national promi‑ nence, and he closed out his Wolfpack ca‑ reer in sterling fashion. McCurdy set an ACC record in the 200 butterfly when he won the conference meet in 1:41.42. He then rose to the occasion at the NCAA Championships. First, McCurdy took honorable mention All‑America accolades in the 200 indi‑ vidual medley. He also finished fifth in the finals of the 200 butterfly on the final day of competition with a new personal best time of 1:41.06. It gave McCurdy his third career All‑American honor in the race. RACHEL MUMMA, WOMEN'S DIVING Mumma made her case for being on the list of greatest divers in school history. When she was a redshirt junior, Mumma earned honorable mention All‑America sta‑ tus in the one‑meter dive. This year, she won the ACC Champion‑ ships with a season‑best score of 331.85. It capped a year during which she won 14 different events and finished in the top three an additional four times. She was named the ACC Diver of the Week on four occasions. BRITTNI WATKINS, GYMNASTICS Watkins closed her career by earning first‑team All‑EAGL honors on the all‑ around, vault, uneven bars and floor ex‑ ercise, and she qualified for the NCAA Regional Championship in the all‑around. During the season she was named the EAGL Gymnast of the Week twice and won 13 individual events. She had an addi‑ tional 11 top‑three finishes and set new ca‑ reer highs on the floor (9.925, done twice), on the uneven bars (9.900) and in the all‑ around (39.525). Watkins was first‑team all‑conference all four years on the floor; on the vault, uneven bars and all‑around three consecutive years and also on the balance beam as a sopho‑ more. She won three EAGL titles, winning the floor as a sophomore and junior, and the vault as a sophomore. ■ During his senior campaign, left-handed re- liever Will Gilbert tied for the team lead in saves (six), and was tied for second in games pitched (24), ranked second in ERA (2.22), third in wins (five) and strikeouts (62), and fourth in innings pitched (52 2 ⁄3). PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN