The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/89497
Heavyweight Eloheim Palma redshirted last year, and now he is hoping to regain his form from 2010-11, when he went 23-16 and broke former NCAA champion Tab Thacker's school record for heavyweight wins by a freshman. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS roster has changed, as well, and it features just one senior, three juniors, five sopho- N ■ PREVIEW WRESTLING mores and 17 freshmen, including four grapplers who redshirted last season during their first year on campus. "They've been great about the changes," Popolizio said of his squad. "I think they understand what we're trying to accom- plish, and I think a lot of people know that we needed to make some changes to move forward and accomplish what we're trying to do here." Popolizio knows it might take some time to get the Wolfpack to where he wants 102 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY RYAN TICE C State wrestling has a much dif- ferent look this year. It all starts with new head coach Pat Popo- lizio and his coaching staff. The SEASON OF CHANGE A New Coach Is Ready To Move The Wrestling Program Forward them, but he's not new to building a pro- gram. The former Oklahoma State standout inherited a team at Binghamton University that went 0-12 following its reinstatement in 2005-06. He turned the Bearcats around in his six years at the helm. First, progress came in the classroom, and then he transformed them into a national power on the wrestling mat. The team finished 21st at the 2010 NCAA Championships and 14th in 2012, while churning out 21 qualifiers for the national tournament and four NCAA All- Americans.