Wolfpack Wrestling in the News

Wolfpack Wrestling received a nod as one of the teams that may surprise people in 2014.  This week's Riordan's Roundup on Intermat puts NC State at #5 on the list of teams to watch.

5. North Carolina State
During the last year Binghamton transfer Nick Gwiazdowski has proven that he is a serious threat to win a national championship at heavyweight, his presence alone vaults the Wolfpack up in these rankings. N.C. State will also enjoy the services of JUCO stud Ryan Fox at 174, as well as NCAA qualifiers Joe DeAngelo at 125, Sam Speno at 133 and Nijel Jones at 165. Combine this with a nice recruiting class and you have the recipe for a big turnaround in Raleigh.

In addition, D1CW recently released part one of this season's Top Wrestlers.  Heavyweight Nick Gwiazdowski comes in at #41 on the list, which is comprised of athletes across all weight classes.

         #41 Nick Gwiazdowski (NC State)

                                                       

                                

               2012 NCAA 8th Place

              2012-13 Redshirt Season

              2012 CAA Champ

Wrestlers Recognized at Scholar Athlete Banquet

Monday evening, several wrestlers were honored at the 2013 Caterpillar Scholar Athlete Banquet.  The purpose of the event is to recognize those student athletes holding a 3.0 GPA or higher.

Pictured (left to right): Coach Frank Beasley, KaRonne Jones, Tommy Gantt, Cohl Fulk, Nick Gwiazdowski, and Quinton Godley.  Also honored but not pictured: Eloheim Palma, Ryan Fox, and Brandon Jorge. 

Pat's Pop Ins

Pat's Pop Ins

Jones & Gwiazdowski preseeded at Scuffle

Nijel Jones & Nick Gwiazdowski (competing unattached) were seeded in their weight classes for the 2013 Southern Scuffle.  Their weight class seeds are below.  For a complete list of pre-seeds and options for live viewing/ticketing information, click here.  We will also be tweeting results via @PackWrestle.

165

1. Kyle Dake - Cornell
2. David Taylor - Penn State
3. Tyler Caldwell - Oklahoma State
4. Nick Sulzer - UVa.
5. Cody Yohn - Minnesota
6. Zach Toal - Missouri
7. Josh Condon - UTC
8. Corey Mock - UNC
9. Nijel Jones - NC State
10. Peyton Walsh - Navy
11. Gabe Martinez - AFA

285

1. Anthony Nelson - Minnesota
2. Dom Bradley - Missouri
3. Alan Gelogaev - Oklahoma State
4. Nick Gwiazdowski - NC State
5. Levi Cooper - Arizona State
6. James Lawson - Penn State
7. Jonathan Gingrich - Penn State
8. Odie Delaney - The Citadel
9. Jeremy Johnson - Ohio
10. Stryker Lane - Cornell

Ranking Roundup

Check out this week's Ranking Roundup!

Amateur Wrestling News 12.11.12 
#20 Nijel Jones (165)

Amateur Wrestling News Redshirt/Non-Starter Rankings 12.06.12
#1 Nick Gwiazdowski (Hwt)

Wrestling Report 12.10.12
#26 Nijel Jones (165)

Wrestling Report Atlantic Rankings 12.12.12
#22 Sam Speno (133)
#21 Matt Nereim (157)
#13 Nijel Jones (165)
#25 Patrick Davis (174)

Pat's Pop Ins

Ranking Roundup

This initial Ranking Roundup may have fewer polls than Roundups in the future.  Many ranking services have prepared preseason rankings, but others are waiting until the season gets going to begin the greuling task of ranking our sport's best teams and individuals.  In addition, we expect to see many more Wolfpackers in the rankings in the near future!

WIN Preseason Tournament Power Index (TPI)
09.13.2012
#35 NC State (tie with Navy)

WIN Preseason Individual Ranking
09.13.2012
#8 HWT Nick Gwiazdowski (Redshirting 2012-2013 season)

Atlantic Regional DI Rankings
10.13.2012
#15 157 Matt Nereim
#19 165 Nijel Jones
#18 HWT Eloheim Palma

Wrestling Report NCAA DI Ranking
09.29.2012
#33 157 Matt Nereim

D1CW Spotlight on New Head Coaches

 
 

To read the entire article from D1CW, click here. Below is the segment featuring Coach Popolizio:

NC State-Pat Popolizio

Coaching Resume:

2006-2012 Head Coach-Binghamton University

2004-2006 Assistant Coach-American University

2003-2004 Assistant Coach-US Military Academy

2002-2003 Assistant Coach-Sacred Heart University

Background:

The NC State Wolfpack won the Pat Popolizio coaching sweepstakes.  Over the past few seasons it was rumored that Popolizio would land at a handful of different big time jobs.  He earned the title of "Hot Coaching Prospect" by taking a non-fully funded Binghamton team from scratch to become a team that finished 14th at the NCAA Championships with two NCAA All-Americans in 2011-12.  Prior to the 2008-09 season Binghamton never had a DI All-American.  He has also been credited with helping Mark Cody lay the foundation that helped become a top ten program at American University.

The Future:

The Future is exactly what they are building for in Raleigh.  Pat Popolizio and his staff are in the midst of changing the culture at NC State, so the 2012-13 edition of the Wolfpack will feature a young, inexperienced team after multiple veterans are no longer with the program.  One of Popolizio's prized pupil's from Binghamton, 2012 True Freshman All-American Nick Gwiazdowski, has transferred to NC State but will redshirt in the 2012-13 season. 

Pat Popolizio has assembled a very good coaching staff to assist him at NC State starting with one of his coaches from Binghamton in Frank Beasley.  He doesn't get the credit that other assistant's nationwide get, but Beasley is one of the better assistants out there. Prior to his stint in Binghamton, Beasley helped Buffalo haul in the #11 overall recruiting class by D1CW in 2010-11. Also on board is Popolizio's Oklahoma State teammate Jamill Kelly, 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist.  How many coaching staff's can claim that?

One intangible that has to be mentioned about the NC State coaching position is the support that they will be getting from their administration.  Athletic Director Debbie Yow is one of the biggest proponents for Olympic sports as far as AD's go.  She previously was the AD at the University of Maryland and oversaw the construction of the program by Pat Santoro, and also hired current Head Coach Kerry McCoy.  As soon as she took the position at NC State the program got a boost forward.  In the long run, don't be suprised if the Wolfpack breakthrough and unseat the northern ACC teams (Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech) as the class of the conference.