North Carolina State University Athletics
@PackWrestle Vaults to No. 5 in National Rankings
12/8/2015 12:06:00 PM | Wrestling
RALEIGH, N.C. - Coming off a historic 19-15 at #4 Oklahoma State on Sunday, the NC State wrestling team continues its climb in the national rankings, all which were released on Tuesday.
NC State moved up eight spots in this week's USA Today/NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll, and is currently ranked fifth in the country. The Wolfpack improved to 9-0 on the season - defeated both ranked foes this season - and coach Pat Popolizio's squad is the highest ranked team of the four ACC teams in the Top 25.
In addition to the NWCA rankings, the Pack is also in the top-10 in all three other major polls. The Pack checks in a No. 5 nationally by both InterMat and WIN Magazine and is No. 7 according to FloWrestling.
"We had a solid week with two good road results, so this is a nice reward," said head coach Pat Popolizio. "We are seeing our hard work in practice and training starting to pay off. It's important for us now to stay focused on the task at hand and prepare for March by getting better each time out."
In the individual rankings, the Wolfpack continues to have six of its 10 starters ranked in the top-20 in their respective weight classes.
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• Kevin Jack - Jack might of fell for the first time in a match this season, but he left little doubt he will be in the mix for a title at 141 pounds. In a battle of two of the top three ranked wrestlers at 141, Jack narrowly fell to new #1 Dean Heil 10-8 in the dual at Oklahoma State. On the season Jack is 4-1, with a 10-4 win over #19 Tommy Thorn of Minnesota.
• Tommy Gantt - After redshirting last season, Gantt has started his senior campaign on fire. He is a perfect 4-0, with all four wins coming by major decision in duals this year. Gantt started with a 14-4 win over #14 Russell Parsons of Army, and in the Pack's win at Oklahoma State he dominated for an 18-6 major decision and bonus points for the Pack.
• Max Rohskopf - Rohskopf is a perfect 2-0 this season at 165 pounds, shutting out both of his opponents by a combined score of 10-0. His only loss this year was when he bumped up to 174 pounds at Oklahoma State, and fought tough with #3 Kyle Crutchmer but fell 7-2.
• Pete Renda - Renda's move-up to 184 pounds from 174 his first two years appears to be paying off, as he is a perfect 6-0 this year, all the wins coming in duals. Five of those wins were bonus point victories, but his biggest win of the season came Sunday at Oklahoma State as he defeated #15 Nolan Boyd 9-8, and started the Pack's stretch of three straight wins to win the dual.
• Michael Boykin - Boykin appears in all four polls for the first time this season, and is ranked for the second straight week in three of the four. He is off to a 6-1 start at 197 pounds, his only loss to #6 Brett Pfarr of Minnesota. After winning The Wolfpack Open on Nov. 22 with five wins, including a 9-4 win in the semifinals over #18 Scott Boykin of Chattanooga, Boykin's 3-2 win at Oklahoma State on Sunday game the Pack the lead heading into the final bout.
• Nick Gwiazdowski - The two-time defending NCAA Champion started the season at #1 in every major poll, and nothing has changed through the first four weeks of the season. Gwiazdowski is 10-0 this season, including 5-0 in duals. He has defeated four ranked foes thus far, with three of those wins vs. top-10 opponents. He enters this weekend with an NCAA-best 65-match winning streak.
Up Next: The Wolfpack will return to action this weekend, traveling to George Mason in Fairfax, Va., to face Grand Canyon on Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
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NC State moved up eight spots in this week's USA Today/NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll, and is currently ranked fifth in the country. The Wolfpack improved to 9-0 on the season - defeated both ranked foes this season - and coach Pat Popolizio's squad is the highest ranked team of the four ACC teams in the Top 25.
In addition to the NWCA rankings, the Pack is also in the top-10 in all three other major polls. The Pack checks in a No. 5 nationally by both InterMat and WIN Magazine and is No. 7 according to FloWrestling.
"We had a solid week with two good road results, so this is a nice reward," said head coach Pat Popolizio. "We are seeing our hard work in practice and training starting to pay off. It's important for us now to stay focused on the task at hand and prepare for March by getting better each time out."
In the individual rankings, the Wolfpack continues to have six of its 10 starters ranked in the top-20 in their respective weight classes.
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| Wrestler | Weight | InterMat | FloWrestling | OpenMat | WIN |
| So. Kevin Jack | 141 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| R-Sr. Tommy Gantt | 157 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Jr. Max Rohskopf | 165 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 7 |
| Jr. Pete Renda | 184 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 18 |
| So. Michael Boykin | 197 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 16 |
| R-Sr. Nick Gwiazdowski | 285 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
• Kevin Jack - Jack might of fell for the first time in a match this season, but he left little doubt he will be in the mix for a title at 141 pounds. In a battle of two of the top three ranked wrestlers at 141, Jack narrowly fell to new #1 Dean Heil 10-8 in the dual at Oklahoma State. On the season Jack is 4-1, with a 10-4 win over #19 Tommy Thorn of Minnesota.
• Tommy Gantt - After redshirting last season, Gantt has started his senior campaign on fire. He is a perfect 4-0, with all four wins coming by major decision in duals this year. Gantt started with a 14-4 win over #14 Russell Parsons of Army, and in the Pack's win at Oklahoma State he dominated for an 18-6 major decision and bonus points for the Pack.
• Max Rohskopf - Rohskopf is a perfect 2-0 this season at 165 pounds, shutting out both of his opponents by a combined score of 10-0. His only loss this year was when he bumped up to 174 pounds at Oklahoma State, and fought tough with #3 Kyle Crutchmer but fell 7-2.
• Pete Renda - Renda's move-up to 184 pounds from 174 his first two years appears to be paying off, as he is a perfect 6-0 this year, all the wins coming in duals. Five of those wins were bonus point victories, but his biggest win of the season came Sunday at Oklahoma State as he defeated #15 Nolan Boyd 9-8, and started the Pack's stretch of three straight wins to win the dual.
• Michael Boykin - Boykin appears in all four polls for the first time this season, and is ranked for the second straight week in three of the four. He is off to a 6-1 start at 197 pounds, his only loss to #6 Brett Pfarr of Minnesota. After winning The Wolfpack Open on Nov. 22 with five wins, including a 9-4 win in the semifinals over #18 Scott Boykin of Chattanooga, Boykin's 3-2 win at Oklahoma State on Sunday game the Pack the lead heading into the final bout.
• Nick Gwiazdowski - The two-time defending NCAA Champion started the season at #1 in every major poll, and nothing has changed through the first four weeks of the season. Gwiazdowski is 10-0 this season, including 5-0 in duals. He has defeated four ranked foes thus far, with three of those wins vs. top-10 opponents. He enters this weekend with an NCAA-best 65-match winning streak.
Up Next: The Wolfpack will return to action this weekend, traveling to George Mason in Fairfax, Va., to face Grand Canyon on Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
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