North Carolina State University Athletics
Gwiazdowski Repeats as ACC Wrestler of the Year
3/31/2015 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
March 31, 2015
GREENSBORO, N.C. - NC State redshirt junior Nick Gwiazdowski, who this year became only the third wrestler in Atlantic Coast Conference history to win back-to-back NCAA national championships, was named the 2015 ACC Wrestler of the Year, the ACC announced on Tuesday.
NC State true freshman Kevin Jack, who earned All-American honors by finishing fifth nationally in the 141-pound weight class, was voted ACC Wrestling Freshman of the Year. Both awards were determined by a vote of the league's six wrestling head coaches.
Gwiazdowski, who has won 55 consecutive matches in the 285-pound class, including a 35-0 mark this past year, captured his second straight ACC and NCAA titles this year. He joins Clemson's Sammie Henson (1993-94) and North Carolina's T.J. Jaworsky (1993-94-95), as the only wrestlers in ACC history to win back-to-back national championships.
In the NCAA Championship, Gwiazdowski won five straight matches on the way to the title, outscoring his opponents by an impressive, 45-14. Among those five wins, he defeated the 16th seed, the eighth seed, the fifth seed and finally the sixth seed in the championship bout. His 55 consecutive wins are an NC State and ACC record and will begin the 2015-16 season as the nation's longest, current win streak. During the regular season, all five of Gwiazdowski's ACC wins were by fall.
Gwiazdowski becomes the first repeat ACC Wrestler of the Year recipient since former Wolfpack heavyweight Sylvester Terkay captured the honor for the three straight years (1991-92-93). Three NC State wrestlers have been named ACC Wrestler of the Year a total of seven times. (Darrion Caldwell, 2007 and 2009).
"This caps off an outstanding season for Nick," said head coach Pat Popolizio. "Winning back-to-back NCAA titles, and now a second straight ACC Wrestler of the Year award, is truly an honor."
NC State's Jack posted a 31-9 individual record on the season. Originally slated to redshirt this year, he entered the Wolfpack lineup due to an illness to a starter and was 3-0 in dual matches. He finished fourth in the ACC Tournament at 141 pounds and entered the NCAA Tournament unseeded.
But once in the field in St. Louis, he made a name for himself nationally, defeating the fifth, 12th and fourth-seeded wrestlers to reach the semifinals, including claiming a win over Virginia Tech All-American and 2014 national runner-up Devin Carter of Virginia Tech. Jack then scored his fourth upset of the Championship, downing the 11th-seed in the consolations to gain fifth place.
The 31 wins are a record for an NC State freshman.
Jack becomes the third Wolfpack wrestler to win ACC Wrestling Freshman of the Year honors in the award's 12-year history.
"There were a lot of great freshmen in our conference, and for Kevin to receive this honor is very
rewarding," said Popolizio, whose NC State team finished 16th nationally. "We are excited about the growth and development we will see out of him over the next three years.    
"This is the reflection of a lot of hard work and dedication from both Nick and Kevin. We are very grateful to receive both of these awards, as this is one of the premier conferences in the country."
GREENSBORO, N.C. - NC State redshirt junior Nick Gwiazdowski, who this year became only the third wrestler in Atlantic Coast Conference history to win back-to-back NCAA national championships, was named the 2015 ACC Wrestler of the Year, the ACC announced on Tuesday.
NC State true freshman Kevin Jack, who earned All-American honors by finishing fifth nationally in the 141-pound weight class, was voted ACC Wrestling Freshman of the Year. Both awards were determined by a vote of the league's six wrestling head coaches.
Gwiazdowski, who has won 55 consecutive matches in the 285-pound class, including a 35-0 mark this past year, captured his second straight ACC and NCAA titles this year. He joins Clemson's Sammie Henson (1993-94) and North Carolina's T.J. Jaworsky (1993-94-95), as the only wrestlers in ACC history to win back-to-back national championships.
In the NCAA Championship, Gwiazdowski won five straight matches on the way to the title, outscoring his opponents by an impressive, 45-14. Among those five wins, he defeated the 16th seed, the eighth seed, the fifth seed and finally the sixth seed in the championship bout. His 55 consecutive wins are an NC State and ACC record and will begin the 2015-16 season as the nation's longest, current win streak. During the regular season, all five of Gwiazdowski's ACC wins were by fall.
Gwiazdowski becomes the first repeat ACC Wrestler of the Year recipient since former Wolfpack heavyweight Sylvester Terkay captured the honor for the three straight years (1991-92-93). Three NC State wrestlers have been named ACC Wrestler of the Year a total of seven times. (Darrion Caldwell, 2007 and 2009).
"This caps off an outstanding season for Nick," said head coach Pat Popolizio. "Winning back-to-back NCAA titles, and now a second straight ACC Wrestler of the Year award, is truly an honor."
NC State's Jack posted a 31-9 individual record on the season. Originally slated to redshirt this year, he entered the Wolfpack lineup due to an illness to a starter and was 3-0 in dual matches. He finished fourth in the ACC Tournament at 141 pounds and entered the NCAA Tournament unseeded.
But once in the field in St. Louis, he made a name for himself nationally, defeating the fifth, 12th and fourth-seeded wrestlers to reach the semifinals, including claiming a win over Virginia Tech All-American and 2014 national runner-up Devin Carter of Virginia Tech. Jack then scored his fourth upset of the Championship, downing the 11th-seed in the consolations to gain fifth place.
The 31 wins are a record for an NC State freshman.
Jack becomes the third Wolfpack wrestler to win ACC Wrestling Freshman of the Year honors in the award's 12-year history.
"There were a lot of great freshmen in our conference, and for Kevin to receive this honor is very
rewarding," said Popolizio, whose NC State team finished 16th nationally. "We are excited about the growth and development we will see out of him over the next three years.    
"This is the reflection of a lot of hard work and dedication from both Nick and Kevin. We are very grateful to receive both of these awards, as this is one of the premier conferences in the country."
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