North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack Wrestling Brings Home Top Results
5/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
RALEIGH, N.C. - Nine Wolfpack wrestlers competed in the 2015 Freestyle Junior National Open, with an additional eight competing in the Open division last weekend in Las Vegas. Jake DeAngelo (66kg), Chandler Pyke (66kg), Pete Renda (84kg), and Malik McDonald (96kg) took home All-American honors in the Junior division. Furthermore, Nick Gwiazdowski (125kg), alums Darrius Little (61kg) and Quinton Godley (74kg), and new assistant coach Adam Hall (70kg) also took home All-American honors at the tournament.
After losing his second match on the day, DeAngelo battled back to place seventh with a record of 5-2 for the tournament. DeAngelo amassed 43 points in his wins over opponents in his five matches, while only giving up three in those matches.
Pyke looked impressive in his freestyle debut for the Wolfpack. The redshirt freshman wrestled all the way to the semifinals before he lost to eventual champ and Junior World Silver Medalist, Aaron Pico. Following his loss in the semis, Pyke won two matches in a row before losing his final two matches to take home sixth place.
Returning FILA Junior Medalist Renda followed up last year's performance with a fifth place finish. Renda, after losing his second match to eventual champ Zahid Valencia, put together four straight wins over opponents in which he put up an impressive 38 points, before losing in the consolation semis. In the fifth place match Renda beat Corey Griego of Oregon State 12-8 to conclude his tournament.
McDonald also put together remarkable freestyle debut for NC State. McDonald, another redshirt freshman, took home seventh place in his first Junior Nationals. The North Carolina native looked impressive in his win over two-time Junior All American and former top recruit, Chance McClure of Virginia, in the seventh place match.
In the Open Division, alumni Little took home seventh place, losing only to former Olympic Bronze medalist Coleman Scott and eventual champ Reece Humphrey. Little went 3-2 on the tournament.
Godley, another Wolfpack alum, placed sixth in the senior division. Godley went 4-3 for the tournament finishing a spot away from qualifying for the World team trials. In his four wins, Godley won by a combined score of 43-1.
New assistant coach Hall finished in seventh place for Titan Mercury wrestling club. Hall only lost to bronze medalist James Green of Nebraska and eventual silver medalist Dustin Schlatter of Minnesota. Hall will be competing again at the Northern Plains regional this month to compete for a spot at the World Team Trials
To conclude the competition, two-time NCAA Champion Gwiazdowski took home fourth place in the 125 kg weight class. He lost in the semifinals to world medalist and open champion Tervel Dlagnev by a score of 8-2. Following the loss in the semis, Gwiazdowski pinned Chad Hanke, formerly of Oregon State in 1:59, before forfeiting his final match to take home fourth.
Next up for the Wolfpack will be the University Nationals in Akron from May 28-31, where the team is expected to have more than 20 team members compete.
By Bill Cook
