Saturday, February 11
Blacksburg, Va.
7 p.m.
NC State
at
Virginia Tech
ACC Dual Title to be Decided Saturday Night
2/10/2017 4:47:00 PM | Wrestling
#8 @PackWrestle travels to #5 Virginia Tech, both sit 4-0 in ACC action
READ: All 10 @PackWrestle Starters Ranked in Latest Coaches' Panel Rankings
RALEIGH, N.C. - A top-10 matchup with the winner claiming the ACC dual title is on the line this weekend, as #8 NC State travels to #5 Virginia Tech for the final regular season dual of the season. The Wolfpack (12-1) and the Hokies (15-1) have made it to the end of the season with perfect 4-0 marks in ACC duals, and both teams have been ranked in the top-10 all season nationally.
Along with conference pride on the line, the winning team will also get an automatic bid to the NWCA National Duals next weekend, while the other school will be in a favorable spot to get an at-large bid.
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Quick Takedowns
• For the 13th consecutive poll to open the 2016-17 season, NC State is ranked in the top-10 in the USA Today/NWCA Wrestling Coaches poll. NC State is currently ranked a season-best No. 8 for the third straight week, after spending seven weeks at No. 9 and three weeks at No. 10.
• With a win, NC State would claim its first ACC dual title since 2004, and post an undefeated mark in ACC action for the first time since 2000.
• With a 12-1 start in duals in 2016-17, NC State has won 35 of its last 37 duals dating back to the beginning of last season (23-1 last year). The Pack's lone losses have been to No. 8 Virginia Tech (19-14) last season, and No. 7 Nebraska (22-10) back in December.
• Over the last two seasons, the Pack is a perfect 13-0 in road duals, four wins over ranked foes.
• The Pack's 12-1 start in duals ties as the second-best start to a season in the NCSU record books (accomplished three other times, most recently in 1982), and sits only behind last year's 13-0 start.
• NC State has all 10 starters ranked in the latest NCAA Coaches' Panel Rankings.
• In the first RPI, NC State has eight ranked, including four in the top-10 and Kevin Jack at No. 1 at 141 pounds.
• Both redshirt-senior Sam Speno - 149 (8-0, 3-0 ACC) and junior Kevin Jack - 141 (10-0, 4-0 ACC) remain perfect in dual action this year.
• Jack's current 23-match winning ties as the seventh-longest winning streak in school history. Five of his last seven wins have all been versus ranked foes, including four top-10 wins.
• In the Pack's probable lineup vs. Virginia Tech, only R-So. Sean Fausz (125), R-So. Jamal Morris (133) and Jr. Kevin Jack (141) are returning starters from last year's ACC Championship squad. In addition to those three, NC State has two true freshmen, three others that redshirted 2015-16, and a pair that were back-ups last year among its 2016-17 starters.
• Fausz, a 2016 NCAA Qualifier, made his season debut at 125 pounds on Jan. 23 at UNC and is a perfect 6-0 at that weight. He previously went 16-4 at 133 pounds during the first semester this season.
Probable Starters
#8 NC State Wolfpack (12-1, 4-0 ACC)
125: #23 R-So. Sean Fausz (22-4)
133: #16 R-So. Jamal Morris (17-7)
141: #2 Jr. Kevin Jack (25-1)
149: #10 R-Sr. Sam Speno (20-5)
157: #24 Fr. Thomas Bullard (17-6)
165: #28 R-Jr. Brian Hamann (19-10) -OR- R-Jr. Chad Pyke (12-8)
174: #33 Fr. Nick Reenan (18-7)
184: #10 R-Jr. Michael Macchiavello (20-5)
197: #25 R-So. Malik McDonald (18-6)
285: #20 R-Sr. Mike Kosoy (19-8) -OR- Jr. Michael Boykin (18-8)
#5 Virginia Tech Hokies (15-1, 4-0 ACC)
125: #4 Sr. Joey Dance (20-1)
133: #30 R-Jr. Dennis Gustafson (18-4)
141: So. Brendan Ryan (2-15) -OR- R-Jr. Kevin Norstrem (5-2)
149: #6 R-So. Solomon Chishko (16-3)
157: #16 R-Sr. Sal Mastriani (13-4)
165: R-Sr. David Bergida (11-12)
174: #5 R-Jr. Zach Epperly (15-1)
184: #5 R-So. Zack Zavatsky (20-1)
197: #3 R-Jr. Jared Haught (19-2)
285: #5 R-Sr. Ty Walz (17-2)
Key Matchup
149: #10 Sam Speno (20-5) vs. #6 Solomon Chishko (16-3)
In a dual that features eight of the 10 matches with both opponents ranked in the latest coaches' rankings, the battle at 149 pounds is one of two matchups (184 the other) with both wrestlers rankings in the top-10. Speno is one of two NC State wrestlers perfect in duals this year (Jack is 10-0), as Speno is 8-0 in duals and a perfect 3-0 in ACC action. Speno is also 7-3 against ranked foes in his final season, winning seven of the last eight such matchups. Last year at 141 pounds, Chishko finished in sixth place at the NCAA Championships to earn his first All-America honors. This year, Chishko is 13-1 in duals and 2-0 in ACC action after moving up to 149 pounds.
Last Year vs. Virginia Tech
No. 3 NC State held an 11-10 lead over No. 8 Virginia Tech with four bouts left, but the Hokies won three straight by decision and clinched the ACC dual heading into the final bout. The loss was the lone dual loss for the Pack last season (23-1). NC State won all three battles where both wrestlers were ranked in the top-10, but the Hokies won six of the 10 matches overall.
Here is how this year's probables fared:
125: #3 Joey Dance (VT) dec. #20 Sean Fausz; 7-1
133: Dennis Gustafson (VT) major dec. #30 Jamal Morris; 13-5
141: #3 Kevin Jack (NCSU) dec. #7 Solomon Chishko; 3-2
197: #9 Jared Haught (VT) dec. #16 Michael Boykin; 3-2
* - Team Ranking according to USA Today/NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll
* - Individual Rankings according to NCAA Coaches' Panel Rankings
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RALEIGH, N.C. - A top-10 matchup with the winner claiming the ACC dual title is on the line this weekend, as #8 NC State travels to #5 Virginia Tech for the final regular season dual of the season. The Wolfpack (12-1) and the Hokies (15-1) have made it to the end of the season with perfect 4-0 marks in ACC duals, and both teams have been ranked in the top-10 all season nationally.
Along with conference pride on the line, the winning team will also get an automatic bid to the NWCA National Duals next weekend, while the other school will be in a favorable spot to get an at-large bid.
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| #8 NC State (12-1) at #5 Virginia Tech (15-1) | |
| Date | Saturday, Feb. 11 |
| Time | 7 p.m. |
| Location | Cassell Coliseum |
| Live Stream | ACC Network Extra |
| Live Scoring | TrackWrestling.com |
| Social Media | @PackWrestle |
Quick Takedowns
• For the 13th consecutive poll to open the 2016-17 season, NC State is ranked in the top-10 in the USA Today/NWCA Wrestling Coaches poll. NC State is currently ranked a season-best No. 8 for the third straight week, after spending seven weeks at No. 9 and three weeks at No. 10.
• With a win, NC State would claim its first ACC dual title since 2004, and post an undefeated mark in ACC action for the first time since 2000.
• With a 12-1 start in duals in 2016-17, NC State has won 35 of its last 37 duals dating back to the beginning of last season (23-1 last year). The Pack's lone losses have been to No. 8 Virginia Tech (19-14) last season, and No. 7 Nebraska (22-10) back in December.
• Over the last two seasons, the Pack is a perfect 13-0 in road duals, four wins over ranked foes.
• The Pack's 12-1 start in duals ties as the second-best start to a season in the NCSU record books (accomplished three other times, most recently in 1982), and sits only behind last year's 13-0 start.
• NC State has all 10 starters ranked in the latest NCAA Coaches' Panel Rankings.
• In the first RPI, NC State has eight ranked, including four in the top-10 and Kevin Jack at No. 1 at 141 pounds.
• Both redshirt-senior Sam Speno - 149 (8-0, 3-0 ACC) and junior Kevin Jack - 141 (10-0, 4-0 ACC) remain perfect in dual action this year.
• Jack's current 23-match winning ties as the seventh-longest winning streak in school history. Five of his last seven wins have all been versus ranked foes, including four top-10 wins.
• In the Pack's probable lineup vs. Virginia Tech, only R-So. Sean Fausz (125), R-So. Jamal Morris (133) and Jr. Kevin Jack (141) are returning starters from last year's ACC Championship squad. In addition to those three, NC State has two true freshmen, three others that redshirted 2015-16, and a pair that were back-ups last year among its 2016-17 starters.
• Fausz, a 2016 NCAA Qualifier, made his season debut at 125 pounds on Jan. 23 at UNC and is a perfect 6-0 at that weight. He previously went 16-4 at 133 pounds during the first semester this season.
Probable Starters
#8 NC State Wolfpack (12-1, 4-0 ACC)
125: #23 R-So. Sean Fausz (22-4)
133: #16 R-So. Jamal Morris (17-7)
141: #2 Jr. Kevin Jack (25-1)
149: #10 R-Sr. Sam Speno (20-5)
157: #24 Fr. Thomas Bullard (17-6)
165: #28 R-Jr. Brian Hamann (19-10) -OR- R-Jr. Chad Pyke (12-8)
174: #33 Fr. Nick Reenan (18-7)
184: #10 R-Jr. Michael Macchiavello (20-5)
197: #25 R-So. Malik McDonald (18-6)
285: #20 R-Sr. Mike Kosoy (19-8) -OR- Jr. Michael Boykin (18-8)
#5 Virginia Tech Hokies (15-1, 4-0 ACC)
125: #4 Sr. Joey Dance (20-1)
133: #30 R-Jr. Dennis Gustafson (18-4)
141: So. Brendan Ryan (2-15) -OR- R-Jr. Kevin Norstrem (5-2)
149: #6 R-So. Solomon Chishko (16-3)
157: #16 R-Sr. Sal Mastriani (13-4)
165: R-Sr. David Bergida (11-12)
174: #5 R-Jr. Zach Epperly (15-1)
184: #5 R-So. Zack Zavatsky (20-1)
197: #3 R-Jr. Jared Haught (19-2)
285: #5 R-Sr. Ty Walz (17-2)
Key Matchup
149: #10 Sam Speno (20-5) vs. #6 Solomon Chishko (16-3)
In a dual that features eight of the 10 matches with both opponents ranked in the latest coaches' rankings, the battle at 149 pounds is one of two matchups (184 the other) with both wrestlers rankings in the top-10. Speno is one of two NC State wrestlers perfect in duals this year (Jack is 10-0), as Speno is 8-0 in duals and a perfect 3-0 in ACC action. Speno is also 7-3 against ranked foes in his final season, winning seven of the last eight such matchups. Last year at 141 pounds, Chishko finished in sixth place at the NCAA Championships to earn his first All-America honors. This year, Chishko is 13-1 in duals and 2-0 in ACC action after moving up to 149 pounds.
Last Year vs. Virginia Tech
No. 3 NC State held an 11-10 lead over No. 8 Virginia Tech with four bouts left, but the Hokies won three straight by decision and clinched the ACC dual heading into the final bout. The loss was the lone dual loss for the Pack last season (23-1). NC State won all three battles where both wrestlers were ranked in the top-10, but the Hokies won six of the 10 matches overall.
Here is how this year's probables fared:
125: #3 Joey Dance (VT) dec. #20 Sean Fausz; 7-1
133: Dennis Gustafson (VT) major dec. #30 Jamal Morris; 13-5
141: #3 Kevin Jack (NCSU) dec. #7 Solomon Chishko; 3-2
197: #9 Jared Haught (VT) dec. #16 Michael Boykin; 3-2
* - Team Ranking according to USA Today/NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll
* - Individual Rankings according to NCAA Coaches' Panel Rankings
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Players Mentioned
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