Saturday, March 17
Cleveland, Ohio
11 AM / 8 PM
NC State
vs
NCAA Championships
Macchiavello Wins 2018 National Championship
3/17/2018 11:51:00 PM | Wrestling
Wolfpack brings team trophy back to Raleigh with its best-ever team finish
Final 2018 NCAA Championships Brackets | READ: Wilson Finishes Third, Jack Sixth in Session V
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CLEVELAND, OHIO – Led by the 2018 197-pound National Champion Michael Macchiavello and a school record four All-Americans, the NC State wrestling team recorded its best-ever team finish by placing fourth at the 2018 NCAA Championships. The Wolfpack brings home its first-ever team trophy from the NCAA Championships and ties for the best-ever finish by an ACC school in NCAA history.
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As a team, NC State tied for fourth place with 80 team points.
 NC State sent a program-best two wrestlers into Saturday night's NCAA Finals
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197 Finals: #4 seed Michael Macchiavello (21-3) vs. #3 seed Jared Haught (Virginia Tech – 30-2)
• In his final career wrestling match as a member of the Wolfpack, R-Sr. Michael Macchiavello goes out a National Champion winning the NCAA title at 197 pounds.
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Macchiavello faced off against ACC rival #3 seed Jared Haught, who defeated Macchiavello twice this year. After a scoreless first period, each wrestler traded takedowns and the bout was tied 1-1 late in the third. Macchiavello struck the winning takedown with 14 seconds left and claimed the 3-1 victory.
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Macchiavello is the seventh individual to win a national title at NC State, combing for eight total trophies. The national title is the Pack's third in the last five years under head coach Pat Popolizio.
 157 Finals: #1 seed Hayden Hidlay (26-0) vs. #3 seed Jason Nolf (Penn State – 25-1)
• In his first trip to the NCAA Championships, R-Fr. Hayden Hidlay fell in the NCAA Finals to defending champion Jason Nolf of Penn State, 6-2. The loss was Hidlay's first of the season, he came into the NCAA Championships as the only undefeated freshman nationally (both true and redshirt).
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Nolf started with a pair of takedowns in the first period and held a 4-1 lead after the first three minutes. A Nolf escape to start the second was the lone point in the period, and he was up 5-1 going into the final period. Hidlay escaped to start the third to narrow it to 5-2, but could not secure a takedown, and Nolf tacked on the ride time point for the final margin.
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Hidlay concludes his rookie season with a 26-1 record. His second place finish is the second-highest ever among NC State freshmen at the NCAA Championships, only Matt Resiss as a national champion in 1980 placed higher. Hidlay was also the 2018 ACC Champion, and only the fourth wrestler in school history to finish as an NCAA runner-up, to go along with the Pack's seven national titles.
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CLEVELAND, OHIO – Led by the 2018 197-pound National Champion Michael Macchiavello and a school record four All-Americans, the NC State wrestling team recorded its best-ever team finish by placing fourth at the 2018 NCAA Championships. The Wolfpack brings home its first-ever team trophy from the NCAA Championships and ties for the best-ever finish by an ACC school in NCAA history.
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As a team, NC State tied for fourth place with 80 team points.
A team trophy is coming back to Raleigh for the 1st time in school history!!! #PackMentality #STATEment pic.twitter.com/wb2plMfFlG
— NC State Wrestling ????? (@PackWrestle) March 18, 2018
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197 Finals: #4 seed Michael Macchiavello (21-3) vs. #3 seed Jared Haught (Virginia Tech – 30-2)
• In his final career wrestling match as a member of the Wolfpack, R-Sr. Michael Macchiavello goes out a National Champion winning the NCAA title at 197 pounds.
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Macchiavello faced off against ACC rival #3 seed Jared Haught, who defeated Macchiavello twice this year. After a scoreless first period, each wrestler traded takedowns and the bout was tied 1-1 late in the third. Macchiavello struck the winning takedown with 14 seconds left and claimed the 3-1 victory.
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Macchiavello is the seventh individual to win a national title at NC State, combing for eight total trophies. The national title is the Pack's third in the last five years under head coach Pat Popolizio.
NC State's Michael Macchiavello with the snap-behind takedown to win it! #NCAAwrestling pic.twitter.com/pReOqO5RnK
— NCAA Wrestling (@ncaawrestling) March 18, 2018
2018 NATIONAL CHAMPION - MICHAEL MACCHIAVELLO!!!! pic.twitter.com/enSMKYz1qm
— NC State Wrestling ????? (@PackWrestle) March 18, 2018
• In his first trip to the NCAA Championships, R-Fr. Hayden Hidlay fell in the NCAA Finals to defending champion Jason Nolf of Penn State, 6-2. The loss was Hidlay's first of the season, he came into the NCAA Championships as the only undefeated freshman nationally (both true and redshirt).
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Nolf started with a pair of takedowns in the first period and held a 4-1 lead after the first three minutes. A Nolf escape to start the second was the lone point in the period, and he was up 5-1 going into the final period. Hidlay escaped to start the third to narrow it to 5-2, but could not secure a takedown, and Nolf tacked on the ride time point for the final margin.
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Hidlay concludes his rookie season with a 26-1 record. His second place finish is the second-highest ever among NC State freshmen at the NCAA Championships, only Matt Resiss as a national champion in 1980 placed higher. Hidlay was also the 2018 ACC Champion, and only the fourth wrestler in school history to finish as an NCAA runner-up, to go along with the Pack's seven national titles.
What a first season in a @PackWrestle singlet! R-Fr. Hayden Hidlay finishes the year 26-1 and was an NCAA Finalist in his first trip to the NCAA Championships! #PackMentality pic.twitter.com/UH9jlgfVhD
— NC State Wrestling ????? (@PackWrestle) March 18, 2018
2018 National Champion Michael Macchiavello!!!
— NC State Wrestling ????? (@PackWrestle) March 18, 2018
1st NCAA team trophy in school history with a 4th place finish!!! pic.twitter.com/Sx5W2vymb1
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