North Carolina State University Athletics
@PackWrestle Sweeps ACC Wrestling Season Honors
3/31/2020 10:18:00 AM | Wrestling
Hidlay brothers named Wrestler and Freshman of the Year, Popolizo top coach
RALEIGH, N.C. – Led by a historic first by brothers Hayden and Trent Hidlay, ACC champion NC State has swept the league's season honors for the 2019-20 season.
Hayden Hidlay (157 pounds) was selected the ACC Wrestler of the Year in a vote by the league's head coaches, while younger brother Trent (184) earned ACC Freshman of the Year honors. In addition, the Wolfpack's Pat Popolizio was chosen by his peers as the ACC Coach of the Year.
Hayden and Trent Hidlay are the first pair of brothers to claim both ACC major season wrestling awards (in the same year or otherwise). It marks the 10th time that an NC State student-athlete has been voted the ACC Wrestler of the Year and the fourth time a Wolfpack wrestler has been named the ACC Freshman of the Year.
Three NC State coaches have earned ACC Coach of the Year honors a total of nine times. Popolizio was recognized for the second time during his NC State tenure after guiding the Wolfpack to its 17th ACC Championship, tying for the most among current league schools. NC State's unbeaten dual season (15-0) was the first in the 91-year history of the program, and the Wolfpack ended the year ranked No. 3 nationally in the final NWCA Coaches Poll.
Hayden Hidlay, who earned a No. 2 national NCAA seeding, finished the year 28-1 overall, including a 12-0 record in dual matches. The redshirt junior from Lewistown, Pennsylvania, claimed his third conference crown at 157 pounds and now stands 23-0 for his career versus ACC opponents. Hidlay became the 11th wrestler in NC State program history to earn three ACC titles and was a three-time ACC Wrestler of the Week in 2019-20.
NC State has claimed five of the last seven ACC Wrestler of the Year honors.
"It makes me really proud," said Hayden Hidlay. "Even though this season didn't end in the circumstances I would of liked, this award still means a lot to me because it is an accumulation of a lot of things. To be rewarded with this (award), means a lot."
Wrestling in the competitive 184-pound weight class that featured three conference wrestlers ranked among the nation's top six, Trent Hidlay earned All-ACC honors with a second-place finish at the ACC Championships and was seeded No. 5 nationally by the NCAA. The redshirt freshman, who was ranked among the nation's top three at 184 most of the year, finished 23-4 on the season, including a 14-1 dual record and six wins over fellow ranked opponents.
"It means a lot to me, it proves what this (coaching) staff can do with young wrestlers," said Trent Hidlay. "It is an awesome award, especially considering how good the ACC was this year. It means a lot to me."
Popolizio's three league titles are the most among active ACC coaches. Hayden and Trent Hidlay were among eight NC State wrestlers that were NCAA qualifiers under his watch in 2019-20, four of which ranked among the top 10 and six of which were top-15 seeds.
"These awards obviously go to more of a unit, a team, a staff, the athletes," said Popolizio. "I think it is a reflection of everybody that operates within our organization. It is a nice award to get, but at the end of the day, it is the people that are backing you that really put things in perspective."
This season marks only the fourth time in ACC history a school has swept all three awards. NC State also accomplished the feat in 2007.
Hayden Hidlay (157 pounds) was selected the ACC Wrestler of the Year in a vote by the league's head coaches, while younger brother Trent (184) earned ACC Freshman of the Year honors. In addition, the Wolfpack's Pat Popolizio was chosen by his peers as the ACC Coach of the Year.
Hayden and Trent Hidlay are the first pair of brothers to claim both ACC major season wrestling awards (in the same year or otherwise). It marks the 10th time that an NC State student-athlete has been voted the ACC Wrestler of the Year and the fourth time a Wolfpack wrestler has been named the ACC Freshman of the Year.
Three NC State coaches have earned ACC Coach of the Year honors a total of nine times. Popolizio was recognized for the second time during his NC State tenure after guiding the Wolfpack to its 17th ACC Championship, tying for the most among current league schools. NC State's unbeaten dual season (15-0) was the first in the 91-year history of the program, and the Wolfpack ended the year ranked No. 3 nationally in the final NWCA Coaches Poll.
Hayden Hidlay, who earned a No. 2 national NCAA seeding, finished the year 28-1 overall, including a 12-0 record in dual matches. The redshirt junior from Lewistown, Pennsylvania, claimed his third conference crown at 157 pounds and now stands 23-0 for his career versus ACC opponents. Hidlay became the 11th wrestler in NC State program history to earn three ACC titles and was a three-time ACC Wrestler of the Week in 2019-20.
NC State has claimed five of the last seven ACC Wrestler of the Year honors.
"It makes me really proud," said Hayden Hidlay. "Even though this season didn't end in the circumstances I would of liked, this award still means a lot to me because it is an accumulation of a lot of things. To be rewarded with this (award), means a lot."
Wrestling in the competitive 184-pound weight class that featured three conference wrestlers ranked among the nation's top six, Trent Hidlay earned All-ACC honors with a second-place finish at the ACC Championships and was seeded No. 5 nationally by the NCAA. The redshirt freshman, who was ranked among the nation's top three at 184 most of the year, finished 23-4 on the season, including a 14-1 dual record and six wins over fellow ranked opponents.
"It means a lot to me, it proves what this (coaching) staff can do with young wrestlers," said Trent Hidlay. "It is an awesome award, especially considering how good the ACC was this year. It means a lot to me."
Popolizio's three league titles are the most among active ACC coaches. Hayden and Trent Hidlay were among eight NC State wrestlers that were NCAA qualifiers under his watch in 2019-20, four of which ranked among the top 10 and six of which were top-15 seeds.
"These awards obviously go to more of a unit, a team, a staff, the athletes," said Popolizio. "I think it is a reflection of everybody that operates within our organization. It is a nice award to get, but at the end of the day, it is the people that are backing you that really put things in perspective."
This season marks only the fourth time in ACC history a school has swept all three awards. NC State also accomplished the feat in 2007.
Players Mentioned
/ Wrestling
/ Wrestling
#PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast: Ep. 142 - R-So. Koy Buesgens
Wednesday, November 12
#PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast: Ep. 141 - Weight-by-Weight Season Preview
Wednesday, November 05
#PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast: Ep. 140 - Returning All-American Isaac Trumble
Thursday, October 23
#PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast: Ep. 139 - WORLD CHAMPION Trent Hidlay
Friday, September 26