@PackWrestle Announces Top-10 Signing Class

RALEIGH, N.C. – Coming off a second straight ACC Championship and a No. 3 final ranking in the NWCA Coaches Poll after an undefeated dual season, the NC State wrestling team has inked a top-10 signing class to join the squad for the 2020-21 season.

NC State's recruiting class was ranked eighth nationally by FloWrestling. It marked the third time in the last five years the Wolfpack has been ranked in the top-10 nationally, and this is the third straight class ranked in the top-20 by FloWrestling.

The class was also ranked sixth nationally by TheOpenMat and eighth by InterMat.

"It might be one of the best ever, as far as the mentality, work ethic, the quality, total package of kid that you want," said head coach Pat Popolizio. "It's very low-risk bringing these guys in, both academically and lifestyle. It's up to those guys to decide who's going to be the guy at their weight, but I know they'll elevate our program on and off the mat."

Below are bios on the nine signees:

Anthony Noto
125 pounds
Lima N.Y. • Lima HS

Prep:

Four-time state champion, he is the school's first state champion.
Named NYSPHSAA Most Outstanding Wrestler as both a junior and senior.
Won state title at 120 pounds as a senior, 113 pounds as a junior, 106 pounds as a sophomore and 99 pounds as a freshman.
Career record of 174-6.
Three-time Monroe County champion and four-time sectional and Super sectional champion. MOW at Monroe County Championships as a junior and senior.
Also two-time All-Greater Rochester Division II Wrestler of the Year.
Three-time All-American (Forgo, World Team Trials and Super 32).

Rankings:
#112 overall recruit and #11 at 120 pounds by TheOpenMat
#9 at 120 pounds by FloWrestling
#12 at 120 pounds by InterMat

Ryan Jack
141 pounds
Danbury, Conn. • Danbury HS

Prep:

Four-time Connecticut state champion. Two-time Connecticut Wrestler of the Year.
Three-time New England champion, runner-up as a freshman.
State champion as a junior going a perfect 47-0, and named Connecticut Wrestler of the Year. Also won his third Class LL title and third State Open championship.
Became school's first national champion after taking first place at the 2019 NHSCA national championships at 126 pounds. Was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.
2019 NHSCA champion and four-time All-American.
Super 32 runner-up as a junior in 2018. 2018 Journeymen Classic champion.
Wrestled at the 2019 Who's #1, the first athlete from Connecticut to take part.
Younger bother of former Wolfpack three-time All-American Kevin Jack (141 pounds) and also former teammate of 2020 ACC Champion Jakob Camacho.
Trains at Empire Wrestling Academy along with fellow signee A.J. Kovacs.

Rankings:
#17 overall recruit and #5 at 138 pounds by TheOpenMat
#46 overall recruit and #5 at 138 pounds by FloWrestling
#47 overall recruit and #8 at 138 pounds by InterMat

Ed Scott
157 pounds
DuBois, Pa. • DuBois HS

Prep:

Two-time PIAA state champion, as a junior and senior. Went undefeated those two seasons with a 79-0 record.
Finished his career with a 151-6 record, the most wins in DuBois area history. His 105 career pins was a record for District 9.
Named to The Open Mat's High School All-Senior second-team.
Wrestled in the Collegiate Clarion Open in November. Advanced to the finals with three bonus point wins. Lone loss was 7-6 to #6 Brock Zacherl of Clarion.
Placed third at state championships as a freshman.
Four-time district and four-time regional champ.
2019 Powerade champion, Journeymen Fall Classic champion, Fargo Greco runner-up, Super 32 (4^th).
2018 Powerade champion, NHSCA (3^rd), Fargo Cadet Freestyle (5^th), UWW Cadet World Team Trials (8^th).
2017 Powerade (4^th), FloNationals (4^th), Fargo Cadet Greco (6^th).

Rankings:
#19 overall recruit and #2 at 152 pounds by FloWrestling
#29 overall recruit and #2 at 152 pounds by TheOpenMat
#39 overall recruit and #3 at 152 pounds by by InterMat

AJ Kovacs
157/165 pounds
Danbury, Conn. • Iona Prep

Prep:

New York state runner-up as a senior.
2019 New York state champion and 2018 Connecticut state champion.
2019 Flo Nationals Champion.
2019 UWW Cadet All-American and 2019 Super32 and Ironman placer.
A two-time NHSCA finalist and three-time NHSCA All-American. Placed second at the 2019 NHSCA national championships at 152 pounds.
Trains at Empire Wrestling Academy along with fellow signee Ryan Jack.

Rankings:
#94 overall recruit and #11 at 152 pounds by InterMat
#94 overall recruit and #5 at 152 pounds by TheOpenMat

Joe Roberts
157/165 pounds
Aurora, Ill. • Montini Catholic HS

Prep:

Illinois 3A state champion as a senior.
Was third at the state championships as a junior, sixth as a sophomore.
Finished with a career prep record of 148-33.
2019 USAW Preseason National Champion.
7^th at 2020 at Doc Buchanan Invitational at 152 pounds.

Rankings:
#115 overall recruit and #20 at 152 pounds by TheOpenMat

Donald Cates
165 pounds
Durham, N.C. • Northern Durham HS

Prep:

North Carolina state champion as both a senior and junior.
Competed in college open tournaments as a senior. Placed at both the 2020 Appalachian State Open and the 2019 Wolfpack Open.
2019 UWW Cadet World Team Trials placer.
2018 Fargo All-American.

Kai Bele
174 pounds
Buffalo, N.Y. • Athens Drive (NC) HS

Prep:

A 2019 and 2018 state champion in Florida.
2018 and 2017 NHSCA champion. Placed in 2019.
2019 Florida Freestyle state champion.
2018 Ironman, Beast of the East and Powerade placer.
2016 and 2017 Florida state placer.

Dylan Reinert
174 pounds
Gettysburg, Pa. • Gettysburg HS

Prep:

A four-time PIAA qualifier with a career record of 164-21, with 87 career pins.
Placed third at PA state championships as a senior. Was seventh as a junior.
2019 NHSCA Junior National runner-up.
Third as both a senior and junior at Beast of the East.

Rankings:
#123 overall recruit and #19 at 170 pounds by TheOpenMat
#8 at 170 pounds by FloWrestling
#10 at 170 pounds by InterMat

Isaac Trumble
197/285 pounds
Springfield, Neb. • Millard South HS

Prep:

Two-time state champion, going a combined 106-0 in his final two seasons.
State champion as a senior at 285 pounds going a perfect 50-0.
State champion as a junior at 182 pounds going a perfect 56-0.
State runner-up as a sophomore with a 53-2 record.
Placed fifth as a freshman, going 44-13.
Took third at the 2019 Super32.
A double All-American at Fargo in 2019, finishing fourth in freestyle and third in Greco.

Rankings:
#43 overall recruit and #5 at 285 pounds by FloWrestling
#46 overall recruit and #4 at 285 pounds by InterMat
#56 overall recruit and #7 at 285 pounds by TheOpenMat

North Carolina State University Athletics

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