2021 NCAA Championships: Day 1 @PackWrestle Preview

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RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State Wrestling qualified nine of its 10 starters for the 2021 NCAA Championships which will be held Thursday-Saturday in St. Louis. The Pack received six top-10 seeds (a new school record) and R-Sr. Hayden Hidlay (157pounds) and R-So. Trent Hidlay (184) are both seeded second in their weight classes.

The Pack will be rolling into St. Louis with a streak of six straight top-20 finishes at the NCAA Championships, which is a school record. NC State recorded its best finish in school history in 2018, as the fourth place finish was the Pack's first-ever team trophy and tied as the ACC's best-ever team finish as well.

	2021 NCAA Championships
Date	Day 1 - Thursday, March 18
Time	Session 1A (125-157) - 11 AM (ET) Session 1B (165-285) - 2 PM (ET) Session 2A (125-157) - 6 PM (ET) Session 2B (165-285) - 9 PM (ET)
Location	St. Louis, Mo.
Venue	Enterprise Center
TV (Finals)	ESPNU - Sessions 1A & 1B ESPN2 - Sessions 2A & 2B
Streaming (Prelims)	WatchESPN - 8 different mat streams
Live Scoring	TrackWrestling.com
Social Media	Twitter: @PackWrestle \| IG: wolfpackwrestling

NC State Thursday Matchups – Session 1A, 1B and 2A, 2B

125 (Match #17)
#6 seed Jakob Camacho (8-2) vs. #27 seed Gage Curry (American – 4-1)

Series History: First collegiate matchup.

About Camacho: First trip to the NCAA Championships, he would of been the #10 seed last year … Consensus top-10 wrestler at 125 pounds in his second season … Ranked #5 by InterMat and #3 by FloWrestling … Also #5 in all three Coaches Panel Rankings this year … 8-2 overall this year, with six bonus point wins … Both losses were to #2 NCAA seed Latona of Virginia Tech by a combined four point … In the dual it was a takedown and 2-pt near fall as time expired and in OT in the ACC Finals … Earned All-ACC honors with a second place finish in 2021 … Was ACC Champion and Most Outstanding Wrestler last year in his first ACC Championship.

About Curry: A R-Sr., Curry is now a four-time NCAA Qualifier … Placed a career-high third at the EIWA Championships … 3-1 on the season, all matches came at EIWAs.

Winner/Loser faces: #11 seed Dylan Ragusin (Michigan – 7-3) or #22 seed Daniel Vega (South Dakota St. – 14-6)

133 (Match #27)
#12 seed Jarrett Trombley (7-4) vs. #21 seed Jared Van Vleet (Air Force – 5-5)

Series History: First collegiate matchup.

About Trombley: First trip to the NCAA Championships, he would of been the #27 seed last year … In his second season, ranked #10 by InterMat and #7 by FloWrestling … Also #11 in the last two Coaches Panel Rankings … Split time in the Pack's lineup at 133 pounds this year with Fr. Ryan Jack … Both went 1-2 in all ACC duals, downed Jack in a wrestle-off after last dual, 6-5 … Placed fourth at the ACC Championship to earn an automatic bid … The win that sealed his NCAA trip was 3-1 over #28 Heilmann of UNC … 8-4 overall on the season, all four losses were to top-10 foes.

About Van Vleet: A Jr., Van Vleet earned an at-large bid … Two of his five wins on the season have come vs. top-15 foes, and he was ranked as high as 11^th this year.

Winner/Loser faces: #5 seed Micky Phillippi (Pitt – 8-1) or #28 seed Ty Smith (Utah Valley – 8-5)

141 (Match #45)
#4 seed Tariq Wilson vs. #29 Seed Chase Zollmann (Wyoming – 12-6)

Series History: First collegiate matchup.

About Wilson: Making his third appearance at the NCAA Championships, first two years were at 133 … Is 8-3 all-time at NCAAs, with five bonus point wins … Would of been the #15 seed at 141 last year … Went from unseeded to a third place finish as a R-Fr. in 2018, and was one win shy of AA honors in 2019 … Consensus top-8 wrestler at 141 pounds in his fourth season as a starter … Ranked #3 by InterMat and #7 by FloWrestling … Was #4 in the final Coaches Panel Rankings, up from #8 in each of the first two … 2021 ACC Champion … Scored a major dec. over #10 NCAA seed Sherman of UNC in the finals … Defeated #16 NCAA seed Matthews of Pitt in the semifinals … Enters the NCAAs a perfect 9-0, with four of his last five wins all coming over top-20 foes, including a pair of top-10 wins over UNC's Sherman.

About Zollmann: A R-So. making his first NCAAs appearance … Placed fifth at the Big 12 Championships after entering as the eighth seed.

Winner/Loser faces: #13 seed DJ Lloren (Fresno State – 11-1) or #20 seed Brian Courtney (Virginia – 9-4)

157 (Match #85)
#2 seed Hayden Hidlay (9-0) vs. #31 seed Michael Petite (Buffalo – 8-6)

Series History: First collegiate matchup.

About Hidlay: Vying to become NC State's first-ever four-time All-American (Nick Gwiazdowski was an AA at Binghamton as freshman, then transferred to NC State) … Making his third appearance at the NCAA Championships … He was the top seed as a R-Fr. in 2018 and fifth seed in 2019 … Would of been the #2 seed at 157 last year … Was an NCAA finalist in 2018 and placed fourth in 2019 … The consensus #2 ranked wrestler nationally in every poll … Also #2 in all three Coaches Panel Rankings this year … Four-time ACC champion, 8-0 all-time at ACCs (all ranked wins), outscored foes 92-23 … Is the 10th wrestler in ACC history to win four championships, fifth from NC State … Holds a current ACC-high of 25 straight wins … A perfect 9-0 this season, seven for bonus points … Perfect 59-0 all-time in bonus point matches.

About Petite: A R-So. making his first NCAAs appearance … Is 8-6 on the season … Placed fourth at the MAC Championships to earn an automatic bid, four of his five wins at the MACs were for bonus points.

Winner/Loser faces #15 seed Chase Saldate (Michigan State – 8-5) or #18 seed Cade DeVos (South Dakota State)

165 (Match #92)
#17 seed Thomas Bullard (4-5) vs. #16 seed William Formato (App State – 17-2)

Series History: Bullard 2-1
Formato took a 4-0 win in the dual this year … Bullard took a pair of matches last season, a 13-3 major decision in the Wolfpack Wrestling Club Open and then 6-2 in the dual.

About Bullard: Making his third appearance at the NCAA Championships … Is 1-4 all-time at NCAAs, was at 157 as a true freshmen in 2017 and 165 in 2019 … Would of been the #10 seed at 165 last year … In his fourth season in the lineup, ranked #16 by InterMat and #15 by FloWrestling … Also #14 in the final Coaches Panel Rankings, up from #17 in the second one … Both matches at the ACC Championship were vs. #22 NCAA seed Monday of UNC … After falling in the quarters (5-6), scored a 6-4 OT win in the third place bout … Has two top-10 wins this season … Over #3 NCAA seed Wentzel of Pitt in the dual (4-3) and #10 Monday at ACCs … Entering NCAAs with a 4-5 record overall … All five losses to NCAA Qualifiers.

About Formato: A R-So., currently ranked #15 nationally … The SoCon Wrestler of the Year after he led the nation with 15 wins … Perfect 8-0 in conference duals, outscored his foes 138-12 overall and didn't allow a takedown in his 15 season wins.

Winner/Loser faces #1 seed Alex Marinelli (Iowa – 5-0) or #32 seed Ricky Stamm (Hofstra – 7-2) or #33 seed Austin Yant (Northern Iowa)

174 (Match #110)
#8 seed Daniel Bullard (8-1) vs. #25 seed Cody Surratt (Air Force – 6-5)

Series History: Bullard 1-0
Bullard tooka 7-2 decision in last year's Cliff Keen Invite.

About Bullard: Making his third appearance at the NCAA Championships … Is 2-4 all-time at NCAAs, all at 174, winning a match in each previous trip … Would of been the #15 seed at 174 last year … In his fourth season in the lineup, ranked #8 by InterMat and #11 by FloWrestling … Also #8 in the final Coaches Panel Rankings … 2021 ACC Champion … Scored an OT win over #16 NCAA seed Lautt of UNC in the finals, 4-2 … Defeated #27 NCAA seed Howard of Virginia Tech in the semifinals … 8-1 on the season overall, having won his last seven matches, 2-1 vs. ranked foes - both over UNC wrestlers.

About Surratt: A Sr. and team captain, Surratt earned an at-large bid … Owns a 6-5 record, and placed sixth at the Big 12 Championships. Eight of his 11 matches this year were vs. ranked foes, and he was ranked as high as 25^th nationally this season.

Winner/Loser faces #9 seed Donnell Washington (Indiana – 9-5) or #24 seed Jake Allar (Minnesota)

184 (Match #138)
#2 seed Trent Hidaly (6-1) vs. #31 seed Ryan Reyes (Oregon State – 6-4)

Series History: First collegiate matchup.

About Hidlay: First trip to the NCAA Championships, he would of been the #5 seed last year … Consensus top-3 wrestler at 184 pounds in his second season … Ranked #2 by InterMat and #1 by FloWrestling … Also #2 in the final Coaches Panel Rankings this year … 2021 ACC Champion … Scored the winning takedown in OT over then-#1 Bolen of VT for a 3-1 win in finals … Defeated #22 NCAA seed Kane of UNC in the semifinals … 6-1 on the season, four of those wins came over ranked foes … With a forfeit win vs. Duke, five of his six matches have been vs. NCAA Qualifiers … Has only conceded one takedown this season … Missed the first two weekends of action, both non-conference, as he underwent an appendectomy in late December.

About Reyes: A So. making his first NCAAs appearance … Placed second at the Pac 12 Championships … 6-4 on the season, three of four losses to ranked foes.

Winner/Loser faces #15 seed Layne Malczewski (Michigan State – 9-3) or #18 seed Alan Clothier (Northern Colorado – 9-3)

197 (Match #143)
#28 seed Nick Reenan (7-3) vs. #5 seed Jacob Warner (Iowa – 8-2)

Series History: First collegiate matchup.

About Reenan: Making his third appearance at the NCAA Championships, all three trips have been at a different weight class … A combined 1-4 at NCAAs, the win was a pin last time out … A two-time NCAA Qualifier … In 2017 as a true freshman at 174 pounds and in 2019 as a RS-sophomore at 184 (earning the #7 overall seed) … Was not in the Pack's ACC Championship lineup last season, so didn't qualify for NCAAs … Ranked #21 by TheOpenMat and #27 by TrackWrestling … Also #29 in the final Coaches Panel Rankings … Placed fourth at the ACC Championship after not seeing action for a month … 7-3 on the season, all three losses to top-20 foes … A perfect 4-0 in bonus point matches.

About Warner: A Jr., currently ranked #5 nationally … Second trip to NCAAs, in 2019 he earned All-American honors with a seventh place finish … Took third at Big 10 Championships, only losing to NCAA #1 seed Amine of Michigan in OT … Seven of eight season wins all vs. ranked foes.

Winner/Loser faces #12 seed Lucas Davidson (Northwestern – 7-3) or #21 seed Marcus Coleman (Iowa State – 8-2)(

285 (Match #168)
#10 seed Deonte Wilson vs. #23 seed Michael McAleavey (The Citadel – 15-1)

Series History: Wilson 2-0
Wilson earned a pair of tournament decisions, 7-3 at the 2020 Southern Scuffle and 5-2 in the 2018-19 season at the Wolfpack Wrestling Club Open.

About Wilson: First trip to the NCAA Championships, he would of been the #22 seed last year … Did not qualify for NCAAs as a true freshman in 2019 … In his third season in the lineup, ranked #10 by InterMat and #21 by FloWrestling … Also #13 in the last Coaches Panel Rankings, up from #17 in the first on this year … 2021 ACC Champion … Earned the OT win over #18 NCAA seed Catka of VT with a 30 second ride out in extra time … Defeated #32 NCAA seed Gunning of UNC in the semifinals … Enters the NCAAs a perfect 9-0 overall, 7-0 in duals … Four of the nine wins came vs. NCAA Qualifiers … 1 of only 2 wrestlers in the ACC to go a perfect 5-0 in ACC duals this season (Bolen - VT, 184) … In ACC dual action, held a 6-0 advantage in takedowns this season … Has only conceded one takedown the entire season.

About McAleavey: A Sr., currently ranked #13 nationally and making his first trip to NCAAs … 2021 SoCon champion, first for the school since 2015 … 15-1 on the season, lone loss to #20 Miller of UVA (4-0).

Winner/Loser faces #7 seed Ethan Laird (Rider – 8-1) or #26 seed Sam Schuley (Buffalo – 8-2)

2021 NCAA Championships: Day 1 @PackWrestle Preview

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Daniel Bullard

Thomas Bullard

Jakob Camacho

Nick Gwiazdowski

Hayden Hidlay

Trent Hidlay

Ryan Jack

Nick Reenan

Jarrett Trombley

Deonte Wilson

Tariq Wilson

2021 NCAA Championships: Day 1 @PackWrestle Preview

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Daniel Bullard

Thomas Bullard

Jakob Camacho

Nick Gwiazdowski

Hayden Hidlay

Trent Hidlay

Ryan Jack

Nick Reenan

Jarrett Trombley

Deonte Wilson

Tariq Wilson

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