Popolizio Named co-ACC Coach of the Year

RALEIGH, N.C. – For the third time in the last four seasons, NC State wrestling head coach Pat Popolizio has been named the ACC Coach of the Year, as voted by the conference's head coaches. For the 2021 season, he shared the honor with Pitt's Keith Gavin as co-ACC Coach of the Year.

Popolizio led NC State to its third consecutive team title at the ACC Championships, and the Wolfpack went on to a sixth-place NCAA team finish (68 total points) that ranked as the second-best in school history. It marked the sixth top-10 finish for the program overall, and the second top-10 finish in the last three NCAA Championships (school-best fourth in 2018).

The Wolfpack's four All-America wrestlers – which included NCAA silver medalist Trent Hidlay – tied a program record. NC State became the first school to claim three consecutive ACC wrestling championships since North Carolina won four in a row from 1997-2000. NC State claimed four ACC individual championships and finished 24 points ahead of second-place Virginia Tech in the team scoring.

NC State also finished inside the top-10 in the final NWCA Coaches Poll for the sixth straight season, #7 nationally with a 6-1 dual record in 2021, and the Pack has been ranked in the top-10 in each of the last 82 polls overall.

Players Mentioned

Trent Hidlay

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