@PackWrestle Announces 2021 Signing Class
4/28/2021 8:25:00 AM | Wrestling
RALEIGH, N.C. - Coming off three straight ACC Championships, the NC State wrestling team will add yet another highly regarded recruiting class to add into the mix for the 2021-22 collegiate season.
The Pack's incoming class is the fourth in the last six years be be ranked as a top-10 recruiting class nationally, including a second straight top-10 class. NC State has put together four straight top-20 classes.
The 2016 recruiting class (Super Seniors in 2022) was the #1 class nationally, followed by the 2018 class being ranked #3 overall. The Wolfpack put together another top-10 class that were freshmen in 2020-21, as the Pack's class of 2020 was ranked #8.
COMPLETE BIOS ON THE WOLFPACK'S SIGNEES (listed by tentative future weight class):
Stevo Poulin
125 pounds
Shenendehowa, N.Y. • Shenendehowa HS
Prep:
- New York did not have a full season in 2021.
- Three-time New York Division I state champion (113 as a junior, 106 as a sophomore and 99 as a freshman).
- Posted a 132-1 career record (47-0 as a junior, 44-0 as a sophomore and 41-1 as a freshman).
- Named to Amateur Wrestling News' High School All-American Second-Team as a junior.
- Member of the 2019 Cadet World Team at 48 kg. Placed fifth at the World Championships.
- Won Super 32 in 2018. Also won titles at Beast of the East, Eastern State Championships and Reno Tournament of Champions.
- High school teammate of fellow signee Brock DelSignore.
Rankings:
- Ranked #20 nationally and #5Â at 126Â pounds by FloWrestling
- Ranked #3 at 126 pounds by TrackWrestling
- Ranked #31 nationally and #5 at 126 pounds by MatScouts
Skylar Smith
133/141 pounds
Northlake, Texas • Liberty Christian HS
Prep:
- Four-time Texas Prep State Champion in four different weight classes. Also named Most Outstanding Wrestling all four years.
- 2021 TAPPS state champion at 138 pounds as a senior. Earned lower weight class wrestler of the meet honors. Scored a pin in the finals.
- Also won state titles as a junior (132), sophomore (126) and freshman (120).
- National Prep placed in 2020, and National Prep runner-up in 2019.
- Podium finish at 2019 Super 32.
- A 2019 NHSCA All-American.
Rankings:
- Ranked #100 nationally by MatScouts
James Joplin
133 pounds
Greensboro, N.C. • NE Guilford HS
Prep:
- The 2021 North Carolina high school season started in April.
- NC 4A state champion as a junior at 120 pounds.
- Took fourth place as a sophomore at 120 pounds.
- Third place as a freshman at 113 pounds.
- Was sixth at NHSCA as a senior at 126 pounds.
- A NHSCA Sophomore Nationals finalist at 113 pounds.
- Father wrestled at Virginia Tech.
Rankings:
- Ranked #299Â nationally by MatScouts
Luke Ahrberg
149/157 pounds
Cushing, Okla. • Cushing HS
Prep:
- Two-time Oklahoma state champion. Went 100-12 overall in final three seasons, making the state finals all three years.
- Oklahoma 4A state champion at 132 pounds as a senior. Went 25-2 on the year.
- Oklahoma 4A state champion at 120 pounds as a junior. Went 40-5 on the year.
- Oklahoma 4A state runner-up at 106 pounds as a sophomore. Went 35-5 on the year.
Derek Fields
165/174 pounds
Brunswick, Ohio • Brunswick HS
Prep:
- Placed third at Ohio D1 state championships at 160 pounds as a senior.
- Ohio state championships were cancelled his junior year, he was competing at 152 pounds.
- Third at NHSCA Junior Nationals.
- Placed eighth at 2020 Super 32 at 160 pounds
- Advanced to the finals of the 2019 Cadet World Team Trials in freestyle at 65 kg.
- Fargo All-American in Cadet freestyle.
- Older brother Matt is currently a R-So. on the NC State Wrestling team.
Rankings:
- Ranked #46 nationally and #8Â at 160 pounds by FloWrestling
- Ranked #7 at 160 pounds by TrackWrestling
- Ranked #33 nationally and #7Â at 160 pounds by MatScouts
Jacob Null
165/174 pounds
Dolgeville, N.Y. • Dolgeville HS
Prep:
- New York did not have a full season in 2021.
- NY Division II state champion at 160 pounds as a junior. It was the school's first-ever state title. Went a perfect 47-0 with 28 pins.
- NY Division II state runner-up at 160 pounds as a sophomore. Went 41-3.
- Placed third as a freshman at 152 pounds. Also went 41-3 that year.
- Three-time NHSCA All-American.
- 2020 Eastern States Champion.
- 2018 USAW U16 Nationals Freestyle All-American.
Rankings:
- Ranked #27 nationally and #2 at 170 pounds by FloWrestling
- Ranked #3 at 170 pounds by TrackWrestling
- Ranked #43 nationally and #8 at 170 pounds by MatScout.com
Brant Whitaker
165/174 pounds
Columbia, Mo. • Father Tolton HS
Prep:
- Three-time state champion. Went undefeated as both a junior and senior (62-0).
- Class 1 state champion at 170 pounds as a senior. Won 16-2 in the state finals and finished 30-0 on the year.
- Class 1 state champion at 160 pounds as junior. Finished 32-0 and was named the school's male athlete of the year.
- Attended Boonville HS as a freshman and sophomore.
- Class 2 state champion at 152 pounds as a sophomore with a 49-1 record.
- Class 2 state runner-up at 145 pounds as a freshman.
- Academic all-state selection first three years.
Rankings:
- Ranked #293Â nationally by MatScouts
Joey Milano
174/184 pounds
Schwenksville, Pa. • Spring-Ford HS
Prep:
- PIAA AAA state champion at 189 pounds as a senior, perfect 18-0 on the season. Scored a 15-5 major decision for the title.
- Went 129-9 in his high school career, and became only the second three-time state medalist in his school's history.
- Fourth place at 182 pounds at PA 3A state championships as a junior.
- Also placed fourth at state championships as a sophomore.
- Went 47-3 as a junior and 45-4 as a sophomore.
- Placed third at 2020 Super 32 at 182 pounds.
- AÂ seventh-place finisher at the 2019 Super 32, went on to win Escape the Rock.
- Full name is Giuseppe Milano.
Rankings:
- Ranked #42 nationally and #13Â at 182 pounds by FloWrestling
- Ranked #6 at 182 pounds by TrackWrestling
- Ranked #24 nationally and #7 at 195 pounds by MatScouts
Brock Delsignore
184/197 pounds
Shenendehowa, N.Y. • Shenendehowa HS
Prep:
- New York did not have a full season in 2021. Went 3-0 at 215 pounds, all bonus point wins.
- NY D1 state runner-up at 182 pounds as a junior. Went 44-5 on the year with 23 pins. Outscored his foes 228-15 overall.
- Qualified for state championships as both a sophomore (at 145 pounds) and freshman (120). Went a combined 77-15.
- Captured the title at the 2020 Journeymen Fall Classic.
- Podium finish at 2019 Beast of the East.
- High school teammate of fellow signee Stevo Poulin.
Rankings:
- Ranked #69 nationally and #11 at 195 pounds by FloWrestling
- Ranked #135 nationally and #22 at 195 pounds by MatScouts
Holden Cypher
184 pounds
Raleigh, N.C. • Millbrook HS
Prep:
- The 2021 North Carolina high school season started in April.
- NC 4A state champion as a junior at 182 pounds. Finished a perfect 60-0, and did not allow an offensive point the entire year.
- Was named WIN Magazine's 2020 North Carolina Wrestler of the Year.
- Placed third at the state tournament as both a sophomore and freshman (both at 182).
- Was fourth at NHSCA as a senior at 195 pounds. Podium finishes all three years he competed.
- Father also attended NC State for an engineering degree.
