*NOTE* - I want to make it clear what this is and what this is not. What this is NOT is an overview of the entire team. What this is, is a who’s who preview of THIS season 2022-2023. Meaning that I am going to talk about the starters who I feel will have an impact THIS year. Those who will win big matches in duals. Those who will earn placings in major tournaments like CKLV, RENO, MIDLANDS, MATMEN INVITE, SOUTHERN SCUFFLE, CONFERENCES & NCAA’s. In some cases a weight class will have multiple talented wrestlers. I will note that & I will also be making posts later on about the best wrestle-offs to look forward to this season. Then after that is determined I will make post later into the season of who our best backups are in the nation.
This post will NOT include redshirts. Those who are redshirting this season will be included in a separate post entitled “22’-23’ Best Redshirts.”
The Pack is looking tough this season. From where I sit right now, very capable of qualifying 9 to the NCAA's. Gone is Tariq Wilson, a three time All American twice 3rd & once 7th. What a fun, exciting wrestler he was to watch on the mat. When he got going their was no stopping him. Also gone is four time ACC champ/four time All American (2nd-4th-5th-3rd) Hayden Hidlay, as well as four time qualifier Thomas Bullard, three time qualifier Nick Reenan & two time qualifier Deonte Wilson. NCST said goodbyes to some incredible talent, but they also say welcome back to some other incredible talent. It'll be another good year.
Rumor has it that Jakob Camacho will be out this season with an injury. Not sure if that is true or just rumor. A three time NCAA qualifier, he was one match shy of being an All American in 2021. A three time ACC finalist, he has won titles in 2020 & 2022. Also at the weight is Jarrett Trombley a two time NCAA qualifier who has thus far placed 4th twice in the ACC. This will be his first season down at 125 lbs.
18-7 on the year, Kai Orine qualified for the NCAA championships with a 3rd place finish at the ACC's as a freshman. The sophomore will continue to impress this season.
Another super tough sophomore for the Wolfpack, Ryan Jack went 18-9 on the season last year earning ACC runner-up honors. Nearly all of his losses were 1-2 points & I think many of them can be turned into wins. Simply a matter of experience & getting those freshman lumps out of the way. Wouldn't be at all surprised to see some major upgrades out of him this season.
For good reason the focus is on sophomore Ed Scott who had an outstanding season last year going 26-4 & winning an ACC title. With that said, you're a fool if you overlook A.J. Kovacs. Also a sophomore, he was 18-8 on the season & had some very impressive wins of his own. He nearly majored R12'er Dazjon Casto of Pittsburgh (The Citadel) as he also defeated Cody Bond of Appalachian State & Joe Lee of Penn State. Although Scott pinned him in 2:18, in their other meeting it was Kovacs whose hand was raised in a 9-8 decision. North Carolina State isn't hurting for talent at 157, I'll say that.
A backup for Bullard last season, Donald Cates had some impressive victories in his own right. A 9-4 decision of Drew Nicholson of Virginia Tech (Chattanooga) & a 5-3 tiebreaker of R.J. Mosley of Gardner Webb. He was also R12 at the Southern Scuffle.
This is a wrestle-off I am interested in seeing how it turns out. Got a redshirt freshman taking on a junior for the varsity position. Joey Milano looked pretty sharp in his redshirt this past season earning a R12 finish at the Southern Scuffle & scoring an impressive 7-3 decision over NCAA qualifier DeAndre Nassar of Cleveland State. 14-3 on the season, Alex Faison had some impressive victories of his own. A 10-4 decision over Thomas Flitz of Appalachian State & a 5-4 decision of North Carolina's Gavin Kane.
The two time ACC champion has thus far finished 2nd & 5th in the nation as he heads into his junior season. To put it blunt, to put it simply, he's one of the contenders for the NCAA title this season.
Gonna say a lot of the same things I said about Ryan Jack. Isaac Trumble is a tremendous young talent who I think is an extremely bright future. 21-6 on the season, I feel a lot of his losses last year were simply a matter of being young. NCAA DI wrestling is a jungle & it takes time to learn how to hunt in the hostile environment. During the post season he lost some matches that he had won earlier in the year. Again, I think that was simply just a part of being a freshman. Talent wise this guy has an ability to win a national title. He's got three more tries to get it done. Anxious to see if he will.
Both of these guys are very talented. It's hard knowing that one of them is going to start at the ACC's while the other one is going to have to watch. Houghton was an NCAA qualifier & an ACC runner-up last season. Trephan scored a 5-3 victory over Hunter Catka of Virginia Tech & a 12-4 victory over South Dakota State's A.J. Nevills. Not to mention he defeated Michael McAleavey of The Citadel twice. Between Houghton & Trephan they are 1-1 officially. Trephan with a 7-4 victory & Houghton with a 3-2 tiebreaker. They finished 5th & 6th at the Southern Scuffle respectively. We have ourselves at good wrestle-off.
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| 125 lbs Jarrett Trombley OR Jakob Camacho |
Rumor has it that Jakob Camacho will be out this season with an injury. Not sure if that is true or just rumor. A three time NCAA qualifier, he was one match shy of being an All American in 2021. A three time ACC finalist, he has won titles in 2020 & 2022. Also at the weight is Jarrett Trombley a two time NCAA qualifier who has thus far placed 4th twice in the ACC. This will be his first season down at 125 lbs.
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| 133 lbs Kai Orine |
18-7 on the year, Kai Orine qualified for the NCAA championships with a 3rd place finish at the ACC's as a freshman. The sophomore will continue to impress this season.
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| 141 lbs Ryan Jack |
Another super tough sophomore for the Wolfpack, Ryan Jack went 18-9 on the season last year earning ACC runner-up honors. Nearly all of his losses were 1-2 points & I think many of them can be turned into wins. Simply a matter of experience & getting those freshman lumps out of the way. Wouldn't be at all surprised to see some major upgrades out of him this season.
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| 157 lbs Ed Scott OR A.J. Kovacs |
For good reason the focus is on sophomore Ed Scott who had an outstanding season last year going 26-4 & winning an ACC title. With that said, you're a fool if you overlook A.J. Kovacs. Also a sophomore, he was 18-8 on the season & had some very impressive wins of his own. He nearly majored R12'er Dazjon Casto of Pittsburgh (The Citadel) as he also defeated Cody Bond of Appalachian State & Joe Lee of Penn State. Although Scott pinned him in 2:18, in their other meeting it was Kovacs whose hand was raised in a 9-8 decision. North Carolina State isn't hurting for talent at 157, I'll say that.
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| 165 lbs Donald Cates |
A backup for Bullard last season, Donald Cates had some impressive victories in his own right. A 9-4 decision of Drew Nicholson of Virginia Tech (Chattanooga) & a 5-3 tiebreaker of R.J. Mosley of Gardner Webb. He was also R12 at the Southern Scuffle.
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| 174 lbs Joey Milano OR Alex Faison |
This is a wrestle-off I am interested in seeing how it turns out. Got a redshirt freshman taking on a junior for the varsity position. Joey Milano looked pretty sharp in his redshirt this past season earning a R12 finish at the Southern Scuffle & scoring an impressive 7-3 decision over NCAA qualifier DeAndre Nassar of Cleveland State. 14-3 on the season, Alex Faison had some impressive victories of his own. A 10-4 decision over Thomas Flitz of Appalachian State & a 5-4 decision of North Carolina's Gavin Kane.
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| 197 lbs Trent Hidlay |
The two time ACC champion has thus far finished 2nd & 5th in the nation as he heads into his junior season. To put it blunt, to put it simply, he's one of the contenders for the NCAA title this season.
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| 197 lbs Isaac Trumble |
Gonna say a lot of the same things I said about Ryan Jack. Isaac Trumble is a tremendous young talent who I think is an extremely bright future. 21-6 on the season, I feel a lot of his losses last year were simply a matter of being young. NCAA DI wrestling is a jungle & it takes time to learn how to hunt in the hostile environment. During the post season he lost some matches that he had won earlier in the year. Again, I think that was simply just a part of being a freshman. Talent wise this guy has an ability to win a national title. He's got three more tries to get it done. Anxious to see if he will.
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| HWT Tyrie Houghton OR Owen Trephan |
Both of these guys are very talented. It's hard knowing that one of them is going to start at the ACC's while the other one is going to have to watch. Houghton was an NCAA qualifier & an ACC runner-up last season. Trephan scored a 5-3 victory over Hunter Catka of Virginia Tech & a 12-4 victory over South Dakota State's A.J. Nevills. Not to mention he defeated Michael McAleavey of The Citadel twice. Between Houghton & Trephan they are 1-1 officially. Trephan with a 7-4 victory & Houghton with a 3-2 tiebreaker. They finished 5th & 6th at the Southern Scuffle respectively. We have ourselves at good wrestle-off.
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