NC State Wrestling Loads Up on Top Matchups for 2023-24 Campaign

RALEIGH, N.C. – While we wait for the official release of the 2023-24 NC State Wrestling schedule, we perused the internet and put together what match-ups have already been made public. 

The home schedule is highlighted by ACC duals with North Carolina and Virginia Tech and a non-conference clash with Cornell. The Pack will also return to Italy this December to face off against Oklahoma State.

North Carolina will host the ACC Championships this year, and the Pack will be looking for a school record sixth-straight conference title, and the NCAA Championships will take place in Kansas City, Missouri.

All the action kicks off with the Pack’s annual Wrestle-Offs, held on Friday, Oct. 27 inside Reynolds Coliseum.

While you don’t always know which wrestlers will hit at tournaments (we have confirmed the Pack will be returning to Cliff Keen in Las Vegas), here is a look at some of the premier match-ups for the probable NC State starters this upcoming season with duals we know are on the schedule.

125

#12 Jakob Camacho vs. #2 Anthony Noto (Lock Haven)

Camacho missed all of last season due to injury, but came back strong this summer and placed third at 57kg at the U.S. Open. He is a three-time NCAA Qualifier and has high hopes to earn All-American status for the first time, something that Noto accomplished last season as he placed fourth at the 2023 NCAA Championships after winning a MAC title for the second straight season. Noto was in the NC State wrestling room as a true freshman in 2021 before transferring.

Other top battles on the dual schedule:

#1 Matt Ramos (Purdue)
#4 Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech)
#10 Brett Ungar (Cornell)

133

#5 Kai Orine vs. #1 Vito Arujau (Cornell)

Orine had a breakout season last year, winning an ACC title in OT and then going on to earn All-American honors with an eight place finish at the NCAAs. At the same tournament, Arujau won top honors for the first time in his career, and followed that up with a World Championship title just last month at 61 kg. This dual will also be in Reynolds Coliseum, and it is always something to see a returning NCAA champion in action.

Other top battles on the dual schedule:

#2 Daton Fix (Oklahoma State)
#4 Sam Latona (Virginia Tech)
#9 Nic Bouzakis (Ohio State)

141

#10 Ryan Jack vs. #4 Lachlan McNeil (UNC)

Jack holds the lead in the all-time series between these 2 at 2-1, with both wins coming last season – 7-5 in the dual and 4-3 at the ACC Championship. Jack had a disappointing run at the NCAAs after entering as the fifth seed, while McNeil exceeded expectations and earned All-American honors with his fourth place finish. After competing for Canada at the recent World Championships, McNeil will be the Tar Heels’ top wrestler this year under new head coach Rob Koll.

Other top battles on the dual schedule:

#6 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State)
#8 Cole Matthews (Pitt)

149

#8 Jackson Arrington vs. #4 Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech)

Another conference rivalry which we could see play out for three more years. The two met twice as true freshmen last season, Henson taking a 6-1 win in the dual but Arrington closing the gap but falling in the ACC Finals, 4-2. Arrington was a win away from All-American honors last year making it to the Round of 12, while Henson placed fifth for All-American honors.

Other top battles on the dual schedule:

#6 Dylan D’Emilio (Ohio State)
#18 Michael Gioffre (Virginia)

157

#5 Ed Scott vs. #6 Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech)

Both grapplers are returning All-Americans from last year, as Scott placed fifth and Andonian took seventh. These two have already faced off five times in collegiate matchups, with Andonian holding a 4-1 all-time lead in the series having won the first four bouts including 24-10 (in the dual) and 15-9 (at the ACC Championship) last year. Scott came out on top in the last battle at the NCAA Championships, scoring a fall over Andonian.

Other top battles on the dual schedule:

#16 Paddy Gallagher (Ohio State)
#19 Tommy Asked (App State)

165

Unknown vs. #13 Holden Heller (Pitt)

This is likely the lone starting spot undecided (at least publicly), it looks either Derek Fields or Matty Singleton will fill the role. Singleton recently took Bronze at the U20 World Championships, but he still has a redshirt season available and his natural weight is more at 174. Fields saw spot action last and enters his third year in the program. Heller is a two-time NCAA Qualifier, and he was the top seed at the ACC Championships last year. He also looks to be the favorite in the conference going into this season.

Other top battles on the dual schedule:

#6 Izzak Olejnik (Oklahoma State)
#7 Julian Ramirez (Cornell)

174

#22 Alex Faison vs. #3 Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech)

Alex Faison thought his collegiate wrestling career was over after last season but, after talking to the NC State coaches, he decided to come back for one final season. Lewis is a former national champion (2019 at 165), who has been one of the ACC’s best wrestlers over the last few seasons. The two matched up twice last year. Lewis took an 8-2 win in the dual, but in the ACC Championships finals Faison had one of his best matches of the season as the two went into OT. Lewis prevailed 2-1 in rideouts, but Faison showed a few times in that match he was very close to the upset with a takedown.

Other top battles on the dual schedule:

#2 Chris Foca (Cornell)
#7 Carson Kharchia (Ohio State)
#9 Justin McCoy (Virginia)

184

#28 Dylan Fishback vs. #6 Gavin Kane (UNC)

The top of the ACC at 184 pounds really cleared out after this past season, as Trent Hidlay (moving up to 197) and Hunter Bolen (out of eligibility) won the last four ACC titles combined at this weight but have both moved on. A top-10 recruit nationally who redshirted last season, all eyes will be on Fishback this season to see how he fills in for Hidlay at 184 pounds. The clear favorite in the ACC is now UNC’s Gavin Kane, who claimed his first All-American honors last season with an eighth place finish.

Other top battles on the dual schedule:

#1 Parker Keckeisen (N. Iowa)
#4 Dustin Plott (Oklahoma State)
#8 Jonathan Loew (Cornell)

197

#5 Trent Hidlay vs. #6 Jacob Cardenas (Cornell)

For his final campaign, Hidlay is moving up a weight class to 197 pounds. The three-time ACC Champion (all at 184), has placed second, fifth and fourth at the NCAA Championships during his career. Cardenas is a returning All-American, having placed eight last season. This match-up will be the second-to-last bout for Hidlay inside Reynolds Coliseum.

Other top battles on the dual schedule:

#11 Gavin Hoffman (Ohio State)
#16 Andy Smith (Virginia Tech)
#18 Mac Stout (Pitt)

285

#8 Owen Trephan vs. #9 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt)

A pair of top-10 heavyweights from the ACC, these two look to lead the conference. Trephan is the returning ACC champion who will be looking to improve upon his NCAA results. Pitzer made national headlines with his performance last year at Midlands before deciding to stay in redshirt. They met last season in the dual, with Trephan taking a 3-1 OT win.

Other top battles on the dual schedule:

#11 Lewis Fernandes (Cornell)
#20 Nick Feldman (Ohio State)

From media reports and other schedules already released, here is a tentative NC State Wrestling schedule that we were able to put together. Again, this is not official, that announcement should be made soon on GoPack.com.

NC State Wrestle-Offs (Oct. 27 @ Reynolds)

Vs. Presbyterian (@ Fort Liberty)
@ Appalachian State
@ WrangleMania (vs. Bloomsburg, vs. Purdue)
@ WrangleMania Round Robin
@ Army
@ Armbar at the Armory (vs. Sacred Heart, vs. Binghamton)
@ Cliff Keen Invitational
@ Collegiate Duals (vs. Lock Haven, vs. Northern Iowa, vs. Ohio State – different format this year with three known opponents)
Vs. Oklahoma State (@ Italy)
@ Hofstra
@ Pittsburgh
Vs. North Carolina
Vs. Virginia
Vs. Cornell
@ Duke
Vs. Virginia Tech
@ ACC Championship (@ North Carolina)
@ NCAA Championships (@ Kansas City)