NC STATE WRESTLING: Pack to Host #12 Virginia on Senior Day
ACC Dual will be broadcast for free on GoPack.com's All-Access
RALEIGH, N.C. ? The NC State wrestling team will host its final home dual of the season, as the Wolfpack will host No. 12 Virginia on Senior Day this Sunday at 2 p.m. Admission is free at Reynolds Coliseum, and the dual will be broadcast on GoPack.com's All-Access.
Honoring the Seniors
Two NC State seniors will be honored before the dual:
KaRonne Jones (Fayetteville, N.C.) ? A three-year starter at 197 pounds. Currently has 30 career wins, including 12 this year. Has posted back-to-back ACC wins, including defeating No. 22 Chris Penny of Virginia Tech.
Nijel Jones (Asheville, N.C.) ? A three-year starter at 165 pounds. Currently has 75 career wins, including 10 this year. Was a 2013 NCAA Qualifier, and led the Pack with 27 wins and won the Reno Tournament of Champions last year.
Dual Success
Thirteen of the Pack's first 14 duals of the 2013-14 season were nonconference match-ups, and now the Pack finishes with five ACC duals over its final seven. NC State posts a 12-4 dual record thus far, with all four losses coming to ranked foes. The Pack has outscored the opposition 434-188 thus far in duals.
Conquering the Duals
The Pack has had many top performances from its wrestlers in duals this season:
? Sam Speno ? 13-3 at 141 pounds, has won four of last five.
? Tommy Gantt ? 12-1 at 157 pounds, has won eight straight.
? Pete Renda ? 14-1 at 174 pounds, has won seven straight.
? Nick Gwiazdowski ? perfect 15-0 at 285 pounds, all bonus point wins.
Exclusive Club
Three NC State wrestlers have already crossed the 20-win plateau this year. Sam Speno is just one win away at 141 pounds from joining this group.
History vs. Virginia
NC State and Virginia will be facing each other in a dual for the 61st time since the start of ACC competition. The Pack currently leads the series, 30-29-1.
The Competition
Virginia enters with a 15-3 record on the season, including a 3-1 mark in ACC duals. The Cavs will host North Carolina Friday night before traveling to Raleigh. Nine of Virginia's 10 starters are ranked nationally, including two in the top 10.
Common Foes
There have been no matchups between the probables from NC State and Virginia this year at open tournaments.
Live Video, Scoring, Twitter
Live video is available on @PackWrestle.
In The Rankings
Six NC State wrestlers appear in the first NCAA Division I Wrestling Coaches' Panel Rankings:
? Sam Speno - #25 at 141 pounds
? Brian Hamann - #26 at 149 pounds
? Tommy Gantt - #18 at 157 pounds
? Nijel Jones - #32 at 165 pounds
? Pete Renda - #20 at 174 pounds
? Nick Gwiazdowski - #5 at 285 pounds
Quick Shots
? NC State (6) and Virginia (9) combine to have 15 wrestlers ranked in the first NCAA Division I Coaches' Panel Rankings.
? Among NC State's probables are: 8 freshmen, 2 sophomores, 1 junior and 2 seniors.
? Nick Gwiazdowski remains ranked 10th nationally, the only wrestler at 285 ranked, in the NCAA's 2014 NCAA Most Dominant Wrestler standings.
? The Pack's 2014 recruiting class was recently ranked No. 17 by WIN Magazine.
On the Horizon
The Pack will be on the road for the final four duals before the ACC Tournament March 8 in Blacksburg, Va. Next weekend, NC State will travel to Maryland on Feb. 14 and then American on Feb. 16.
Projected Lineups
125: Brenden Calas (7-5) vs. #26 Nick Herrmann (13-7)
133: Chris Wilkes (14-9) vs. Joe Martinez (11-12)
141: #25 Sam Speno (19-6) vs. #12 Joe Spisak (16-10)
149: #26 Cohl Fulk (2-5) vs. #8 Gus Sako (15-2)
157: #18 Tommy Gantt (26-6) vs. #16 Blaise Butler (15-6)
165: #32 Max Rohskopf (7-9) vs. #2 Nick Sulzer (27-1)
174: #20 Pete Renda (22-6) vs. #13 Stephen Doty (22-7)
184: Michael Macchiavello (9-10) vs. #18 Jon Fausey (12-7) or James Suvak (10-8)
197: KaRonne Jones (12-6) vs. #23 Zach Nye (15-8)
285: #5 Nick Gwiazdowski (30-2) vs. #25 Ethan Hayes (13-13) or Collin Campbell (7-7)
ACC Dual will be broadcast for free on GoPack.com's All-Access
RALEIGH, N.C. ? The NC State wrestling team will host its final home dual of the season, as the Wolfpack will host No. 12 Virginia on Senior Day this Sunday at 2 p.m. Admission is free at Reynolds Coliseum, and the dual will be broadcast on GoPack.com's All-Access.
Honoring the Seniors
Two NC State seniors will be honored before the dual:
KaRonne Jones (Fayetteville, N.C.) ? A three-year starter at 197 pounds. Currently has 30 career wins, including 12 this year. Has posted back-to-back ACC wins, including defeating No. 22 Chris Penny of Virginia Tech.
Nijel Jones (Asheville, N.C.) ? A three-year starter at 165 pounds. Currently has 75 career wins, including 10 this year. Was a 2013 NCAA Qualifier, and led the Pack with 27 wins and won the Reno Tournament of Champions last year.
Dual Success
Thirteen of the Pack's first 14 duals of the 2013-14 season were nonconference match-ups, and now the Pack finishes with five ACC duals over its final seven. NC State posts a 12-4 dual record thus far, with all four losses coming to ranked foes. The Pack has outscored the opposition 434-188 thus far in duals.
Conquering the Duals
The Pack has had many top performances from its wrestlers in duals this season:
? Sam Speno ? 13-3 at 141 pounds, has won four of last five.
? Tommy Gantt ? 12-1 at 157 pounds, has won eight straight.
? Pete Renda ? 14-1 at 174 pounds, has won seven straight.
? Nick Gwiazdowski ? perfect 15-0 at 285 pounds, all bonus point wins.
Exclusive Club
Three NC State wrestlers have already crossed the 20-win plateau this year. Sam Speno is just one win away at 141 pounds from joining this group.
History vs. Virginia
NC State and Virginia will be facing each other in a dual for the 61st time since the start of ACC competition. The Pack currently leads the series, 30-29-1.
The Competition
Virginia enters with a 15-3 record on the season, including a 3-1 mark in ACC duals. The Cavs will host North Carolina Friday night before traveling to Raleigh. Nine of Virginia's 10 starters are ranked nationally, including two in the top 10.
Common Foes
There have been no matchups between the probables from NC State and Virginia this year at open tournaments.
Live Video, Scoring, Twitter
Live video is available on @PackWrestle.
In The Rankings
Six NC State wrestlers appear in the first NCAA Division I Wrestling Coaches' Panel Rankings:
? Sam Speno - #25 at 141 pounds
? Brian Hamann - #26 at 149 pounds
? Tommy Gantt - #18 at 157 pounds
? Nijel Jones - #32 at 165 pounds
? Pete Renda - #20 at 174 pounds
? Nick Gwiazdowski - #5 at 285 pounds
Quick Shots
? NC State (6) and Virginia (9) combine to have 15 wrestlers ranked in the first NCAA Division I Coaches' Panel Rankings.
? Among NC State's probables are: 8 freshmen, 2 sophomores, 1 junior and 2 seniors.
? Nick Gwiazdowski remains ranked 10th nationally, the only wrestler at 285 ranked, in the NCAA's 2014 NCAA Most Dominant Wrestler standings.
? The Pack's 2014 recruiting class was recently ranked No. 17 by WIN Magazine.
On the Horizon
The Pack will be on the road for the final four duals before the ACC Tournament March 8 in Blacksburg, Va. Next weekend, NC State will travel to Maryland on Feb. 14 and then American on Feb. 16.
Projected Lineups
125: Brenden Calas (7-5) vs. #26 Nick Herrmann (13-7)
133: Chris Wilkes (14-9) vs. Joe Martinez (11-12)
141: #25 Sam Speno (19-6) vs. #12 Joe Spisak (16-10)
149: #26 Cohl Fulk (2-5) vs. #8 Gus Sako (15-2)
157: #18 Tommy Gantt (26-6) vs. #16 Blaise Butler (15-6)
165: #32 Max Rohskopf (7-9) vs. #2 Nick Sulzer (27-1)
174: #20 Pete Renda (22-6) vs. #13 Stephen Doty (22-7)
184: Michael Macchiavello (9-10) vs. #18 Jon Fausey (12-7) or James Suvak (10-8)
197: KaRonne Jones (12-6) vs. #23 Zach Nye (15-8)
285: #5 Nick Gwiazdowski (30-2) vs. #25 Ethan Hayes (13-13) or Collin Campbell (7-7)