Former NC State All-America wrestler Hayden Hidlay returns to join Wolfpack coaching staff

A familiar face is headed home. Hayden Hidlay, a five-time All-American during his collegiate career on the mat at NC State, is returning to the program as an assistant coach, the team announced Tuesday.

“I am honored to be returning to NC State wrestling,” Hidlay said via statement. “First, I would like to thank my wife for always being by my side and making this journey with me. I know all this means even more to be starting our family in Raleigh. I want to thank [head coach] Pat [Popolizio] for believing in me to join his vision for the program I hold so close to my heart.  

“I want to also thank Chris Ayres and Obe Blanc. The past three years learning from them has been invaluable to my coaching career. 

“The stakes have never been higher for NC State wrestling. The competition in our conference has never been tougher. I know what is needed of me, and I am ready to answer the call. I know I’m at my best in this sport when I have my brother [Trent Hidlay, Wolfpack Regional Training Center athlete] by my side, and we are ready to give everything we have to make this program the best it can be.”

Hidlay spent the last two seasons as an integral part of Stanford’s coaching staff. He helped produce a pair of All-Americans in his first season on The Farm before guiding No. 10 seed Aden Valencia to the 149-pound national championship this past weekend in Cleveland. 

The Lewistown, Pa., native previously spent the 2023-24 season as an assistant at North Dakota State, while he began his coaching career as NC State’s student-athlete development coordinator during the 2022-23 campaign following his career coming to a close. 

Hidlay isn’t a stranger to NC State, rather he’s one of the most decorated wrestlers in Wolfpack program history. 

He finished his collegiate career with the second-best winning percentage by any NC State wrestler (.909), while his 110 career victories are the third most in program history. Additionally, Hidlay became the team’s first-ever five-time All American with a runner-up finish in 2018, while he also placed third, fourth and fifth throughout his career as well. 

Hidlay was also a four-time ACC champion — one of 10 wrestlers in conference history to achieve that mark. He was also named the ACC Wrestler of the Year and ACC Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2020. 

“Hayden was one of the most impactful student-athletes we’ve ever had, not only just within our program, but both at the conference and national levels too,” Popolizio said. “As one of the winningest wrestlers in NC State school history, he was our program’s first-ever five-time All-American, all while accumulating academic accolades across the board as well.

“… Hayden will continue to instill our program’s culture that he helped build as an athlete. We are thrilled at the opportunity to have him back in Raleigh, back in the wrestling room that he accomplished so much in.”