How NC State's wrestlers stack up against the rest of the ACC heading into conference duals

ACC dual action begins Friday night as NC State will host Virginia. Over the next six Friday nights, it will be nothing but conference foes for the Pack.

The ACC will be very competitive this year, as NC State, Virginia Tech and Stanford look to be the top tier, while Pitt, North Carolina and Virginia all have younger squads but could get multiple podium finishes at the ACC Championships themselves.

As we begin the second part of the wrestling season, here is a weight-by-weight look at the ACC as conference duals get underway.

125: No. 1 Vince Robinson (9-1)

Around the ACC: No. 4 Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech), No. 13 Nico Provo (Stanford), No. 16 Kysen Terukina (North Carolina), No. 23 Keyveon Roller (Virginia)

What once was a very top-heavy weight has turned into maybe the best weight class this year in the ACC. Robinson is the defending NCAA champion, but his archrival Ventresca is wrestling at a high level as well. Ventresca is 3-0 all-time against Robinson, including 1-0 this year. Provo is back after missing all last season, and he was ranked No. 1 nationally after winning the 2023 Cliff Keen. Terukina transferred from Iowa State and started the season 11-0 before his first loss in the championship of the Soldier Salute last weekend.

133: No. 32 Troy Hohman (8-5) -OR- Zach Redding (4-5)

Around the ACC: No. 7 Tyler Knox (Stanford), No. 11 Dillon Campbell (Virginia Tech), No. 17 Ethan Oakley, No. 29 Evan Tallmadge (Pitt)

NC State must decide on a starter sooner than later and get an NCAA allocation with whomever wins the starting spot. Knox was an All-American last year as a freshman. R-Fr. Campbell from VT made an immediate impact on the lineup, off to a 16-4 start. Oakley was an App State transfer last year and is a three-time NCAA Qualifier.

141: No. 8 Ryan Jack (7-3)

Around the ACC: No. 17 Jack Consiglio (Stanford), No. 20 Luke Simcox (North Carolina), No. 23 Tom Crook (Virginia Tech), No. 29 Anthony Santaniello (Pitt)

Coming off a redshirt season last year, Jack was the 2024 ACC champion and earned All-American honors. He is looking to repeat in his last season. His top two challengers are both R-Fr., Consiglio was the No. 35 overall recruit in the 2024 class, while Simcox was No. 19. Like Jack, Crook redshirted last season. Can he reverse the Jack curse, as Crook is 0-5 all-time in their matches.

149: No. 5 Koy Buesgens (13-1)

Around the ACC: No. 13 Aden Valencia (Stanford), No. 24 Cade Brown (Pitt), No. 28 Ethen Miler (Virginia Tech)

Early season most improved wrestler for NC State is Buesgens. His lone loss was off a controversial takedown at Ohio State. This weight class has cleared out and brings new competition for Buesgens this year. Valencia is another top recruit in his first season in the lineup for Stanford. What will Virginia Tech do at 149 pounds? Miller transferred from Maryland where he was at 157 pounds, but he donned the Hokie singlet for the first time at the Midlands at a new weight. VT also has a pair of stud true freshmen who have seen action.

157: Latrell Schafer (6-5) -Maybe- Brogan Tucker (7-2) -OR- Daniel Zepeda (4-1)

Around the ACC: No. 9 Daniel Cardenas (Stanford), No. 18 Dylan Evans (Pitt), No. 29 Colton Washleski (Virginia), No. 30 Laird Root (North Carolina)

Big questions marks at this weight for both NC State and Virginia Tech. NC State’s Jackson Arrington was the second-highest ranked wrestler in the conference at 11^th when he was shut down for the season. For VT, 2025 ACC champion Fr. Rafael Hipolito transferred to Oklahoma and Miller was brought in, but he made his season debut at 149 pounds. Rumors are NCAA Qualifier Mac Church will come down from 165 pounds, or one of the two true freshmen at 149 could come up. No matter how it plays out, Cardenas is a heavy favorite for the ACC title. He redshirted last year but was an All-American with a fourth-place finish in 2024.

165: No. 16 Will Denny (8-2)

Around the ACC: No. 6 Hunter Garvin (Stanford), No. 13 Bryce Hepner (North Carolina), No. 15 Ryan Burton (Virginia Tech)

Youth vs. Experience for the top four in this weight class. The Pack’s Denny has shot up the national rankings, and it appears Burton won the starting spot for the Hokies after most thought he would be at 174. Burton was the #14 overall recruit in the 2025 class, while Denny was No. 16. Garvin won Stanford’s first ACC title last year and is a two-time All-American (2024 and 2025) in his first two seasons. Hepner transferred in from Ohio State for his final season.

174: No. 5 Matty Singleton (8-1)

Around the ACC: No. 20 Aidan Wallace (Duke), No. 23 Luca Augustine (Pitt), No. 24 Lorenzo Norman (Stanford), No. 27 Nick Hamilton (Virginia)

For the second straight year, with the top five, no results from this weight class should surprise fans this year. Singleton was the ACC champion last year but took losses in dual action. Augustine is a four-year starter at Pitt, and a three-time NCAA Qualifier. Norman was the talk of this weight last year before struggling with injuries at the end, but some media predict an All-American season for him once fully healthy. Hamilton is a former ACC champion at 165 pounds.

184: Don Cates (4-5)

Around the ACC: No. 18 Jake Dailey (North Carolina), No. 32 Jaden Bullock (Virginia Tech)

The weight class cleared out the most, with only two ranked wrestlers and no returners from last year. A Virginia native, Bullock transferred from Michigan for his final season. This is Don Cates’ first season back after taking the last two years, and first up at 184 pounds. Dailey was the No. 53 recruit in 2024 who redshirted last year. He is off to a 12-2 start, a perfect 6-0 in duals, with a pair of ranked wins. 

197: No. 25 Patrick Brophy (3-0)

Around the ACC: No. 11 Mac Stout (Pitt), No. 17 Sonny Sasso (Virginia Tech), No. 19 Angelo Posada (Stanford)

Stout is the defending ACC champion and earned All-American honors last year. Sasso waited his turn to crack the lineup but scores a lot of points and gets a lot of falls. Posada is another R-Fr. For Stanford. Brophy just entered the Pack’s lineup once the semester changed over, he was an NCAA Qualifier at The Citadel last year.

285: No. 2 Isaac Trumble (6-0)

Around the ACC: No. 12 Jimmy Mullen (Virginia Tech), No. 17 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt), No. 25 Connor Barket (Duke), No. 29 Nolan Neves (North Carolina)

The top three in this weight class will all be fighting for a spot on the podium at NCAAs. Trumble is a returning All-American but suffered a knee injury at the NCAAs and has been eased back into the lineup. Pitzer is the defending ACC champion and made the Blood Round a year ago. Mullen was a top-10 recruit, and now that he has given up football at Virginia Tech, has made his way up into the national rankings.