NC State Wolfpack win sixth straight ACC Championship Title

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – NC State placed eight wrestlers in the finals and claimed seven individual gold medals to run away with the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestling Championship title for the sixth consecutive year on Sunday, March 10, in front of 3,251 fans in attendance at Carmichael Arena on the campus of the University of North Carolina.

With their sixth consecutive title, the Wolfpack are just the second wrestling program to capture at least six consecutive ACC titles and the first since former conference member Maryland won 20 in a row from 1954 through 1973.

This year’s league wrestling championship is the 21st overall for NC State, the most among current ACC programs, and the seventh overall under head coach Pat Popolizio.

NC State finished with 116.0 points, the most by an ACC wrestling champion since Virginia totaled 124 points on its way to the championship in 1974. Virginia Tech placed second with 86.5 points, while host North Carolina took third with 54. Pitt took fourth place with 47.0 points, followed by Virginia (35) and Duke (4).

Virginia’s Nick Hamilton was selected as the Championship's Most Outstanding Wrestler in a vote of the six head coaches and the media in attendance. Hamilton, who entered as the No. 4 seed at 165 pounds, posted a 14-2 major decision win in the quarterfinals and followed that with a 2-1 tiebreaker win over No. 1 seed Derek Fields of NC State to advance to the finals. In the finals, Hamilton earned a 7-2 decision over No. 21 Connor Brady of Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech’s Mekhi Lewis (174) and NC State’s Trent Hidlay (197) not only remained unbeaten on the season but also joined an elite company of ACC wrestlers as four-time conference champions, joining only 10 other grapplers. The duo also became just the fifth and sixth wrestlers in ACC history to be four-time champions while wrestling in at least two different weight classes.

No. 2 nationally ranked Lewis, who was the 2019 ACC champion at 165 pounds, became a three-time champion at 174 pounds, winning back-to-back-to-back titles over the last three years with his 8-1 decision over No. 2 seed and No. 16 ranked Justin McCoy of Virginia.

No. 2 Hidlay won his fourth gold medal, this one at 197 pounds by way of a medical forfeit from UNC’s Max Shaw in the championship match. Hidlay was a three-time champion at 184 pounds in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Also repeating as champions were NC State’s Kai Orine (133) and Owen Trephan (285), both earning their second ACC individual titles. No. 4 Orine held off No. 15 Sam Latona of Virginia Tech in a 4-1 decision, while No. 14 Trephan earned a hard-fought 4-2 decision over No. 19 Hunter Catka of the Hokies.

Winning the third gold medal of his collegiate career at 125 pounds was NC State’s No. 10 Jakob Camacho. Camacho registered his second win in less than a month over No. 6 Cooper Flynn of Virginia Tech, holding on for a 4-2 victory. Camacho was also the ACC champion at 125 pounds in 2020 and 2022.

At 157 pounds, NC State’s Ed Scott avenged his regular-season loss to North Carolina’s Sonny Santiago back on Feb. 2 with an 8-2 decision to become a two-time ACC champion, having taken the title in 2022.

In addition to UVA’s Hamilton, earning their first ACC championship individual titles were NC State’s Ryan Jack at 141 pounds and Jackson Arrington at 149 pounds, and Virginia Tech’s Thomas Stewart, Jr. at 184 pounds.

After finishing runner-up each of the last two years to Pitt’s Cole Matthews, Jack picked up a tough 4-1 win over Matthews, avenging an earlier season loss to the two-time ACC champion back on Jan. 26.

Arrington also knocked off a 2023 champion in No. 2 Caleb Henson of Virginia Tech, winning dramatically with a three-point takedown late in a 4-1 sudden victory to cap the championship.

The top seed at 184 pounds, No. 15 Stewart, Jr. scored two early takedowns to take an early lead and hold on to an 8-5 decision over No. 10 Dylan Fishback of NC State to win his first conference crown.

In addition to determining league champions, this year’s ACC Wrestling Championship filled the conference’s 28 automatic NCAA berths with the champions and runner-up at each weight class.

Runner-up and automatic qualifiers included VT’s Flynn (125), VT’s Latona (133), UNC’s Santiago (157), VT’s Brady (165), UVA’s McCoy (174), NCSU’s Fishback (184), UNC’s Max Shaw (197), and VT’s Catka (285).

Also earning an automatic berth were Virginia’s Marlon Yarbrough (133) and North Carolina’s Lachlan McNeil (141) with their respective third-place finishes at 133 and 141 pounds. North Carolina’s Tyler Eischens (third) and NC State’s Alex Faison (fourth) both qualified at 174 pounds, Pitt’s Reece Heller (third) and North Carolina’s Gavin Kane (fourth) qualified at 184 pounds, while Pitt’s Max Stout (third) and Virginia’s Krystian Kinsey (fourth) will represent the ACC at the NCAA Championships at 197 pounds.

The ACC is hopeful of landing additional at-large spots in the 2024 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, which will be held March 21-23 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

Brackets and full results can be found here.

125 pounds

Jakob Camacho (NC State)

Cooper Flynn (Virginia Tech)

133 pounds

Kai Orine (NC State)

Sam Latona (Virginia Tech)

Marlon Yarbrough (Virginia)

141 pounds

Cole Matthews (Pittsburgh)

Ryan Jack (NC State)

Lachlan McNeil (North Carolina)

149 pounds

Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech)

Jackson Arrington (NC State)

157 pounds

Sonny Santiago (North Carolina)

Ed Scott (NC State)

165 pounds

Nick Hamilton (Virginia)

Connor Brady (Virginia Tech)

174 pounds

Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech)

Justin McCoy (Virginia)

Tyler Eischens (North Carolina)

Alex Faison (NC State)

184 pounds

TJ Stewart (Virginia Tech)

Dylan Fishback (NC State)

Reece Heller (Pittsburgh)

Gavin Kane (North Carolina)

197 pounds

Trent Hidlay (NC State)

Max Shaw (North Carolina)

Mac Stout (Pittsburgh)

Krystian Kinsey (Virginia)

285 pounds

Owen Trephan (NC State)

Hunter Catka (Virginia Tech)

125 – Jakob Camacho (NCSU) dec. Cooper Flynn (VT) – 4-2

133 –Kai Orine (NCSU) dec. Sam Latona (VT) – 4-0

141 –Ryan Jack (NCSU) dec. Cole Matthews (Pitt) – 4-1

149 –Jackson Arrington (NCSU) dec. Caleb Henson (VT) – 4-1 SV-1

157 – Ed Scott (NCSU) dec. Sonny Santiago (UNC) – 8-2

165 – Nick Hamilton (UVA) dec. Connor Brady (VT) – 7-2

174 – Mekhi Lewis (VT) dec. Justin McCoy (UVA) – 8-1

184 –Thomas Stewart, Jr. (VT) dec. Dylan Fishback (NCSU) – 8-5

197 –Trent Hidlay (NCSU) over Max Shaw (UNC) – medical forfeit

285 – Owen Trephan (NCSU) dec. Hunter Catka (VT) – 4-2

125 pounds

Jakob Camacho (NC State) pin Logan Agin (Duke), 5:41

Cooper Flynn (Virginia Tech) dec. Colton Camacho (Pittsburgh), 4-2

133 pounds

Kai Orine (NC State) maj. dec. Vincent Santaniello (Pittsburgh), 10-0

Sam Latona (Virginia Tech) 20-6 won in TB-2 by riding time over Marlon Yarbrough (Virginia) 0-1 (TB-2 (RT) 2-2)

141 pounds

Cole Matthews (Pittsburgh) dec. Lachlan McNeil (North Carolina), SV-1 4-1

Ryan Jack (NC State) maj. dec. Tom Crook (Virginia Tech), 14-6

149 pounds

Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech) dec. Finn Solomon (Pittsburgh), 8-1

Jackson Arrington (NC State) maj. dec. Jayden Scott (North Carolina), 11-2

157 pounds

Sonny Santiago (North Carolina) dec. Jared Keslar (Pittsburgh), 4-2

Ed Scott (NC State) maj. dec. Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech), 14-5

165 pounds

Nick Hamilton (Virginia) won in tie breaker Derek Fields (NC State), TB-1 2-1

Connor Brady (Virginia Tech) dec. Holden Heller (Pittsburgh), 9-3

174 pounds

Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) dec. Alex Faison (NC State), 5-1

Justin McCoy (Virginia) sudden victory Tyler Eischens (North Carolina), SV-1 9-6

184 pounds

Thomas Stewart Jr (Virginia Tech) sudden victory Gavin Kane (North Carolina), SV-1 7-4

Dylan Fishback (NC State) dec. Reece Heller (Pittsburgh), 8-2

197 pounds

Trent Hidlay (NC State) tech. fall Mac Stout (Pittsburgh), 19-4

Max Shaw (North Carolina) dec. Andy Smith (Virginia Tech), 5-2

285 pounds

Owen Trephan (NC State) dec. Dayton Pitzer (Pittsburgh), 7-3

Hunter Catka (Virginia Tech) dec. Ryan Catka (Virginia), 7-3

125 pounds

Jakob Camacho (NC State) received a bye

Logan Agin (Duke) dec. Kyle Montaperto (Virginia), SV-1 9-6

Colton Camacho (Pittsburgh) won in tie breaker Spencer Moore (North Carolina), TB-1 5-2

Cooper Flynn (Virginia Tech) received a bye

133 pounds

Kai Orine (NC State) received a bye

Vincent Santaniello (Pittsburgh) dec. Jace Palmer (North Carolina), 8-3

Sam Latona (Virginia Tech) tech. fall Raymond Adams (Duke), 17-2

Marlon Yarbrough (Virginia) received a bye

141 pounds

Cole Matthews (Pittsburgh) received a bye

Lachlan McNeil (North Carolina) maj. dec. Jack Gioffre (Virginia), 12-3

Tom Crook (Virginia Tech) tech. fall Christian Colman (Duke), 17-2

Ryan Jack (NC State) received a bye

149 pounds

Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech) received a bye

Finn Solomon (Pittsburgh) dec. Michael Gioffre (Virginia), 15-11

Jayden Scott (North Carolina) maj. dec. Jarred Papcsy (Duke), 16-3

Jackson Arrington (NC State) received a bye

157 pounds

Sonny Santiago (North Carolina) received a bye

Jared Keslar (Pittsburgh) pin Nick Sanko (Virginia), 4:02

Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech) tech. fall Logan Ferrero (Duke), 21-5

Ed Scott (NC State) received a bye

165 pounds

Derek Fields (NC State) received a bye

Nick Hamilton (Virginia) maj. dec. Isaias Estrada (North Carolina), 14-2

Connor Brady (Virginia Tech) won by forfeit

Holden Heller (Pittsburgh) received a bye

174 pounds

Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) received a bye

Alex Faison (NC State) won in tie breaker Luca Augustine (Pittsburgh), TB-1 4-2

Tyler Eischens (North Carolina) maj. dec. Gaetano Console (Duke), 14-0

Justin McCoy (Virginia) received a bye

184 pounds

Thomas Stewart Jr (Virginia Tech) received a bye

Gavin Kane (North Carolina) dec. Ethan Weatherspoon (Virginia), 8-5

Dylan Fishback (NC State) tech. fall Conor Becker (Duke), 16-1

Reece Heller (Pittsburgh) received a bye

197 pounds

Trent Hidlay (NC State) received a bye

Mac Stout (Pittsburgh) dec. Krystian Kinsey (Virginia), 5-4

Max Shaw (North Carolina) tech. fall Kwasi Bonsu (Duke), 17-2

Andy Smith (Virginia Tech) received a bye

285 pounds

Owen Trephan (NC State) received a bye

Dayton Pitzer (Pittsburgh) dec. Connor Barket (Duke), 1-0

Ryan Catka (Virginia) maj. dec. Cade Lautt (North Carolina), 14-3

Hunter Catka (Virginia Tech) received a bye

125 pounds

1st Place - Jakob Camacho (NC State)

2nd Place - Cooper Flynn (Virginia Tech)

3rd Place - Spencer Moore (North Carolina)

4th Place - Colton Camacho (Pittsburgh)

1st Place Match

Jakob Camacho (NC State) dec. Cooper Flynn (Virginia Tech), 4-2

3rd Place Match

Spencer Moore (North Carolina) dec. Colton Camacho (Pittsburgh), 2-0

133 pounds

1st Place - Kai Orine (NC State)

2nd Place - Sam Latona (Virginia Tech)

3rd Place - Marlon Yarbrough (Virginia)

4th Place - Vincent Santaniello (Pittsburgh)

1st Place Match

Kai Orine (NC State) dec. Sam Latona (Virginia Tech), 4-0

3rd Place Match

Marlon Yarbrough (Virginia) dec. Vincent Santaniello (Pittsburgh), 6-2

141 pounds

1st Place - Ryan Jack (NC State)

2nd Place - Cole Matthews (Pittsburgh)

3rd Place - Lachlan McNeil (North Carolina)

4th Place - Tom Crook (Virginia Tech)

1st Place Match

Ryan Jack (NC State) dec. Cole Matthews (Pittsburgh), 4-1

3rd Place Match

Lachlan McNeil (North Carolina) maj. dec. Tom Crook (Virginia Tech), 12-2

149 pounds

1st Place - Jackson Arrington (NC State)

2nd Place - Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech)

3rd Place - Finn Solomon (Pittsburgh)

4th Place - Jayden Scott (North Carolina)

1st Place Match

Jackson Arrington (NC State) dec. Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech), SV-1 4-1

3rd Place Match

Finn Solomon (Pittsburgh) dec. Jayden Scott (North Carolina), 5-2

157 pounds

1st Place - Ed Scott (NC State)

2nd Place - Sonny Santiago (North Carolina)

3rd Place - Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech)

4th Place - Logan Ferrero (Duke)

1st Place Match

Ed Scott (NC State) dec. Sonny Santiago (North Carolina), 8-2

3rd Place Match

Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech) pin Logan Ferrero (Duke), 1:12

165 pounds

1st Place - Nick Hamilton (Virginia)

2nd Place - Connor Brady (Virginia Tech)

3rd Place - Derek Fields (NC State)

4th Place - Holden Heller (Pittsburgh)

1st Place Match

Nick Hamilton (Virginia) dec. Connor Brady (Virginia Tech), 7-2

3rd Place Match

Derek Fields (NC State) dec. Holden Heller (Pittsburgh), SV-1 4-1

174 pounds

1st Place - Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech)

2nd Place - Justin McCoy (Virginia)

3rd Place - Tyler Eischens (North Carolina)

4th Place - Alex Faison (NC State)

5th Place - Luca Augustine (Pittsburgh)

6th Place - Gaetano Console (Duke)

1st Place Match

Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) dec. Justin McCoy (Virginia), 8-1

3rd Place Match

Tyler Eischens (North Carolina) pin Alex Faison (NC State), 2:26

5th Place Match

Luca Augustine (Pittsburgh) tech. fall Gaetano Console (Duke), 20-3

184 pounds

1st Place - Thomas Stewart Jr (Virginia Tech)

2nd Place - Dylan Fishback (NC State)

3rd Place - Reece Heller (Pittsburgh)

4th Place - Gavin Kane (North Carolina)

5th Place - Ethan Weatherspoon (Virginia)

6th Place - Conor Becker (Duke)

1st Place Match

Thomas Stewart Jr (Virginia Tech) dec. Dylan Fishback (NC State), 8-5

3rd Place Match

Reece Heller (Pittsburgh) dec. Gavin Kane (North Carolina), 5-4

5th Place Match

Ethan Weatherspoon (Virginia) dec. Conor Becker (Duke), 10-3

197 pounds

1st Place - Trent Hidlay (NC State)

2nd Place - Max Shaw (North Carolina)

3rd Place - Mac Stout (Pittsburgh)

4th Place - Krystian Kinsey (Virginia)

5th Place - Andy Smith (Virginia Tech)

6th Place - Kwasi Bonsu (Duke)

1st Place Match

Trent Hidlay (NC State) med. forf. Max Shaw (North Carolina)

3rd Place Match

Mac Stout (Pittsburgh) med. forf. Krystian Kinsey (Virginia)

5th Place Match

Andy Smith (Virginia Tech) tech. fall Kwasi Bonsu (Duke), 18-2

285

1st Place - Owen Trephan (NC State)

2nd Place - Hunter Catka (Virginia Tech)

3rd Place - Dayton Pitzer (Pittsburgh)

4th Place - Ryan Catka (Virginia)

1st Place Match

Owen Trephan (NC State) dec. Hunter Catka (Virginia Tech), 4-2

3rd Place Match

Dayton Pitzer (Pittsburgh) dec. Ryan Catka (Virginia), 7-0

1. NC State: 116.0 points
2. Virginia Tech: 86.5 points
3. North Carolina: 54.0 points
4. Pittsburgh: 47.0 points
5. Virginia: 35.0 points
6. Duke: 4.0 points