Wolfpack Wrestling Club
Registration
The Wolfpack Wrestling Club is a non‐profit sports organization committed to the improvement of athletic and personal growth through the sport of wrestling by fostering an environment mentorship and resources reach the youth, collegiate, and senior level athletes aspiring to become NCAA, World, and Olympic Champions as well as leaders of the community. The Wolfpack Wrestling Club operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization powered by donors, sponsors, and supporters both locally and nationally who share a common interest in the growth and preservation of the sport of wrestling.
Visions
Our Goals
Provide our youth with a positive experience in amateur wrestling in a competitive and fun environment, to help them become successful athletes, students, and people.
Teach our wrestlers valuable skills important in life such as good sportsmanship, teamwork, discipline, work-ethic, self-motivation, and confidence to be champions in all they do.
Enhance the overall fitness level and develop the wrestling skills of all our wrestlers, from our first-year wrestlers to our most experienced wrestlers.
Our Strategy
Encourage good sportsmanship and pride in our team.
Provide a fun environment that challenges our wrestlers to be the best in all they do.
Positively influence character development by emphasizing good habits and attitudes.
Enhance the overall fitness levels of our youth by developing their strength, agility, flexibility, balance, and wrestling skills.
Foster a sense of personal achievement by helping wrestlers set goals and work towards meeting those goals.
Prepare our wrestlers to become more competitive as they mature, and provide them the skills to succeed on the local, state, national, and world level.
Provide qualified adult leadership and a safe and healthy environment.
Provide coaches who have been successful at state, national, and international levels to develop wrestlers of all ages.
Provide an atmosphere that encourages parent/family involvement in our club.
Be Champions in all that we do!
Events
Fundraising
The Wolfpack RTC's goal is to support multiple senior level athletes as they compete on the international wrestling circuit during the current Olympic cycle (2016-2020). Additionally, our organization provides world class training opportunities for elite developmental athletes from the Research Triangle area while also making a playing an active role in both our local communities and the greater North Carolina wrestling community.
News
Wolfpack Live
#PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast
Media
Nick Gwiazdowski
Michael Macchiavello
Athletes
Nick Gwiazdowski
2018
- World Team Member
- Final X Champion
- Pan Am Games Gold Medalist
- Yasar Dogu Bronze Medalist
- Grand Prix Ivan Yariguin Bronze Medalist
2017
- World Bronze Medalist
- US World Team Trials Champion
- US Open Champion
- Spanish Grand Prix Champion
2016
- University National Champion
- Intercontinental Cup Silver Medalist
- Ziolkowski Memorial Bronze Medalist
- 4th at Olympic Trials
2015
- Spanish Grand Prix Champion
- Bill Farrell International Champion
- 4th at U.S. World Team Trials
College
North Carolina State University
- 2X NCAA Champion (2014, 2015)
- 4X NCAA All-American (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016)
- 3X ACC Champion (2014, 2015, 2016)
- 2X ACC Most Outstanding Wrestler (2014, 2015)
Binghamton University
- 2012 NCAA All-American
- 2012 CAA Champion
- 2012 CAA Rookie of The Year
Tommy Gantt
2018
- Bill Farrell International Champion
- 4th place at World Team Trials Challenge
2017
- World Team Trials Qualifier
- US Open All-American
- Mining Glory International Invite Bronze Medalist
2016
- World Team Trials Qualifier
- US Open All-American
2014
- World Team Trials Qualifier
- US Open All-American
College
North Carolina State University
- NCAA All-American (2016)
- 2x NCAA Qualifier (2014, 2016)
- 2016 Midlands Champion
- 2016 ACC Champion
Timmy McCall
2018
- World Team Trials Challenge - 3rd place
- US Open All-American
2017
- Henri Deglane Challenge Champion
- Dave Schultz Memorial Silver Medalist
2016
- Bill Farrell International Silver Medalist
College
University of Wisconsin-Madison
- 2X NCAA Qualifier at University of Wisconsin
- 2X University Nationals All-American
Michael Macchiavello
2018
- U-23 World Team Trials Champion
College
North Carolina State University
- 2018 NCAA National Champion
- 2018 ACC Wrestler of The Year
- ACC Runner-Up (2017, 2018)
- 2X NCAA Qualifier (2017, 2018)
Kevin Jack
2018
- U23 World Team Trials semi-finalis
College
North Carolina State University
- 3X NCAA All-American (2015, 2017, 2018)
- 2x ACC Champion (2016, 2017)
- 2017 ACC Most Outstanding Wrestler
- 4X NCAA Qualifier (2015,2016, 2017, 2018)
- 2nd at NC State in career total wins (115)
- 2016 University Nationals All-American
Hayden Hidlay
2018
- U23 World Team Trials Gold Medalist
- US Open Runner-Up
- World Team Trials Challenge 3rd place
2017
- 3rd at Junior World Team Trials
College
North Carolina State University
- NCAA Finalist
- 2018 ACC Champion
- NCAA tournament #1 seeded wrestler at 157 lbs
Nick Reenan
2018
- World Team Trials Challenge Champion
- Final X Runner-Up
- US Open 3rd place
- Bill Farrell International Bronze Medalist
2017
- Junior National Team Member
- Junior World Team Trials Finalist
- United World Wrestling Junior Nationals Finalist
College
North Carolina State University
- 2017 NCAA Qualifier
Jacob Kasper
College
Duke University
- 2X NCAA All-American (2017, 2018)
- 2018 ACC Champion
Lee Davis Jr
2018
- World Team Trial Challenge Qualifier
- U.S. Open All‐American
College
North Carolina State University
- University Nationals All‐American
- FILA Junior All‐American
Sean Fausz
- Alexandria, Ky. • Campbell County HS
- Four-time NCAA Qualifier (125 pounds): 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
- ACC Champion (125 pounds): 2018
- Four-time All-ACC (125 pounds): 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
2018-19
NCAA Qualifier for the fourth straight season, all at 125 pounds … He received the No. 15 overall seed, and fell one win shy of All-American honors as he went 3-2 … Reached the ACC Finals at 125 pounds for the fourth straight season, placed second overall … Finished the season 12-4, 5-1 in duals … Went a perfect 3-0 in ACC duals, outscoring his foes 24-2 … Won the Appalachian State Open, going 3-0.
2017-18
NCAA Qualifier for the third straight season at 125 pounds … Entered as the No. 5 seed … Went 1-2 … 2018 ACC Champion, winning both of his bouts … Started with a 9-3 win over #31 Norstrem of Virginia Tech, then 4-0 over #12 Hayes of Virginia in the finals … Only saw action in four duals, went 3-1 … First dual was a 9-5 win over #3 Piccininni of Oklahoma State in Italy … Scored ACC dual wins over North Carolina (16-2) and Virginia Tech (15-0) … Went a perfect 5-0 in the Wolfpack Open for first place … Had four bonus-point wins to reach the finals, then scored an 8-3 win over #18 LaMont of Utah Valley … Took second at the Reno Tournament of Champions … Went 4-1, with three tech falls and a major decision … Finished the season ranked #13 in FloWrestling’s final rankings … Earned All-American honors at the U23 World Team Trials with a fourth-place finish at 61 kg … Went 3-0, outscoring his foes 43-19, before falling in the quarterfinals … Named to the 2018 All-ACC Academic Team … Named to 2017-18 ACC Academic Honor Roll … Also named to the NWCA’s All-Academic Team.
2016-17
NCAA Qualifier for the second straight season at 125 pounds … Also earned All-ACC honors by reaching the ACC Championship finals for the second straight year and earned an NCAA automatic bid … Started the season at 133 pounds, moved down to 125 in late January … 27-8 overall on the season - 11-4 at 125 pounds and 16-4 at 133 … Was 7-2 overall in duals, only losses to top-five foes … Earned the No. 12 seed at the 2017 NCAA Championships, and was one win away from All-American honors going 2-2 … After a first-round pin, defeated No. 5 seed, Tim Lambert of Nebraska 3-1, to advance to the quarterfinals … After a first-round major decision at the ACC Championship, then defeated #8 Jack Mueller of Virginia 8-5 to reach the finals … Defeated two-time All-American Conor Youtsey of Michigan 5-3 in the National Duals … Won the 133-pound weight class at the Wolfpack Open, going 5-0 and outscoring his foes 58-8 … Won the Appalachian State Open at 125 pounds going 4-0 … Finished the season ranked #9 nationally at 125 pounds by FloWrestling.com … Named 2017 NWCA Division I All-Academic.
2015-16
NCAA qualifier at 125 pounds as a redshirt freshman … Finished the season 17-10, including 9-7 in duals … Ranked in all four Coaches’ Panel Rankings, a season-best #17 in the final poll … Went 3-1 in ACC action … Went 4-7 against ranked foes … Was 10-1 in bonus point matches, including four pins … Went 1-2 at the NCAA Championships … Earned All-ACC honors with a second-place finish at the ACC Championship … Entering as the No. 2 seed, reached the finals with a 4-2 win over #25 Bentley of Pittsburgh … Started the season 3-0 in duals at the Northeast Duals, including an 8-6 win over #19 Petry of Minnesota … Top win of the season was a 5-4 win over #9 Lambert of Nebraska in a road dual … His final eight opponents before the NCAA Championships were all ranked, he picked up three wins … Placed fifth at the Wolfpack Open, going 6-1 … Finished the season ranked #20 nationally at 125 pounds by FloWrestling.com … Named to 2015-16 ACC Academic Honor Roll.
2014-15
Redshirted the season … Competed in six open tournaments, wrestling at both 125 and 133 pounds …Went 15-7, 10-3 at 125 and 5-4 at 133 … Won the Appalachian State Open, at 125 pounds going 3-0 with all three wins by major decision and outscoring his opponents a combined 34-6 … Took third at the Newberry Open going 6-1.
Prep
State champion at 138 pounds as a senior, two-time champion … NHSCA Senior National runner-up at 132 pounds (three-time NHSCA All-American) … Posted a high school record of 234-24 with 115 pins … Ranked as a top-100 recruit by flowrestling.org and d1collegewrestling.net … Placed fifth at the NHSCA High School Nationals at 126 pounds as a junior … Kentucky state champion at 132 pounds with a perfect 62-0 record … A FILA Cadet National Champion at 58kg … Finished ninth in the FILA Cadet World Championships at 58kg, and eighth at Fargo Junior Freestyle Nationals at 126 pounds as a junior … Took second at NHSCA Sophomore Nationals at 120 pounds … Placed third at state championships at 126 pounds as a sophomore and third at FILA Cadet Nationals at 58kg … Took second at state championships at 119 pounds as a freshman … As an eighth-grader, placed third at high school state championships at 112 pounds.
Graduated with his Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering from NC State.
Michael Boykin
- Coatesville, Pa. • Coatesville HS
- NCAA Qualifier (197 pounds): 2016
- NCAA Qualifier (285 pounds): 2018
2017-18
NCAA Qualifier as a senior at heavyweight, he entered as the No. 14 seed … Placed third at the ACC Championships to earn his NCAA bid … Finished the season 21-8 overall, 5-1 in duals and 3-0 in ACC duals … Sealed the Pack’s ACC dual championship with a 3-1 OT win over #18 Dunn of Virginia Tech in the final bout of the dual … Instead of traveling to Italy with the team, competed in the Southern Scuffle and placed second … Won his first four bouts to advance to the finals, including wins over #3 Nevills of Penn State (4-3) and #11 Butler of Stanford (3-1) … Won the Wolfpack Open and placed third at the Reno Tournament of Champions.
2016-17
Moved up to 285 pounds after competing at 197 pounds his first two seasons … Went 18-9 on the season … Was the Pack’s starter in four duals, going 1-3 … Was 9-2 in bonus point matches with three pins and six major decisions … Placed third at the Franklin & Marshall Open and fifth in the Wolfpack Open.
2015-16
2016 NCAA Qualifier at 197 pounds … Went 18-11 on the season, including 7-6 in duals, 2-3 in ACC action … Ranked in all four Coaches’ Panel Rankings of the season, including a season-best #12 in the final … Also ranked #9 in the final RPI … 14 of his final 17 opponents before the NCAAs were all ranked, he recorded six wins over those ranked foes … Earning the No. 12 seed, went 1-2 at the NCAA Championships … Earned an NCAA automatic bid with a third-place finish at the ACC Championship … Went 3-1 on the day, with a pair of top-25 wins, including 3-1 over #15 Zach Nye of Virginia in the third-place bout … Won the Wolfpack Open, going a perfect 5-0 with a ranked win in the semifinals … Best win of the season was 5-3 over #8 Jacob Smith of West Virginia in a dual at WVU … Named ACC Wrestler of the Week after that win … Finished the season ranked #18 nationally at 197 pounds by FloWrestling.com.
2014-15
Pack’s starter at 197 pounds as a freshman … Named ACC Wrestler of the Week after his win over #19 in dual win vs. Pittsburgh … Finished with an 18-12 record … Posted the second-most wins among NC State’s rookie class … Went 13-8 in duals, including 2-3 in ACC … Notched two wins over ranked foes, #21 Kevin Beazley of ODU (4-2) and #19 Nick Bonaccorsi of Pittsburgh (6-1).
Prep
Was the 2014 FloNational Champion at 220 pounds ... The 2014 Pennsylvania 3A state champion at 220 pounds ... Placed third at the state championships in 2013, finishing with a record of 39-2 as a junior ... Was a state qualifier as a sophomore at 220 pounds, going 41-3 ... Ranked fourth in the country at 220 pounds by Flowrestling.org and intermatwrestle.com ... Also ranked sixth nationally by WIN Magazine.
Graduated with his Bachelor's in Parks, Rec and Tourism Management from NC State.
Trent Hidlay
- All-American 2020
- 2020 ACC Freshman of the Year
- Junior World Bronze Medalist (86 kg): 2019
- Fargo Finalist in freestyle and Greco
Jakob Camacho
- All-American 2020
- ACC Champion 2020
- 2020 ACC Championship Most Outstanding Wrestler
- Fargo Free Style All American
Staff
Popolizio took the helm of the NC State on April 10, 2012 and has pushed NC State Wrestling towards its highest accomplished at a very rapid pace.
Popolizio’s philosophy and unwavering commitment towards a culture of excellence has helped NC State Wrestling experience its most successful season to date as the Wolfpack brought home its first-ever team trophy finishing a school and ACC-best fourth at the 2018 NCAA Championships in Cleveland, Ohio. R-Sr. Michael Macchiavello won a national title at 197 pounds, and R-Fr. Hayden Hidlay placed second at 157 pounds. The Wolfpack also had a school record four All-Americans with R-Fr. Tariq Wilson placing third and Sr. Kevin Jack taking sixth. NC State became the first ACC school with two NCAA Finalists under Popolizio’s leadership.
Popolizio was named the 2018 Dan Gable co-NCAA Coach of the Year, 2018 ACC Coach of the Year, and was also named the 2016 National Coach of the Year by FloWrestling. Over the last five seasons, NC State has had three national champions and four of the last five ACC Wrestlers of the Year.
Overall, Popolizio has led NC State to five straight top-20 finishes at the NCAA Championships with 3 individual NCAA Champions, 11 All-Americans, 11 ACC Champions, 1 ACC Tournament Championship, 1 ACC Dual Championship, and have won 50 of the last 55 dual meets.
“Pat is a builder of programs and of young men,” said NC State AD Debbie Yow at the time of his hire. “He was an outstanding collegiate performer at Oklahoma State and is a proven teacher and mentor as a head coach. He will lead Wolfpack Wrestling to compete for ACC titles and, eventually, the national championship.”
Prior to NC State, in six seasons at Binghamton University (2007-12), Popolizio transformed the Bearcats into a national contender after inheriting the program that went 0-12 following its reinstatement in 2005-06. Among his highlights includes 4 NCAA All-Americans, 21 NCAA qualifiers, a CAA Conference title, and finishing 14th at the NCAA Championships.
Prior to his stint at Binghamton, Popolizio was the lead assistant and recruiter at American University for two seasons, helping that program finish 17th in the country. Popolizio coached seven NCAA qualifiers and the school’s first All-American. Prior to that, he served as an assistant coach at Army (2003-04) and Sacred Heart (2002-03).
Athletically, Popolizio was a decorated wrestler during his student-athlete career for Oklahoma State. Among his highlights during his collegiate career included being ranked as high as the No. 1 nationally at 184 lbs during his senior season, three-time NCAA qualifier, and helped lead Oklahoma State to Top 5 national finish (second, third, third and fifth) at NCAA Championships in each of his four seasons with the Cowboys. Popolizio was a Big 12 finalist twice in his career and has finished as high as Fifth at the World Team Trials in 2003.
Adam Hall joined the NC State coaching staff in the summer of 2015 as an assistant coach. In just his first season with the Wolfpack, Hall helped NC State to one of its best seasons in 2015-16. NC State won the 2016 ACC Championship, the first at NC State since 2007. Four individuals were crowned conference champions, and six made it to the finals overall. NC State finished in 11th place at the NCAA Championships, the best finish since a school-best seventh in 1993 at the time. The Pack tied the school record with three All-Americans in 2016: Tommy Gantt (5th - 157), Pete Renda (3rd - 184) and Nick Gwiazdowski (2nd - 285).
During the 2015-16 year, Hall himself placed fifth in both the U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Tournament and the U.S. Olympic Trials. In addition, he won his weight class (70 kg) at the University National Tournament to represent Team USA at the 2016 University World Championships.
A former two-time NCAA All-American and Pac-10 champion, Hall joined the Wolfpack after spending the previous four seasons as an assistant coach at Columbia. Hall had an outstanding athletic career at Boise State from 2007-11, posting a 122-18 career record (87.1 win percentage). His 122 career victories rank second in Boise State wrestling history. He won two Pac-10 titles in the 157-pound class in (2010, 2011) and qualified for the NCAA National Championships all four years he competed. Hall also earned All-America honors as a redshirt junior and senior in 2010 and 2011; Hall Hall entered the NCAA National Championships as No. 2 and No. 1 overall seed his last two seasons,
Coach Cesari grew up in Northeastern Pennsylvania and started wrestling at the age of six, and has been involved in the sport of wrestling for over 46 years as a wrestler, coach, referee, and parent of a wrestler.
Cesari wrestled in high school for his father, Joe Cesari Sr., at North Schuylkill High School , one of the most successful wrestling programs in Pennsylvania history. While at North Schuylkill, Cesari was a 3x PA State Champion and 2x State Tournament Outstanding Wrestler. His record was 154-5-1 with 103 pins, and in 1984 he was named to the First Team High School All-American Team as well as a World Schoolboy and National AAU Freestyle Wrestling Champion.
Cesari earned a full scholarship to wrestle at North Carolina State University, where he was a 4-year starter. Cesari was a 1988 ACC Champion, a 3x NCAA Tournament qualifier, and an NCAA tournament top-12 finisher. In 1989, Cesari received the NC State ACC Senior Merit award for achievement in academics and athletics.
Coach Cesari currently works as a department director at Duke Health, and stays involved in wrestling as a volunteer youth and high school coach, and as a high school and NCAA wrestling official. In 2006, he was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
Coach DeFreitas grew up in Bernardsville, New Jersey and has been involved in coaching several youth teams including soccer, flag football and tackle football over the last several years. He brings a philosophy of “fun first” for youth sports.
As a wrestler starting at the age of 8 he won several junior state titles he compiled a High School record of 106-16-1 winning several OW awards and a multiple time state place winner. He was a member of the Cadet and Junior National teams that represented his home state at the High School National Tournaments. Upon graduation he held several school records, a three-sport athlete he was inducted into the Bernards High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001.
In college he wrestled for Indiana University and was a varsity letterman on a nationally ranked team. In 2014 he won the Beach Wrestling National Tournament.
Coach DeFreitas resides in Cary and owns a real estate firm building and developing in the triangle area. He and his wife Rachael have 3 kids; Lily, Annabella and Gabe. His favorite hobby is surfing at the NC coast.
The 2020 Wolfpack Club team swept all 3 state championship tournaments; USA wrestling, NCWAY and the rookie division at the State championships. The club outscored over 100 teams from across NC with multiple individual state champions.
Weisiger Brown-Athletic Facility
Wolfpack Wrestling Club and Wolfpack Olympic Regional Training Center practices take place at the Weisiger-Brown Athletics Facility on the the campus of NC State University. This facility houses the wrestling training facility, weight training and cardiovascular facilities, as well as a sports medicine and therapy room.
Sponsors
