University of North Carolina Athletics
Wrestle Offs Provide An Early Look At UNC Wrestling
October 27, 2017 | Wrestling
By Pat James, GoHeels.com
The North Carolina wrestling team doesn't open the 2017-18 season until Nov. 5. But fans can get their first glimpse of the Tar Heels at 6 p.m. Friday, when they host preseason wrestle offs at Carmichael Arena.
"I think we've got a little mix of a team," said Coleman Scott, entering his third season as UNC's head coach. "We've got some new faces that are going to be in the lineup, guys coming off redshirts and some true freshmen. I think (fans are) going to be pleasantly surprised."
Here are five things to watch for before the season begins:
Fresh faces
UNC's 13 true freshmen account for about 35 percent of the team's roster. The class was ranked 10th nationally in InterMat's 2017 recruiting class rankings, marking the first time the Tar Heels have boasted a top-25 class since the 2014 class was ranked 15th overall.
"They got in during the summer taking summer classes, and they didn't really miss a beat," said Troy Heilmann of the freshmen. "Workouts were tough, but they pushed through. Now we're getting into wrestling live and they're pushing our guys who have been here three, four, five years.
"I think they're all pretty much ready for the college level. This is the first group we've had in a while where we could say that."
UNC will also receive contributions from six redshirt freshmen, including Kennedy Monday. In the National Collegiate Open, a postseason championship held in February for Division I wrestlers not competing in their school's national qualifying tournament, Monday won the 149-pound division.
Seasoned leaders
Despite the Tar Heels' youth injection, they don't lack experience.
UNC's roster features 11 juniors and seniors, including four (seniors Daniel Chaid, Heilmann and Ethan Ramos and junior Cory Daniel) who advanced to the NCAA Championships last season. Those three seniors, as well as Cornell transfer Dalton Macri, are each ranked in the preseason top 17 of their respective weight classes.
"I've seen some great leadership from them, and they're really helping these guys along just by leading by example as well as vocally," Scott said. "I expect all of our seniors to be contending to be All-Americans this year."
Building off last season
In his first year with the Tar Heels, Chaid earned All-ACC honors with a second-place finish at 197 pounds at the ACC Championships. He then went 3-2 at nationals.
But his impressive run came to a disappointing end, as he finished just one win shy of the podium and All-America honors. Chaid said that has served as motivation during the offseason.
"Being able to make it that far and knock off some returning All-Americans and a couple of nationally ranked guys," Chaid said, "I think those were pretty good confidence boosters that helped me know that I can be there, I can compete with the best guys in the country. (That's) something to up the precedent for this season and something to shoot for."
Ramos, an All-American during the 2014-15 season, also hopes to rebound after losing in the ACC final at 174 and then going 1-2 at nationals.
"Last year didn't go the way I wanted," Ramos said. "I realized I was overthinking things. So this year, I've just been trying to simplify it, find my style and stick with it throughout the whole season and not change it up like I did (last season)."
A stiff slate
UNC opens its season at the Hokie Open on Nov. 5 in Roanoke, Virginia. From there, the schedule only increases in difficulty.
The Tar Heels will face Purdue and Oklahoma State, No. 4 in InterMat's preseason dual meet rankings, in the Journeymen Duals before hosting Appalachian State. They'll then open December at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, where they could face No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan, among others.
UNC's schedule also features dual meets against No. 8 Virginia Tech, No. 9 N.C. State, No. 11 Nebraska, No. 12 Rutgers, No. 13 Arizona State, No. 14 Northern Iowa, No. 18 Cornell and No. 23 Pittsburgh.
"I think to be ready for March we need to be tested throughout the year," Scott said. "We can't just take it easy on them and then expect them to have their toughest matches and best matches when it counts."
'Something to really aim for'
The Tar Heels enter the season at No. 22 nationally in InterMat's tournament rankings and No. 25 in dual meet. Among its lofty goals, the team will aim for the program's first ACC title since 2006.
"If some people step up, I think realistically we could win the ACCs, have 10 national qualifiers and probably finish top 10 in the country," Chaid said. "That's if we exceed expectations as they are right now. But I think that's something to really aim for."
The North Carolina wrestling team doesn't open the 2017-18 season until Nov. 5. But fans can get their first glimpse of the Tar Heels at 6 p.m. Friday, when they host preseason wrestle offs at Carmichael Arena.
"I think we've got a little mix of a team," said Coleman Scott, entering his third season as UNC's head coach. "We've got some new faces that are going to be in the lineup, guys coming off redshirts and some true freshmen. I think (fans are) going to be pleasantly surprised."
Here are five things to watch for before the season begins:
Fresh faces
UNC's 13 true freshmen account for about 35 percent of the team's roster. The class was ranked 10th nationally in InterMat's 2017 recruiting class rankings, marking the first time the Tar Heels have boasted a top-25 class since the 2014 class was ranked 15th overall.
"They got in during the summer taking summer classes, and they didn't really miss a beat," said Troy Heilmann of the freshmen. "Workouts were tough, but they pushed through. Now we're getting into wrestling live and they're pushing our guys who have been here three, four, five years.
"I think they're all pretty much ready for the college level. This is the first group we've had in a while where we could say that."
UNC will also receive contributions from six redshirt freshmen, including Kennedy Monday. In the National Collegiate Open, a postseason championship held in February for Division I wrestlers not competing in their school's national qualifying tournament, Monday won the 149-pound division.
Seasoned leaders
Despite the Tar Heels' youth injection, they don't lack experience.
UNC's roster features 11 juniors and seniors, including four (seniors Daniel Chaid, Heilmann and Ethan Ramos and junior Cory Daniel) who advanced to the NCAA Championships last season. Those three seniors, as well as Cornell transfer Dalton Macri, are each ranked in the preseason top 17 of their respective weight classes.
"I've seen some great leadership from them, and they're really helping these guys along just by leading by example as well as vocally," Scott said. "I expect all of our seniors to be contending to be All-Americans this year."
Building off last season
In his first year with the Tar Heels, Chaid earned All-ACC honors with a second-place finish at 197 pounds at the ACC Championships. He then went 3-2 at nationals.
But his impressive run came to a disappointing end, as he finished just one win shy of the podium and All-America honors. Chaid said that has served as motivation during the offseason.
"Being able to make it that far and knock off some returning All-Americans and a couple of nationally ranked guys," Chaid said, "I think those were pretty good confidence boosters that helped me know that I can be there, I can compete with the best guys in the country. (That's) something to up the precedent for this season and something to shoot for."
Ramos, an All-American during the 2014-15 season, also hopes to rebound after losing in the ACC final at 174 and then going 1-2 at nationals.
"Last year didn't go the way I wanted," Ramos said. "I realized I was overthinking things. So this year, I've just been trying to simplify it, find my style and stick with it throughout the whole season and not change it up like I did (last season)."
A stiff slate
UNC opens its season at the Hokie Open on Nov. 5 in Roanoke, Virginia. From there, the schedule only increases in difficulty.
The Tar Heels will face Purdue and Oklahoma State, No. 4 in InterMat's preseason dual meet rankings, in the Journeymen Duals before hosting Appalachian State. They'll then open December at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, where they could face No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan, among others.
UNC's schedule also features dual meets against No. 8 Virginia Tech, No. 9 N.C. State, No. 11 Nebraska, No. 12 Rutgers, No. 13 Arizona State, No. 14 Northern Iowa, No. 18 Cornell and No. 23 Pittsburgh.
"I think to be ready for March we need to be tested throughout the year," Scott said. "We can't just take it easy on them and then expect them to have their toughest matches and best matches when it counts."
'Something to really aim for'
The Tar Heels enter the season at No. 22 nationally in InterMat's tournament rankings and No. 25 in dual meet. Among its lofty goals, the team will aim for the program's first ACC title since 2006.
"If some people step up, I think realistically we could win the ACCs, have 10 national qualifiers and probably finish top 10 in the country," Chaid said. "That's if we exceed expectations as they are right now. But I think that's something to really aim for."
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