Takedown Report

UNC Wrestling: Season Preview

The Tar Heels will look to build on last year’s 3rd place ACC finish
The Carolina wrestling team opens their season this week with a Blue and White Showcase on October 26. Their first tourney will be November 2 at the Southeast Open. With the first matches only a few days away, let’s see what the team will look like this year.
Last year recap:
The Heels finished third in the ACC in duel standings (out of six teams) and tied for 30th in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. They somewhat overachieved as they had been picked fourth in the ACC in most preseason rankings. They finished with an 11-7 duels record, including wins over solid Oregon State and Navy clubs. The Heels had seven national qualifiers compete in the 2024 NCAA tournament. They also had one wrestler earn All-American honors, Lachlan McNeil (149lbs).
Notable losses:
The Heels will lose two key contributors from last year’s team. Tyler Eischens qualified for the national tournament four times (once at 157 lbs, the last three at 174 lbs); Max Shaw was a three-time national qualifier at 197 lbs as well as the ACC Tournament runner-up. Both graduated in the spring. Eischens was on the U23 World Team and is the U23 Nationals 82kg Greco-Roman champion.
Key Additions:
The Heels picked up a pair of transfers that should contribute immediately. Ethan Oakley (133 lbs) is an Appalachian State transfer who won the SoCon championship and qualified for the 2024 NCAA tournament. He went 2-2 in the tournament, pulling an upset win over Virginia Tech’s Sam Latona along the way. He holds a 67-35 career record, including a sparkling 21-1 record in duels. Joshua Ogunsanya (174 lbs) transferred from Columbia University, … more at … https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/10/24/24277994/unc-north-carolina-tar-heels-wrestling-season-preview?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

November 5, 2024 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | acc, ncaa, sports