With his four victories Saturday, Caldwell became just the second wrestler in NC State history to win 100 or more matches in a career. Caldwell, the 2009 NCAA champion at 149 pounds, trails only Sylvester Terkay (1990-93) in career victories at NC State. Terkay went 122-14 in his four-year career, which he capped by going 41-0 in 1993 and winning the national championship at heavyweight.
“I was talking to a reporter last week who told me he was looking forward to watching Darrion go from a champion to a legend,” Wolfpack head coach Carter Jordan said. “He’s going to have to win another championship to do that, but he’s becoming a legend here at NC State.
“Winning 100 matches, that’s amazing. He’s only the second guy in school history to do that, and the names at the top of that list are the very greatest wrestlers in the history of this program. Some of them, like Sylvester Terkay and Tab Thacker, those guys rank among the all-time greats in the history of the sport. Darrion is making his mark as one of the great ones. The numbers speak for themselves.”
With his four victories Saturday, Caldwell now has 55 pins for his career, moving him past Thacker (54 pins from 1981-84) and into second place in the school record book for career falls. Terkay holds the school career mark for pins with 64.
All four of Caldwell’s pins on Saturday came in the first period. Of his 55 career pins, 46 are first-period pins.
Caldwell’s career won-lost record now stands at 100-12, giving him a winning percentage of .893, second in program history only to Terkay’s .897.
“It was a very special day for me,” said Caldwell, who improved to 6-0 on the season. “It was a long time coming and I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I was six wins shy of 100 back before my injury, and it was a long wait to get back out there. And it was especially sweet to have my family here for it, my mom and dad and girlfriend.”
Caldwell’s last defeat was by injury default two seasons ago to Oklahoma’s Kyle Terry, snapping a 29-match winning streak. The last time an opponent actually defeated Caldwell by outscoring him on the mat was in the wrestlebacks of the 2008 NCAA Championships. He has now wrestled 45 consecutive matches without being defeated, although that is not an official winning streak because of the default.
“I was not aware of that,” Caldwell said. “That’s just a testament to the hard work that the coaches and I have put in. The proof’s in the pudding.”
With Caldwell leading the way, NC State won three of four matches Saturday, scoring victories over Anderson, Mercyhurst and Campbell. The Wolfpack (5-3) dropped its final bout of the day, 27-18 to North Dakota State, which went unbeaten in four matches.
The Wolfpack won all nine contested bouts in a 35-6 rout of Anderson, allowing the six points on a forfeit at 141 pounds. Caldwell and 165-pounder Colin Genthert recorded pins, and 125-pounder Pedram Rahmatabadi and 174-pounder Quinton Godley each had a victory by major decision.
The Wolfpack’s second match went to the final bout on the card before heavyweight Eloheim Palma snapped a 20-20 tie by pinning Jeffrey Pollard and lifted NC State to a 26-20 victory. Caldwell and 197-pounder KaRonne Jones also won by fall, and Godley won by a technical fall.
NC State won eight of nine contested matches in defeating Campbell 29-7. Caldwell had the only pin, but KaRonne Jones won by a technical fall. Campbell had two points deducted from its team score for flagrant misconduct.
NC State got victories from Caldwell, Palmer and Godley in the loss to North Dakota State, plus Palma was beneficiary of a forfeit at heavyweight, but the Wolfpack dropped six matches, including a major decision, a technical fall and a pin.
NC State will return to action next weekend with a pair of road matches. The Pack will be at VMI at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 14, and at Virginia at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 15.
NC State 35, Anderson 6
125 - Pedram Rahmatabadi (NCS) major dec. Andrew Rankin, 14-4
133 - Conor Hovis (NCS) dec. Joseph Perry, 7-2
141 - Ian Harper (AU) won by forfeit
149 - Darrion Caldwell (NCS) pinned Dalton Harper at 2:35
157 - Colton Palmer (NCS) dec. Nick Giulietti, 8-2
165 - Colin Genthert (NCS) pinned Brian Onofrio at 6:00
174 - Quinton Godley (NCS) major dec. Trevor Sanford, 15-5
184 - Nijel Jones (NCS) dec. Sean O’Connell, 7-5
197 - KaRonne Jones (NCS) dec. Zoi Oulette, 5-2
Hwt - Eloheim Palma (NCS) dec. Chase Duke, 10-4
North Dakota State 45, Mercyhurst 6
125 - Trent Sprenkle (NDS) pinned T.J. Stanton at 3:48
133 - Justin Solberg (NDS) pinned Levi Smeltzer at 5:28
141 - Trevor Johnson (NDS) dec. Tony D’Urso, 4-1
149 - Mark Erikson (NDS) pinned Shane Foster at 2:51
157 - Vince Salminen (NDS) dec. Jordan Shields, 4-1
165 - Steve Monk (NDS) pinned Clint Schaefer at 1:53
174 - Mac Stoll (NDS) won by forfeit
184 - Ken Moenkedick (NDS) dec. Londele Cox, 6-0
197 - Drew Ross (NDS) pinned Michael Pollard at 2:40
Hwt - Nathan Sharp (MC) won by forfeit
NC State 26, Mercyhurst 20
125 - Pedram Rahmatabadi (NCS) dec. T.J. Stanton, 7-2
133 - Michael Baxter (MC) technical fall Conor Hovis, 15-0
141 - Tony D’Urso (MC) won by forfeit
149 - Darrion Caldwell (NCS) pinned Shane Foster at 2:41
157 - Colton Palmer (NCS) dec. Jordan Shields, 3-2
165 - Clint Schaefer (MC) dec. Colin Genthert, 10-5
174 - Quinton Godley (NCS) technical fall Eric Lundgren, 21-6
184 - Nijel Jones (NCS) dec. Londele Cox, 7-5
197 - Michael Pollard (MC) pinned KaRonne Jones at 1:52
Hwt - Eloheim Palma (NCS) pinned Jeffrey Pollard at 1:10
North Dakota State 49, Campbell 6
125 - Trent Sprenkle (NDS) pinned Tanner Biedelspach at 3:34
133 - Justin Solberg (NDS) dec. Gabriel Gardner, 5-1
141 - Trevor Johnson (NDS) major dec. Brad Merriman, 15-2
149 - Mark Erikson (NDS) pinned Darien Peele at 3:40
157 - Vince Salminen (NDS) pinned Jake Fose at 3:44
165 - Tyler Johnson (NDS) pinned Joel Caudill at 1:05
174 - Mac Stoll (NDS) pinned Justin Sparrow at 2:53
184 - Ken Moenkedick (NDS) pinned Peter Comis at 2:59
197 - Drew Ross (NDS) pinned John Merickel at 1:23
Hwt - Parker Burns (CU) won by forfeit
NC State 29, Campbell 7
125 - Pedram Rahmatabadi (NCS) dec. Tanner Bidelspach, 1-0
133 - Conor Hovis (NCS) dec. Gabriel Gardner, 8-4
141 - Brad Merriman (CU) won by forfeit
149 - Darrion Caldwell (NCS) pinned Darien Peele at 2:40
157 - Colton Palmer (NCS) vs. Jake Fose, 5-3
165 - Colin Genthert (NCS) dec Ryan Ham, 10-9 sv
174 - Quinton Godley (NCS) dec. Peter Comis, 7-3
184 - Nijel Jones (NCS) dec. John Merickel, 7-4
197 - KaRonne Jones (NCS) technical fall Justin Sparrow 15-0
Hwt - Parker Burns (CU) dec. Eloheim Palma, 3-1
Two teams points deducted from Campbell’s team score for flagrant misconduct following the 174-pound match. Peter Comis was ejected for the remainder of the day’s matches.
Mercyhurst 37, Anderson 12
125 - T.J. Stanton (MC) technical fall Andrew Rankin, 16-1
133 - Michael Baxter (MC) pinned Joseph Perry at 2:04
141 - Tony D’Urso (MC) dec. Ian Harper, 4-2
149 - Shane Foster (MC) pinned Dalton Harper at 4:39
157 - Jordan Shields (MC) major dec. Nick Giulietti, 10-1
165 - Clint Schaefer (MC) pinned Brian Onofrio at 4:13
174 - Trevor Sanford (AU) won by forfeit
184 - Eric Fulmer (MC) major dec. Sean O’Connell, 8-0
197 - Zoi Oulette (AU) injury default Zoi Oulette, at 4:12
Hwt - Nathan Sharp (MC) dec. Michael Pollard, 5-2
Mercyhurst 36, Campbell 9
125 - T.J. Stanton (MC) dec. Tanner Bidelspach, 4-0
133 - Levi Smeltzer (MC) pinned Gabriel Gardner at 5:55
141 - Tony D’Urso (MC) dec. Brad Merriman, 3-2
149 - Shane Foster (MC) pinned Darien Peele at 6:32
157 - Jordan Shields (MC) dec. Jake Fose, 6-3
165 - Clint Shaefer (MC) dec. Joel Caudil, 10-3
174 - Eric Lundgren (MC) pinned Ryan Ham at 2:42
184 - John Merickel (CU) dec. Londele Cox, 4-2
197 - Eric Fulmer (MC) pinned Justin Sparrow at 2:32
Hwt - Parker Burns (CU) pinned Jeffrey Pollard at 1:57
North Dakota State 46, Anderson 6
125 - Trent Sprenkle (NDS) pinned Andrew Rankin at 4:35
133 - Justin Solberg (NDS) major dec. Joseph Perry, 9-0
141 - Geoff Martin (NDS) technical fall Ian Harper, 27-12
149 - Mark Erikson (NDS) major dec. Dalton Harper, 11-3
157 - Vince Salminen (NDS) pinned Nick Giulietti at 1:30
165 - Tyler Wells (NDS) pinned Brian Onofrio at 3:38
174 - Mac Stoll (NDS) dec. Trevor Sanford, 9-6
184 - Ken Moenkedick (NDS) pinned Sean O’Connell at 2:22
197 - Drew Ross (NDS) injury default Zoi Oulette at 1:34
Hwt - Chase Duke (AU) won by forfeit
North Dakota State 27, NC State 18
125 - Trent Sprenkle (NDS) technical fall Pedram Rahmatabadi, 26-11 (4 pts)
133 - Justin Solberg (NDS) major dec. Conor Hovis, 11-0
141 - Trevor Johnson (NDS) won by forfeit
149 - Darrion Caldwell (NCS) pinned Mark Erikson at 0:45
157 - Colton Palmer (NCS) dec. Vince Salminen, 13-6
165 - Steven Monk (NDS) pinned Colin Genthert at 2:54
174 - Quinton Godley (NCS) dec. Mac Stoll, 3-2
184 - Ken Moenkedick (NDS) major dec. Nijel Jones, 11-3
197 - Drew Ross (NDS) dec. KaRonne Jones, 10-4
Hwt - Eloheim Pamla (NCS) won by forfeit
Campbell 21 Anderson 18
125 - Tanner Bidelspach (CU) major dec. Andrew Rankin, 10-2
133 - Gabriel Gardner (CU) dec. Joseph Perry, 9-4
141 - Ian Harper (AU) dec. Brad Merriman, 16-11
149 - Dalton Harper (AU) pinned Darien Peele at 6:27
157 - Jake Fose (CU) dec. Nick Giulietti, 10-3
165 - Brian Onofrio (AU) dec. Ryan Ham, 8-4
174 - Trevor Sanford (AU) pinned Joel Caudill at 1:09
184 - John Merickel (CU) dec. Sean O’Connell, 6-0
197 - Justin Sparrow (CU) won by forfeit
Hwt - Parker Burns (CU) dec. Chase Duke, 3-2
Note - Campbell had a point deducted from its team score for unsportsmanlike conduct following the 141-pound match.
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