Michael Macchiavello after his victory in the NCAA semifinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)GREENSBORO, N.C. -- NC State senior Michael Macchiavello, Virginia Tech freshman Hunter Bolen and NC State head coach Pat Popolizio were named the 2018 Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler, Freshman and Coach of the Year, the league announced Wednesday.
All three awards were determined by a vote of the ACC's six wrestling head coaches.
Macchiavello, a fifth year senior from Monroe, North Carolina, capped an outstanding senior season by winning the national championship at 197 pounds. Macchiavello finished the year with a 22-3 record, including 11-2 in duals. He defeated Virginia Tech's Jared Haught, 3-1, in the NCAA Championship finals to claim the title. Macchiavello, the NCAA fourth seed in the championship, and Haught, who was seeded third, became the first pair of ACC wrestlers to meet in the NCAA finals.
Macchiavello's national title was the 18th by an ACC wrestler and the first since former NC State standout Nick Gwiazdowski won the heavyweight crown in 2015.
“We are very proud of what Michael has accomplished, both on the mat and in the classroom,†said Popolizio. “He exemplifies the mentality, work ethic, and lifestyle needed to be successful and has reaped the benefits of trusting the process.
“He came to NC State in the early stages of building the program, when he and our team were facing tremendous growth challenges. From having a losing record as a freshman to winning an NCAA title as a senior, Michael demonstrated what is possible with complete buy-in and goal-oriented focus. He leaves NC State with an undergraduate degree in business management and is currently finishing his master's degree. Michael embodies everything that our program stands for and what we look for in prospective student-athletes.â€
Bolen, a freshman from Christiansburg, Virginia, posted a 21-12 overall record on the year in the 174-pound weight class. He reached the finals of the ACC Championships and earned All-ACC honors and was 4-0 in ACC competition during the regular season. In all, Bolen notched six wins over other NCAA qualifiers.
“Hunter put a lot of effort and hard work in this past season and we're happy to see him earn this award,†said Virginia Tech head coach Tony Robie. “The best part about Hunter is that his best wrestling is still ahead of him and we're all excited to see him progress on the mat.â€
Eligibility for the ACC Freshman of the Year award is limited to true freshmen.
Popolizio, in his sixth season as head coach of the Wolfpack, led NC State to a fourth-place finish in the NCAA Championships, tying the highest finish by an ACC team, which had been set in 2016 by Virginia Tech. The Wolfpack posted a 15-2 overall record, including a 5-0 mark in the ACC, taking the regular season title for the first time since 2004.
NC State finished the regular season ranked sixth nationally in the NWCA Coaches poll and sixth by InterMat in both its tournament and dual meet rankings.
NC State was the first ACC ream to have two wrestlers in the NCAA Championship finals in the same year in Macchiavello and redshirt freshman Hayden Hidley. In all, the Wolfpack had four All-Americas in Macchiavello, Hidlay, redshirt freshman Tariq Wilson, who finished third at 133, and senior Kevin Jack, who finished sixth at 141.
“This was certainly an exciting year for our squad, setting many new program firsts,†said Popolizio. “All the hard work that started all the way back in the preseason came to fruition on our sport's biggest stage with NC State's first team trophy a national champion, and a school record four All-Americans.
“There are so many people behind the scenes that continue to elevate our program. Without their hard work and dedication to seeing our student-athletes excel, we would not be where we are at today. I am both humbled and honored not only for this award, but for all the resources we have as a program.â€
Popolizio becomes the first NC State coach to be voted the ACC Wrestling Coach of the Year award since Carter Jordan in 2007. It also marked the eighth time an NC State coach was so honored as former Wolfpack head coach Bob Guzzo was named six times. The honor also broke a five-year streak of Virginia Tech head coaches being named ACC Wrestling Coach of the Year.
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