North Carolina State University Athletics
Wrestling Finishes at No. 8 in the Final Regular Season Poll
2/25/2026 1:00:00 PM | Wrestling
RALEIGH – Under head coach Pat Popolizio's reign, NC State wrestling has finished inside the top-10 of the NWCA's final regular season team poll for the 11th consecutive season. The team checked in as No. 8, where it's been situated for five of the last six polls.
Continuing to prove its dominance at the national level under the guidance of Pat Popolizio, NC State wrestling has now finished in the top-10 of the NWCA final regular season poll for 11 straight seasons, starting in 2016.
The 2015-16 season, Popolizio's fourth year in charge, showed to be a turning point for the program as the team finished as No. 17 in February of 2015, followed by being second in the country a year later in February of 2016. That same season carried the most wins in program history with a 23-1 dual record, which included nine notable wins over No. 2 Iowa, No. 4 Oklahoma State, No. 5 Missouri, No. 11 Nebraska, No. 14 North Carolina, No. 16 Minnesota, No. 16 Pittsburgh, No. 17 Virginia, and No. 24 Old Dominion.
The last 11 final polls for the Pack:
2026 - #8 2020 - #5
2025 - #9 2019 - #10
2024 - #7 2018 - #6
2023 - #3 2017 - #8
2022 - #4 2016 - #2
2021 - #7
10 years later, and the Pack is still a top contender on the national level under Popolizio. Closing out the 2025-26 season with a 15-4 dual record, the team holds six wrestlers ranked in the top-10 (according to InterMat) of their respective weight classes ahead of the grueling postseason month of March.
All eyes are on redshirt-sophomore Vincent Robinson as he looks to defend the national title at 125 lbs that he won last year at the NCAA Championships in Philadelphia. Hopes also fall on heavyweight Isaac Trumble as he competes at his final national tournament, coming in with an undefeated record of 14-0, which boasts 10 bonus point wins. The sixth-year senior earned All-American status in Philadelphia with a fourth-place finish on an entirely torn knee.
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