BOONE, N.C. — App State Wrestling will head east — and north, possibly after heading back west, in some cases — to open the 2022-23 season this weekend.
The Mountaineers, who have a top-30 spot in voting for the preseason NWCA Coaches Poll, make their dual debut at No. 9 NC State on Friday night. That 7 p.m. showdown will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for youth, with a $5 group rate.
Afterward, some of the younger or less-experienced wrestlers who traveled to Raleigh will join a group of teammates who have already headed to Salem, Va., for Saturday's Southeast Open. The full complement of coaches will be on hand after App State's veteran starters have been transported back to Boone late Friday night.
App State's opening-night lineup against NC State likely will have five wrestlers (among the 10 starters) who have competed at the NCAA Championships. The Wolfpack could have seven starting positions with wrestlers who have NCAA experience.
The Mountaineers won three of the first six matches in a 25-10 loss to the Wolfpack last season and took four of 10 matches in a 24-12 loss at Reynolds Coliseum two seasons ago.
App State returns a two-time All-American in
Jon Jon Millner (149 pounds), plus fellow 2022 NCAA qualifiers
Caleb Smith (125) and
Will Formato (165).
Cody Bond (157) and
Sean Carter (133) competed at the 2021 NCAAs. Another returning starter,
Heath Gonyer, had a top-33 ranking at 141 pounds last year.
NC State's Trent Hidley (184) has placed in the top five at the NCAAs in each of the previous two seasons, while the Wolfpack roster has other returners with NCAA experience in Jarrett Trombley (125), Kai Orine (133), Ryan Jack (141), Ed Scott (157), Isaac Trumble (197) and Tyrie Houghton (heavyweight).
The Wolfpack could start freshmen at a few spots, and App State will have new starters at several weights.
Chopper Mordecai (fourth-year redshirt sophomore) and
Will Miller (sophomore) are options at 174, where Thomas Flitz was a multi-year starter, and redshirt freshman
Luke Uliano is the likely starter at 184 pounds. Returning starter
Wyatt Miller (sophomore) and
Carson Floyd (true freshman) are expected to weigh in at 197 pounds, while heavyweights
Mason Fiscella and
Jacob Sartorio will travel to Raleigh. Fiscella opened last year as the 197 starter before suffering a season-ending injury in App State's first SoCon dual.
Mordecai,
Will Miller,
Wyatt Miller, Floyd, Sartorio,
Chad Bellis (125),
Ethan Oakley (133),
Riley Edwards (141) and
Tommy Askey (157) will go directly from Raleigh to the Roanoke area, with most of those wrestlers competing in the Open division of the Southeast Open along with
Ike Byers (141) and
OJ Bost (165). App State will have 15 entries in the Freshman/Sophomore division.
The 2022-23 season is presented by Hungry Howies and Penn Station.
