Wolfpack wrestler scholar-athlete of the year
Wolfpack wrestler scholar-athlete of the year
N.C. State senior Nick Gwiazdowski, who finished second in this year’s NCAA Wrestling Championships after winning national titles in 2014 and 2015, has been named the 2016 Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year and heads up the sport’s All-ACC Academic Team.
Gwiazdowski, majoring in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, finished second nationally in this year’s NCAA Wrestling Championship, dropping an overtime decision, after winning the national championship at 285 pounds in 2014 and 2015.
He is only the second to reach the NCAA finals in three consecutive years and is a two-time member of the league’s All-ACC Academic Team. He is also a four-time All-American honoree.
Prior to losing to Olympian Kyle Snyder of Ohio State in the NCAA finals, Gwiazdowski had won an ACC-record 88 consecutive matches, a streak which began in January of 2014.
Gwiazdowski is the first NC State wrestler to be named ACC Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards are given annually to the top junior or senior student-athlete in their respective sports.
To be eligible for All-ACC Academic Team consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a minimum 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a minimum 3.00 cumulative average during his academic career.
N.C. State: Having signed the No. 2 recruiting class during the fall signing period, wrestling Head Coach Pat Popolizio and his staff added to that impressive haul with a pair of signees this week. The Wolfpack inked Nick Reenan a top-10 recruit nationally in every publication, and Codi Russell a 2016 NHSCA senior national champion.
Duke: Four members of the wrestling team were voted to the 2016 All-ACC Academic Team as announced Tuesday by Commissioner John Swofford. Trey Adamson, Connor Bass, Jake Faust and Conner Hartmann all have garnered this recognition multiple times in their careers.
Track and Field
Saint Augustine’s: The school sits atop the NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Rankings for the fourth straight week according the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), which released the rankings on Tuesday.
Tia-Adana Belle was also named NCAA Division II National Women’s Athlete of the Week by the USTFCCCA.
N.C. State: Megan Moye is the ACC Women’s Track Performer of the Week for the second week in a row, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday afternoon.
Duke: Senior pole vaulter Megan Clark was named the ACC Women’s Field Performer of the Week, as announced by the league office Tuesday. It is the second consecutive week Clark has been awarded the distinction and the third time overall during the 2016 outdoor campaign.
Women’s Lacrosse
UNC: Megan Ward has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
Tennis
Wake Forest: Head Coach Tony Bresky announced the addition of Alexandar Lazarov for the 2016-17 season on Tuesday afternoon. The 18-year-old has two Junior ITF singles titles under his belt and has competed in Junior Wimbledon, the Junior U.S. Open, the Eddie Herr International Junior Championships and the Metropolia Orange Bowl International Tennis Championship.
Fencing
Duke: With the 2016 collegiate fencing season in the books, a combined nine student-athletes garnered spots on the All-ACC Academic Men’s and Women’s Teams, as announced by the conference office Tuesday. The Blue Devils trailed only Notre Dame’s 10 selections for the most out of the four ACC fencing schools.
From news releases
This story was originally published April 26, 2016 at 7:30 PM with the headline "Wolfpack wrestler scholar-athlete of the year."