GREENSBORO, N.C.—NC State senior Nick Gwiazdowski (Delanson, New York), Virginia Tech freshman David McFadden (West Milford, New Jersey) and Virginia Tech head coach Kevin Dresser claimed the 2016 ACC Wrestling Awards, announced Tuesday by Commissioner John Swofford.
Gwiazdowski was named the ACC Wrestler of the Year for the third consecutive year. McFadden earned ACC Freshman Wrestler of the Year honors, and Dresser was named the ACC’s Wrestling Coach of the Year for the fourth straight time.
All three awards were determined by a vote of the league’s six wrestling head coaches. Gwiazdowski, who this year claimed his third ACC title at 285 pounds, finished as the NCAA runner-up after winning the national title in 2014 and 2015. He becomes only the second wrestler in ACC history to be named Wrestler of the Year three straight times, having also been voted the award after the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Only NC State’s Sylvester Terkay, another heavyweight, had previously won ACC Wrestler of the Year three times (1991-92-93).
Virginia Tech’s McFadden earned All-American honors by finishing fifth nationally in the 165-pound weight class, helping the Hokies to a school and ACC-best fourth place finish at the NCAA Championship.
The No. 14 seed at the NCAA Championship in New York City’s Madison Square Garden, he posted a 6-2 mark in the Championship, losing only to the third seed of the Championship, Bo Jordan of Wisconsin, on two occasions.
McFadden scored upsets over the No. six, seven and ninth-seeded wrestlers to earn a sixth-place finish and garner All-America honors in his first season of collegiate competition.
Overall, McFadden posted a 27-11 individual record on the year and finished third at the ACC Championship in Charlottesville.
“David McFadden had a great year for an 18 year-old kid!” said Tech head coach Kevin Dresser. “His determination to get on the podium as a true freshman was most impressive. Obviously, David loves to compete!”
Dresser, who coached Tech to its fourth straight Top 10 and its highest-ever NCAA finish, joined former North Carolina head coach Bill Lam (1997-2000) as the only coaches in league history to be named ACC Wrestling Coach of the Year four straight times.
This award is a great honor for our program, and especially my coaching staff,” said Dresser. “I consider this a coaching staff award more than individual award. I am very proud of what the ACC did this year as a conference and I am excited to see the continued growth. The Hokies will enjoy this award.”
Dresser guided the Hokies to a 16-2 dual meet record during the regular season, including a 6-2 mark against nationally-ranked opponents. He led Tech to its second straight regular season ACC dual match title, defeating then third-ranked NC State in their dual meet in the process. Tech finished in first place in ACC dual meet competition for the third time in four seasons.
The Hokies finished the year ranked third nationally by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) national poll, their highest ranking in school history.Six of Dresser’s wrestlers earned All-American honors, a school and ACC record for a single NCAA Championship in McFadden; Solomon Chishko (Jeannette, Pennsylvania), who finished sixth at 141; senior Nick Brascetta (St. Paris, Ohio), who finished third at 157; Zach Epperly (Christiansburg, Virginia) who finished third at 174; Jared Haught (Parkersburg, West Virginia), who finished sixth at 197 and Ty Walz (Cleveland, Ohio), who finished fourth at 285.
To read the ACC's full release, click here.