Wolfpack's Caldwell wins NCAA wrestling title

North Carolina State University

Wolfpack's Caldwell wins NCAA wrestling title

Mar 21, 2009

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ST. LOUIS – N.C. State’s Darrion Caldwell captured N.C. State’s fifth-ever individual national wrestling title with an impressive 11-6 win over defending national champion Brent Metcalf of Iowa in the 149-pound weight class finale at Saturday’s NCAA Championships.

Caldwell’s national title is the first by an Atlantic Coast Conference wrestler since 1995. The ACC nearly claimed a second national champion later in the evening, but Duke’s Konrad Dudziak suffered a tough 3-2 loss to Missouri’s Mark Ellis in the second sudden-victory period of the 285-pound title match.

Caldwell and Dudziak earned All-America status, which is awarded to the top eight finishers in each weight class.

Dudziak is the first Duke wrestler to earn All-America honors.

Caldwell, who improved to 38-1 with the decision, took Metcalf down just seconds into the match to take a 2-0 lead.

Metcalf escaped, but Caldwell got him in a headlock and threw him to the mat for the second takedown of the period, the first time Metcalf had been taken down twice in a period in more than a year. Metcalf escaped again near the end of the period and Caldwell took a 4-2 lead into the second period. Caldwell started in the down position in the second period, escaped, then scored a takedown on a counter move off a Metcalf shot to take a 7-2 lead.

Caldwell cruised from there. He got one more takedown in the third and led 9-3. Metcalf got an escape and a late takedown in the third period, but the issue was decided by that time.

The loss is only the second of Metcalf’s career and ended a 69-match winning streak. Metcalf’s other loss also was to Caldwell, who pinned him on Nov. 24, 2007. Metcalf finished the season 37-1

Caldwell finished the season with a 10-match winning streak – six by major decision, one by technical fall and one by pin. Caldwell is N.C. State’s first All-American since 1996 (Mike Miller) and its first two-time All-American since 1992-93 (Sylvester Terkay).

Caldwell now has a career record of 95-12 with 50 pins.

Most Recent Comments

RE: Wolfpack's Caldwell wins NCAA wrestling title

Zach1: You should get your facts straight and tell the whole story. There are so many sore losers around here. Metcalf had sportsmanship?
http://stltoday.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?image=22838355&event=716181&CategoryID=38576

The article forgot to mention that Darrion Caldwell also received the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. Darrion is a truly talented and honorable wrestler.

RE: Wolfpack's Caldwell wins NCAA wrestling title

Great accomplishment, Congrads, from a tarheel.

RE: Wolfpack's Caldwell wins NCAA wrestling title

Someone needs to teach Caldwell something called sportsmanship. He does flips before the match even ends, and this after taking an "injury" break in the third period because his conditioning wasn't up to par. He won the match but did not act like a champion.

RE: Wolfpack's Caldwell wins NCAA wrestling title

This was a great win for the wolfpack yet it was reported by someone who had no wrestling experience. Not only did Caldwell win the NCAA title he beat the most heavly rated wrestler in the tournament.

Congrats WRAL on coverage 2nd round basketball when a true national champion is in your back yard.

WRAL Sports Fan

North Carolina State University