NC State’s Hidlay, Virginia’s Mueller recognized
 
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference has recognized NC State 157-pound sophomore Hayden Hidlay and Virginia 125-pound junior Jack Mueller as conference Co-Wrestlers of the Week after each went unbeaten while turning in impressive performances in the South Beach Duals and regular-season matches.
 
The ACC Wrestler of the Week honor is the second of the season for the Wolfpack’s Hidlay, while Mueller – who saw his first collegiate action of the season on Dec. 20 – was honored for the first time. Hidlay enters this week ranked No. 4 nationally in his weight class by InterMat, while Mueller holds a No. 5 ranking.
 
Hidlay picked up his second top-10 win of the season this past Sunday with a 7-2 decision over No. 8 Ke-Shawn Hayes of Ohio State. The Lewistown, Pennsylvania, native scored both of the takedowns in the match – one in the second period and another in the third.
 
Hidlay’s effort against the Buckeyes came after he went 4-0 at the South Beach Duals at Ft. Lauderdale, outscoring his foes 61-16 and notching three bonus-point wins. The latter efforts included two wins by technical fall and one by major decision.
 
Mueller returned to the lineup against sixth-ranked Missouri after initially planning to take a redshirt season after competing at the U23 World Games. His first five matches since have all been bonus-point victories, including four consecutive wins by pinfall to start his collegiate season.  All of the Dallas native’s pins came in the first period in a combined 7:44 of match time.
 
Mueller, a returning and All-American and former ACC Freshman of the Year, tallied 28 dual points for the Cavaliers in his first five matches, helping Virginia to a 3-2 record in a stretch that included three duals versus nationally-ranked foes.