GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – North Carolina junior Kennedy Monday has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler of the Week after his technical fall win over the nation’s third-ranked wrestler at 165 pounds led the 12th-ranked Tar Heels to a 23-10 team victory at No. 3 Virginia Tech in last Friday night’s ACC opener.
 
Monday, ranked No. 17 nationally, put UNC in firm control of the match with his 21-6 victory over the Hokies’ David McFadden. With a large Cassell Coliseum crowd and ACC Network audience looking on, Monday stormed out of the gate with a 6-2 lead in the first period and never looked back. The Arlington, Texas, native is now 17-4 for the Tar Heels this season with a 9-1 dual-meet record. Monday has knocked off three top-20 opponents since the Midlands Championships (No. 16 Quentin Perez of Campbell, No. 20 Cael McCormick of Army, and Virginia Tech’s No. 3 McFadden).

Friday night marked Monday’s highest ranked-opponent win since he defeated No. 2 Joey Lavallee of Missouri while competing in the 157-pound weight class at the 2018 NCAA Championships.

Monday moved up six spots to No. 11 in this week's InterMat 165-pound weight class rankings, and the Tar Heels moved up four spots to No. 8 in the NWCA Coaches Poll. With NC State now at No. 4, Virginia Tech at No. 7 and Pitt at No. 10, the ACC boasts four teams ranked among the top 10 for the first time ever.