Full NCWA Release: https://theacc.co/NWCAaa20

MANHEIM, Pa. – Seventeen Atlantic Coast Conference student-athletes were recognized as the National Wrestling Coaches Association announced the 2020 Division I All-American teams on Friday, including nine first-team selections.
 
Each year the NWCA recognizes the outstanding work of the DI student-athletes by naming the All-Americans based on their achievements in the national championships. However, the championships were canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All-American honors were based on each wrestler’s overall body of work through the conference tournaments and up to the national championships.
 
The ACC’s first-team selections include six conference champions – Pitt’s Micky Phillippi (133 pounds), North Carolina’s Austin O’Connor (149), NC State’s Hayden Hidlay (157), Virginia Tech’s Hunter Bolen (184), Virginia’s Jay Aiello (197) and Pitt’s Demetrius Thomas (285). Other first-team honorees include Virginia’s Jack Mueller (125), Virginia Tech’s David McFadden (165) and NC State’s Trent Hidlay (184).
 
Three more ACC champions are among five conference wrestlers named to the second team – NC State’s Jakob Camacho (125), North Carolina’s Zach Sherman (141) and Pitt’s Jake Wentzel (165). Other second-team selections include NC State’s Thomas Bullard (165) and Pitt’s Nino Bonaccorsi (184).
 
ACC 174-pound champion Clay Lautt of North Carolina earned honorable mention, along with NC State’s Tariq Wilson (141) and Daniel Bullard (174).
 
“During difficult times there are always people who rise to the occasion and I’m proud of the action that the NWCA Division I Leadership Group in providing direction for honoring the 2020 Division I All-American team,” said Mike Moyer, the NWCA Executive Director. “It’s important that these athletes’ efforts and successes during the season are recognized.  Congratulations to each of this year’s honorees and national qualifiers.”
 
 ACC 2020 NWCA All-Americans

First team
125 – Jack Mueller, Virginia
133 – Micky Phillippi, Pitt*
149 – Austin O’Connor, North Carolina*
157 – Hayden Hidlay, NC State*
165 – David McFadden, Virginia Tech
184 – Hunter Bolen, Virginia Tech*
184 – Trent Hidlay, NC State
197 – Jay Aiello, Virginia*
285 – Demetrius Thomas, Pitt*
 
Second team
125 – Jakob Camacho, NC State*
141 – Zach Sherman, North Carolina*
165 – Thomas Bullard, NC State
165 – Jake Wentzel, Pitt*
184 – Nico Bonaccorsi, Pitt
 
Honorable Mention
141 – Tariq Wilson, NC State
174 – Daniel Bullard, NC State
174 – Clay Lautt, North Carolina*
 
*-ACC champion