CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference kicks off the 2024-25 wrestling season with a new look, as long-time Pac-12 member Stanford joins the mix, giving the league seven schools that sponsor wrestling.
 
The ACC begins the season with five schools ranked in the top 25. Rivals Virginia Tech and NC State are ranked No. 7 and No. 8, respectively. Newcomer Stanford enters the conference at No. 21, while North Carolina and Pitt are ranked No. 24 and No. 25, respectively.
 
All seven ACC teams will be in action this weekend, beginning on Friday, November 1, with Virginia hosting North Dakota State at 4 p.m. ET and No. 7 Virginia Tech taking on Chattanooga in Salem, Virginia, at 6 p.m. ET. Stanford will hit the mat for the first time as a member of the ACC with a pair of dual matches versus Utah Valley (8 p.m. ET) and CSU Bakersfield (10 p.m. ET) with both matches airing on ACCNX.
 
On Saturday, November 2, No. 25 Pitt will host Navy at 2 p.m. ET on ACCNX, while the Hokies, No. 24 North Carolina and Virginia will have individuals compete at the 2024 Southeast Open. On Sunday, November 3, No. 8 NC State and Duke will open up their seasons at the Battle at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, while Pitt will return to the mat to compete at the Clarion Open in Clarion, Pennsylvania.

Upcoming Schedule
Friday, November 1
North Dakota State at Virginia | 4 p.m. ET
Chattanooga vs. #7 Virginia Tech | 6 p.m. ET | FloWrestling
Utah Valley at #21 Stanford | 8 p.m. ET | ACCNX
CSU Bakersfield at #21 Stanford | 10 p.m. ET | ACCNX
 
Saturday, November 2
Navy at #25 Pitt | 2 p.m. ET | ACCNX
#7 Virginia Tech at Southeast Open | All Day | FloWrestling
#24 North Carolina at Southeast Open | All Day | FloWrestling
Virginia at Southeast Open | All Day | FloWrestling
 
Sunday, November 3
#8 NC State at Battle at The Citadel | All Day
Duke at Battle at The Citadel | All Day
#25 Pitt at Clarion Open | All Day
 
All times listed as Eastern Time
 
Noting ACC Wrestling

• With the addition of Stanford, the ACC now has seven programs that sponsor wrestling – Duke, North Carolina, NC State, Pitt, Stanford, Virginia and Virginia Tech.
• The ACC begins the season with five schools ranked in the top 25 of the NWCA Division I Men’s Wrestling Coaches Poll. Two teams are ranked in the top 10, as Virginia Tech and NC State are ranked No. 7 and No. 8, respectively. Newcomer Stanford enters the conference at No. 21, while North Carolina and Pitt are ranked No. 24 and No. 25, respectively.
• In the InterMat NCAA Division 1 individual preseason ranking, the ACC boasts 43 wrestlers in the top 33 of their respective weight classes. Of those 43, 12 are within the top 10. Leading the way is 2024 NCAA National Champion Caleb Henson of Virginia Tech, who is ranked No. 1 in the nation in the 149-pound division after winning ACC Wrestler of the Year a year ago.
• NC State will open the season as the defending ACC Champions for the sixth consecutive season, having won the program's sixth straight ACC title last year. With their sixth successive title, the Wolfpack became just the second wrestling program to capture at least six consecutive ACC titles and the first since former conference member Maryland won 20 in a row from 1954 through 1973. Last year’s league wrestling championship was the 21st overall for NC State, the most among current ACC programs, and the seventh overall under head coach Pat Popolizio.
• Virginia Tech aims to replicate last year's conference awards season sweep, as ACC Wrestler of the Year (Caleb Henson), Freshman of the Year (Thomas Stewart Jr.), and Coach of the Year (Tony Robie) all return for the Hokies this season.
• Also returning to the mat this season was the 2024 ACC Championship's Most Outstanding Wrestler Nick Hamilton of Virginia. Hamilton defeated back-to-back nationally ranked grapplers Derek Fields of NC State and Connor Brady of Virginia Tech to win the championship at 165 pounds.