North Carolina Freshmen Make Historic Impact at 2025 NHSCA Nationals
North Carolina’s freshman class delivered a historic performance at the 2025 NHSCA Nationals, producing a record-tying seven All-Americans across six different weight classes. This exceptional showing ranked North Carolina tied for 5th nationally in total freshman All-Americans, trailing only traditional powerhouse states Pennsylvania (17), Ohio (10), New York (10), and New Jersey (10), while matching Florida’s seven placers.
The Class of 2028 demonstrated not just depth but aggressive, bonus-point-focused wrestling that overwhelmed opponents. Their collective performance nearly doubled North Carolina’s 20-year average of 3.6 All-Americans at the freshman level, signaling a significant leap forward for the state’s wrestling development pipeline.
All-American Performances
4th Place Finisher Aaron Ellison (138 lbs) – 5-2 Record
At 138 lbs, Aaron Ellison emerged as one of the tournament’s biggest surprises. Entering unseeded, Ellison compiled a stellar 5-2 record en route to a 4th-place finish. His journey included a first-round fall in just 1:35 and a stunning 9-0 major decision over 5th-seeded Timmy Boda in the quarterfinals. After falling to nationally ranked Hunter Gordon (TX) in the semifinals, Ellison rebounded with a tight 6-5 decision over 7th-seeded Kayson White before dropping the bronze medal match. His performance—taking out two seeded wrestlers and reaching the semifinals—marked him as a wrestler to watch in coming years.
5th Place Finisher Aaron Ruiz-Angel (220 lbs) – 4-2 Record
Aaron Ruiz-Angel (220 lbs) entered as the 5th seed and lived up to expectations with a 4-2 record and 5th-place finish. Ruiz-Angel’s tournament was highlighted by his dominance over nationally ranked Cody Alessi, whom he defeated twice by major decision—8-0 in the quarterfinals and 14-1 in the 5th-place match. His explosive offense and ability to handle bigger opponents stood out, as did his opening-round pin in just 23 seconds.
6th Place Finisher Ryan Thompson (170 lbs) – 4-3 Record
At 170 lbs, Ryan Thompson (seeded 4th) compiled a 4-3 record for 6th place, showing both power and resilience. Thompson began with consecutive pins (1:27 and 1:42) before falling to 2nd-seeded Chase Hetrick (PA) in the semifinals. His consolation quarterfinal win (10-7) over Jules Deshotels showcased his scoring ability, while his wild 21-19 loss in the 5th-place bout demonstrated his never-quit attitude in a match that had spectators on their feet.
7th Place Finisher Connor Reece (132 lbs) – 5-2 Record
North Carolina dominated the 132-pound bracket with two All-Americans. Connor Reece (seeded 9th) posted a 5-2 record for 7th place, including a technical fall in the round of 32 and an upset 5-1 decision over 7th-seeded Adrian Day. After falling to top-seeded Riker Ohearon (UT), Reece finished strong with a pin over teammate Mitchell Rowland in just 1:20 in the 7th-place match.
8th Place Finisher Mitchell Rowland (132 lbs) – 5-3 Record
His teammate Mitchell Rowland (seeded 4th) secured 8th place with a 5-3 record. Rowland showed offensive firepower with consecutive technical falls (15-0 and 16-1) and a 14-3 major decision in the consolation rounds. His losses came to the tournament’s top seed and to his teammate Reece in the placement round, showcasing North Carolina’s depth at this weight class.
8th Place Finisher Jacob Perry (152 lbs) – 6-3 Record
Jacob Perry (152 lbs) entered unseeded but battled to an 8th-place finish with the most wins (6-3 record) of any North Carolina freshman. Perry was a bonus-point machine, recording four technical falls including back-to-back 18-0 shutouts in the consolation rounds. His aggressive style and scoring ability were evident throughout, though he fell to top-seeded Harrison Murdock (GA) and 3rd-seeded Knox Verbais in his losses.
8th Place Finisher Coy Greer (160 lbs) – 4-3 Record
Rounding out the All-Americans, Coy Greer (160 lbs) entered as the 13th seed and secured 8th place with a 4-3 record. After falling to 2nd-seeded Samuel Almedina (PA), Greer showcased his offensive skills with three consecutive bonus-point wins in the consolation bracket—two technical falls (18-3 and 15-0) and a lightning-quick 46-second pin.
Bonus-Point Dominance
What separated this North Carolina freshman class wasn’t just their placements but how they won. Across 33 total victories, NC freshmen combined for:
- 7 Pins
- 9 Technical Falls
- 8 Major Decisions
This means 73% of all wins came with bonus points—a sign of dominance rather than mere survival. The willingness to push pace, score points, and pursue falls rather than coast to decisions suggests a mentally tough group that’s been well-coached to seek maximum team points.
Historic Context & Future Outlook
With seven All-Americans, the 2025 freshman class ties North Carolina’s all-time record for most placers in a single year. What makes this performance particularly noteworthy is the distribution of talent across multiple weight classes, from 132 to 220 pounds, suggesting a comprehensive development approach rather than isolated pockets of success.
Most impressively, this group showed the ability to overcome adversity—multiple wrestlers navigated tough consolation brackets after early losses, demonstrating resilience that will serve them well as they advance through high school competition.
If these seven wrestlers can follow the development trajectory of recent North Carolina talent—where we’ve seen multiple freshmen All-Americans return to place again as sophomores, juniors, and seniors—this class could potentially become the most decorated in state history by the time they graduate in 2028.
Combined with the sophomore class’s six All-Americans this year, North Carolina’s total of 13 All-Americans across the two divisions marks a tie for the state’s best-ever NHSCA Nationals performance, matching the 2013 total. With these underclassmen just beginning their high school careers, North Carolina wrestling’s national prominence appears poised for continued growth in the years ahead.
