The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/896287
NOVEMBER 2017 ■ 123 Gwiazdowski went 4-1 at 125 kilograms while outscoring his competition 30-16 at the World Championships. He entered the tournament ranked 17th internationally, but knocked off competitors ranked fifth, ninth and 19th on the planet. He beat the fifth-ranked grappler via a dominant 10-1 decision before eventually falling to the defending three-time world champion in the semifinals. He is the first-ever former NC State wrestler to medal at the Worlds, and is even doing so while staying in Raleigh, where he trains at the Wolfpack Regional Training Center (RTC) alongside a group of fellow post-college competitors, many of whom are also former NCSU wrestlers, and the current squad. "It just instills the confidence that you can produce at a high level here," head coach Pat Popolizio said of the accom- plishment. "It just validates everything that we've been about and preaching. It shows that if you're committed, you can produce at the world level. "That's something the top recruits in the country want to see — a proven track record. "Nick's goal is to win world and Olym- pic titles, and I think he left there knowing he's not far off. A few little, minor things and gaining more experience put him that much closer to doing it." Popolizio credited the grappler's work ethic as the key factor in his most recent run to the podium. "When you get to this level, you've got to be professional about everything you're doing: the training, the nutrition, the sleep, the mind work you've got to do — and that's something Nick's been very good at," the coach said. "He's never late to a workout, he doesn't miss a lift, he doesn't miss a technique session. "When you're a professional you don't need a coach riding you, telling you that you need to do A, B and C. … You need a coach to guide you, mentor you and help you with certain things. That's what we've done." No matter what notoriety his accom- plishments bring to the program, Gwiaz- dowski provides his biggest boost to the current team by showing how far the train- ing at NC State can take a wrestler. "They saw what he did," Popolizio said of his squad watching Gwiazdowski and other RTC members find international suc- cess. "They're like, 'I've got some of the best guys in the world to roll with.' It just takes us to the next level in confidence. "The experience of going toe to toe with those guys every day in the room and see- ing them train, you can't teach that." It was a long time and several gold med- als ago, but Gwiazdowski's first World Championships mirrored his NCAA Championships debut, when he was a rookie at Binghamton. It was a learning experience, but still resulted in the big man earning the last spot on the podium, surpassing his ranking and most outside expectations entering the tournament. His college path wouldn't be a bad tem- plate to follow once again. Gwiazdowski knocked off the two-time defending cham- pion to win gold at his second NCAA ap- pearance, after transferring to NC State and redshirting. Gwiazdowski is very appreciative of the opportunity he has to pursue his dreams of reaching the top from Raleigh once again. "What we've been doing here is making a huge difference — not just the coaching staff, they are a huge part of it, but the people who let me do what I want to do here and the people that support it," he explained. "Our Wolfpack Regional Train- ing Center has awesome supporters that literally make it possible for me to do this rather than coaching or working a different type of job. I'm really lucky." Gwiazdowski will be back in action Dec. 7-8 for the World Wrestling Clubs Cup in Iran, and understands that he and the U.S. squad, which won the team title at the World Championships, will be targeted. "Now that I have something, people are going to want beat me and take it, and same with our team," he said. "Every time I step on the mat I'm go- ing to see the best version of whoever I'm wrestling, which is good. It will push me to new levels." ■ "Nick's goal is to win world and Olympic titles, and I think he left there knowing he's not far off. A few little, minor things and gaining more experience put him that much closer to doing it." ■ NC State head wrestling coach Pat Popolizio Gwiazdowski went 4-1 representing the U.S. at his first World Championships, outscoring his foes 30-16 and claiming a bronze medal. PHOTO BY TONY ROTUNDO/WRESTLERS ARE WARRIORS World Standout Former NC State National Champion Wrestler Nick Gwiazdowski Brought Home A Bronze Medal From His First World Championships BY RYAN TICE N ick Gwiazdowski's goal for his first World Championships was simple — although that didn't make it any easier to ac- complish. He wanted to come home with a medal. He targeted the gold, but he would take whatever shade of alloy he could get hung around his neck in his first appearance. "Now you've got the USA on your chest and you want to bring back hardware for the country," he said before leaving for the World Champi- onships, held in late August in Paris. Mission accomplished.