NC State Wrestling Lands Stellar Recruiting Class
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Bruce Winkworth (NC State Sports Info)
06/06/2001
RALEIGH, N.C. - Fresh off winning the 2001 Atlantic Coast Conference championship, the NC State wrestling team has landed a nine-man recruiting class that ranks as one of the best in the program's history. NC State wrestling coach Bob Guzzo has brought in a class that includes one high school national champion, two prep national champions, a high school open champion, and a European champion. Five of the nine were ranked in the national top six as high school seniors. Seven of the nine won state championships in their respective states, and another reached the state semifinals four consecutive years. "We're really ecstatic to sign what we think is one of the top recruiting classes in the country," Guzzo said. "Not only are these kids outstanding wrestlers, but they're outstanding people as well, the kind of kids who will represent our program and university in a first-class manner." At the top of the Wolfpack's recruiting class is 2001 national champion Mike Massenzio of Totowa, N.J. A two-time state champion at St. Joseph's Montvale High School, Massenzio finished the 2001 high school season ranked second in the nation at 171 pounds by USA Wrestling magzine. He projects to wrestle at 184 for NC State. The Wolfpack signed another national-caliber standout from New Jersey, two-time 145-pound state champion Dave Miller from Lenape High School in Southampton. Miller, who won the Outstanding Wrestler award at the 2000 New Jersey State Tournament, was undefeated as a junior and senior, and broke the New Jersey record for career victories. Miller, projected to wrestle at 149 or 157 collegiately, finished the season ranked second nationally at 145 by USA Wrestling. Kevin Gabrielson from DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Md., is the Wolfpack's third signee to finish the 2001 high school season ranked in the national top 5 in his weight class. Gabrielson is a three-time state champion at 152 pounds and was ranked No. 5 at 152 by USA Wrestling. Gabrielson projects to wrestle at 157 or 165 pounds for NC State. Jake Giamoni, a transfer from Boston University, was ranked No. 5 in the nation by USA Wrestling as a senior, in 2000. Giamoni, from Easton (Pa.) High School, won the 2000 Pennsylvania state championship at 135 pounds. He did not compete at Boston University and will have four years of eligibility at NC State. Giamoni should wrestle at 141 pounds for NC State. At heavyweight, NC State landed Allen Klinner, the 2001 Alabama state champion this past season. Klinner, who won the 2000 United States Open Championship at heavyweight, finished the 2001 season ranked No. 6 nationally at heavyweight by USA Wrestling. Also in NC State's recruiting class: * Joe McGann, from the perennial powerhouse at Blair Academy in Blairstown, Fla., was the 2001 National Prep Champion at 174 pounds. McGann figures to wrestle at 174 for the Wolfpack. * David Chapman, from the state championship team at Absegami High School in Absecon, N.J. Chapman placed in the top four at 130 pounds in the New Jersey state tournament each of the last four years. Chapman most likely will wrestle at 133 or 141 pounds at NC State. * Robert LeDuc, the North Carolina state champion at 189 pounds. LeDuc projects at 197 pounds collegiately. * Courtney Bird, the 160-pound champion in the 2001 Division II DODDS-European Championships. Bird, who helped lead the Shape Team of Belgium to the Division II team championship, projects to wrestle at 165 pounds collegiately. NC State's nine recruits will join a program that returns eight starters - including two individual conference champions and two runners-up - from last season's ACC championship squad. "This is a very opportune time for us to bring in such an outstanding class," Guzzo said. "We hope to build on last year's conference championship and establish more of a national presence for our progam. With the excellent nucleus we have returning plus these eight outstanding recruits, we really believe that our program can take that next step in the very near future."