The Southern Scuffle has evolved into one of the top in-season tournaments of the college wrestling season, and its proximity to Raleigh makes it a natural for NC State. This will mark the Wolfpack’s fifth consecutive appearance at the Southern Scuffle and its sixth in the last seven years. NC State finished seventh in 2006 and 10th in 2008.
This year’s field will be highlighted by Cornell, which is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation by intermatwrestle.com. Minnesota (No. 4) and Penn State (No. 7) are also ranked in the top 10 and will be in the field, along with Michigan (No. 16), Hofstra (18), Kent State (20), Virginia (26), and Edinboro (28).
“We’re excited about the Southern Scuffle,” Wolfpack head coach Carter Jordan said. “It’s a great tournament with excellent competition so we get a chance to measure ourselves against top-caliber competition. And because it’s in Greensboro it gives our fans a chance to come and watch us wrestle.”
The Southern Scuffle will be the last in-season tournament of 2010-11 for NC State, which is 1-1 in duals and has participated in the Wolfpack Open, the Pembroke Classic and the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.
The Southern Scuffle also could mark the return to the mat for Darrion Caldwell, who underwent shoulder surgery in September 2009 and missed all of last season while recuperating. Caldwell, who went 38-1 two seasons ago and won the national championship at 149 pounds, is entered in the Southern Scuffle, but Jordan is still mulling over whether to turn Caldwell loose on Wednesday.
“It’ll be a game-time decision,” Jordan said. “He’s looked great in practice and he’s itching to go. I mean, he really is wrestling well in practice. At the same time, he could wind up wrestling five tough bouts or more in a span of two days. I just don’t know whether it’s right to subject him to that or not at this point. We practice one last time [on Tuesday] and how he looks then will play a part in my decision.”
Jordan said that regardless of whether Caldwell wrestles in Greensboro or not, he will definitely be in the lineup when the Pack returns to dual-match action Jan. 4-5 at Bloomsburg and Rider, respectively.
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