NCAA Division 1 SE Primer - 174 lbs.
174 lbs.
The dirtysouth has plenty of hammers to watch in Detroit. We have included qualifiers for southern schools (within the coverage of SEWrestle - FL, GA, AL, SC, TN, NC) even if they are not “homegrown” here in the SE. The images below were pulled from each school’s social media account - if you wish for the tweet, pic, etc. to be removed please contact sewrestle. The bios are pulled from each of the schools pages … it is designed to give the reader some background on who to watch at 174.
Interested in a more robust look at the NCAA Division I Tournament? Check out MatTalk’s Media Guide by clicking on the image below.
Matt Finesilver - Duke (Greenwood Village, CO - Cherry Creek HS)
2020-21: Missed the season due to injury.
2019-20: Redshirt season.
2018-19: Duke’s starter at 174 pounds … NCAA qualifier … Ranked second on the team in wins with a 25-9 overall record … ACC runner-up at 174 pounds … Ranked second on the team in dual scoring with 37 points … Went 3-0 at the Hokie Open to win the 174-pound title ... Recorded 14 bonus point victories, six of which came in dual matches ... Garnered runner-up honors at the Keystone Classic … Fell to No. 2 Mark Hall in the title match by a narrow 6-4 decision … Took fifth at the Southern Scuffle … Defeated No. 8 seed Marcus Coleman by a 10-2 major decision in the fifth-place match … Beat Coleman again his opening match at NCAA Championships … Went 3-7 against top 20 foes … Beat No. 17 AJ Pedro of Brown by 13-2 major decision and No. 19 Spencer Cary from Navy by a 5-0 score … Bested 20th-ranked Daniel Bullard in NC State dual … Also earned ACC victories against Virginia, Pittsburgh and North Carolina … All-ACC Academic Team … NWCA Scholar All-America.
2017-18: Competed at 174 pounds … NCAA qualifier … Became the fourth Duke true freshman to qualify for the NCAA Championships, joining his brothers Josh and Mitch … Posted a 26-11 overall record … Went 10-1 in duals and 4-1 against ACC foes … Registered two falls … Won the freshman and sophomore division of the Hokie Open in his first collegiate action … Took fifth at the Keystone Classic and eighth at the Southern Scuffle … Upset No. 20 Daniel Bullard of NC State in the dual against the Wolfpack … Dominated 18th-ranked Forrest Przybysz of Appalachian State 15-1 to help the Blue Devils to the victory … Lone ACC loss came against No. 15 Ethan Ramos of North Carolina … All-ACC Academic Team … ACC Academic Honor Roll.
Before Duke: A four-year letterwinner at Cherry Creek High School ... Wrestled at weights from 113 to 152 during his scholastic career ... Compiled a 151-33 career record at Cherry Creek ... Won a career-best 49 matches and lost just four his senior campaign ... A four-time state qualifier and three-time state finalist ... Won the state title at 132 pounds his junior season ... Was the state runner-up as a sophomore at 113 pounds and again as a senior at 152 pounds ... Garnered high school All-America honors ... Qualified for NHSCA senior nationals three times ... Garnered Cherry Creek's Male Athlete of the Year Award ... Posted a 40-5 record as a junior.
Personal: Son of Steve and Brendan Finesilver ... Twin brother Josh is also a members of the Duke wrestling team … Older twin brothers Mitch and Zach were members of the Duke wrestling program as well (2014-2018) ... Mitch is a two-time NCAA qualifier and Zach a 2016 NCAA qualifier.
Hayden Hidlay - North Carolina State (Lewistown, PA - Mifflin County HS)
All-American (157 pounds): 2018, 2019 and 2020 (1st-team), 2021
ACC Wrestler of the Year: 2020
ACC Champion (157 pounds): 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
CoSIDA Academic All-American: 2021
ACC Wrestling Scholar Athlete of the Year: 2020
U23 World Team Member (70 kg): 2018
Career
• Is vying to become NC State’s only five-time All-American (he was the first-ever to earn four All-American honors and the fourth to earn three at NC State).
• Enters his final season second in school history in career win/loss percentage (.919 - 91-8), only behind Nick Gwiazdowski (.973).
• Entering his final season, is a perfect 29-0 all-time vs. ACC opponents in all competitions, 19-0 in duals and 17-0 vs. ranked conference foes.
• A perfect 61-0 all-time in bonus matches.
2021-22
• Wrestled up at 79 kg at the 2021 U.S. World Team Trials and came away with a top-six finish. Opened with top seeded Jordan Burroughs, got the bout’s first takedown, but fell 7-3. Scored an 8-2 win over RTC teammate Tommy Gantt and then 3-1 over Michael O’Malley before falling to Jason Nolf in the consolation semis.
• Claimed top honors at the 2021 U.S. Senior Nationals at 74 kg. Went a perfect 4-0, outscoring his foes 42-4, and won 2-1 in the finals.
2020-21
• Became NC State’s first-ever four-time All-American with a fifth place finish at the 2021 NCAA Championships. Entered as the #2 seed, and scored three bonus point wins before advancing to the semifinals. Fell to eventual national champion Carr of Iowa State (6-4). Scored an 11-2 major over #6 seed Lee of Minnesota in the fifth place bout.
• Became only the 10th all-time wrestler to win four ACC Championships, as he scored a pair of bonus point wins, outscoring both foes 34-9. In the final, downed #16 McCoy of Virginia by major decision 12-3.
• Went 13-2 on the season, 6-0 in duals (4-0 in ACC action).
• Named a 2021 NWCA Scholar All-American and a 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-American. Also named to the 2020-21 All-ACC Academic Team. Inducted into NC State’s inaugural Chi Alpha Sigma (National Honor Society) class.
• Placed third at 74 kg at the 2020 U.S. Senior Nationals. Entered as the #6 seed, and advanced to the quarterfinals before his first loss. Went 7-1 at the event overall, including an 11-8 win over #2 seed Even Wick in the third place bout.
2019-20
• Earned 2020 All-America 1st-Team honors by the NWCA.
• Seeded #2 for the 2020 NCAA Championships.
• Named 2020 ACC Wrestler of the Year.
• 2020 ACC Champion at 157 pounds for the third straight year. Became the 11th wrestler in school history to win three ACC titles.
• Finished 28-1 on the season overall, perfect 12-0 in duals, and 10-1 against ranked foes. Won his final 16 matches of the season with eight of them ranked wins.
• 21 of his 28 wins were for bonus points.
• Placed first at the Southern Scuffle. Went 5-0, all bonus point wins, including a 10-0 major decision over #7 Dellavecchia of Rider in the finals.
• Also first in the Wolfpack Wrestling Club Open and second at the Cliff Keen Invite.
• Named ACC Wrestler of the Week a league-best three times, eight times in his career overall.
• Named a 2020 NWCA Scholar All-American for the third straight year.
• Named 2020 ACC Wrestling Scholar Athlete of the Year and to the 2020 All-ACC Academic Team. Named to the 2019-20 ACC Academic Honor Roll.
• Finished the season ranked #2 at 157 pounds by both InterMat and FloWrestling.
2018-19
• Earned All-American honors for the second straight year, placing fourth at 157 pounds.
• Finished with a 24-4 record, 14-2 in duals. Also 16-0 in bonus point matches.
• Started the NCAAs as the fifth seed, won his first two matches by tech fall (a combined 32-2) to reach the quarterfinals.
• Scored a 5-3 OT decision over #4 seed Pantaleo of Michigan to advance to the semifinals where he lost to eventual national champion Nolf of Penn State 3-2.
• Wrestled back to down #3 seed Deakin of Northwestern 8-2, before falling to Pantaloe in the 3rd place bout 5-3.
• Also won his second straight ACC title at 157 pounds, once again going 5-0 in the regular season and 2-0 at the championships. At the championships, faced two ranked foes (#24 and #11) and outscored them 25-2.
• Finished the season ranked #4 in FloWrestling’s final rankings.
• Started the season with a first place finish at the Hokie Open, then went to Romania for the U23 World Championships. Lost two of his first three matches after returning, then won 15 straight heading into NCAAs.
• Named to the NWCA’s All-Academic Team, the 2019 All-ACC Academic Team, and the 2018-19 ACC Academic Honor Roll.
2017-18
• NCAA Finalist and 2018 All-American at 157 pounds in his first season of action after his redshirt year.
• Went 26-1 on the season, including a perfect 15-0 in duals and 5-0 in ACC action.
• A perfect 7-0 versus ranked opponents in the regular season, three were top-10 wins. Also posted six wins over previous All-Americans.
• 15-0 in bonus point matches on the year.
• Entered the NCAA Championships a perfect 22-0 and the No. 1 seed, NC State’s sixth all-time. Went into the NCAAs the only undefeated freshmen nationally (both redshirt and true) in all weight classes.
• Defeated No. 8 seed Berger of Nebraska (3-2) in the quarterfinals and No. 5 seed Pantaleo of Michigan (10-2) in the semifinals. Fell in the NCAA Finals to two-time champion Jason Nolf of Penn State, 6-2. Tied as the highest NCAA finish for a Wolfpack freshman all-time.
• 2018 ACC Champion going 2-0 on the day.
• Also took first at the Reno Tournament of Champions. Went 5-0, with three bonus point wins, and defeated 2017 NCAA Finalist and #2 Lavallee of Missouri, 3-1 in OT, in the finals
• Named ACC Wrestler of the Week a league-best three times.
• Named to TheOpenMat’s All-Freshman first-team, as the top rookie at his weight and named the top rookie at 157 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News.
• In his first-ever senior-level event, placed second at 70 kg at the 2018 U.S. Open, won first four matches before falling in the finals. Also placed second at the World Team Trials Challenge at 70 kg.
• Won Gold at the 2018 U23 World Team Trials at 70 kg, and advanced to the U23 World Championships in Romania. Advanced to the best-of-3 finals with six straight wins, all techs and outscoring final five foes 51-0. In the finals, took the first bout 8-4 over Northwestern’s Ryan Deakin, only for Deakin to even the series 1-1 after a tech. In the final match, was down 3-1 late, but scored the winning takedown with only one second left.
• Named to the 2018 All-ACC Academic Team and the 2017-18 ACC Academic Honor Roll. Also named to the NWCA’s All-Academic Team.
2016-17
• Redshirted the season.
• Saw action in two open tournaments and at Midlands at 157 pounds and two at 165 pounds.
• Went a combined 22-3 - 13-2 at 157 pounds and 9-1 at 165.
• In his four open tournaments, won three and placed third in the other. First place at the Southeast Open and Wolfpack Open at 157 pounds, and also won the National Collegiate Open at 165.
• Posted a top-three finish at the Junior World Team Trials at 74 kg as he advanced to the challenger finals. Qualified for the Trials after a fourth place finish at the United World Wrestling Junior Nationals (UWW).
Prep
• A 2015-16 ASICS All-America second-team selection at 152 pounds.
• Was a PIAA 3A State Qualifier as a freshman (28-7 at 113 pounds), placed sixth at the PIAA State Championships his sophomore year (38-5 at 138 pounds), took third as a junior (43-2 at 145 pounds), and won the title as a senior (40-1 at 152 pounds): career record of 149-15.
• Won the Greco Roman Junior Nationals at 152 pounds and was third in the Freestyle Junior Nationals at Fargo as a senior. A double Fargo Cadet National finalist in 2013 in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman. Also placed fifth in Fargo Junior Greco Nationals in 2014.
• Was a FloNational Champion in 2015 at 145 pounds. Also Competed in FloWrestling’s Who’s Number One event in 2015.
• Placed fourth at the Super 32 at 152 in 2015 and third at 145 pounds in 2014.
• OW for Team PA at Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic.
• At the King of the Mountain Tournament, he placed first in 2015, 2014 and 2013, and second in 2012. Also second in 2015 and 2014 and fourth in 2013 at the PowerAde Tournament.
Rankings
• Ranked No. 2 at 152 pounds and No. 6 nationally by FloWrestling.org.
• Ranked No. 2 nationally at 152 pounds and No. 13 overall by Intermat.com.
Thomas Flitz - Appalachian State (Monroe, NC - Piedmont HS)
Career to date: Two-time NCAA qualifier (2020, 2021 at 174 pounds) … Finished 2021 season with a 67-47 career record … Received an at-large berth to the NCAAs at 174 pounds as a SoCon finalist with a top-15 national ranking and was seeded No. 15 in St. Louis … Won a true second-place match following his appearance in the 2020 SoCon final to qualify for the NCAAs that year … All-SoCon in 2020 thanks to an unbeaten record in league duals.
2020-21: NCAA at-large qualifier and SoCon runner-up at 174 pounds … Completed SoCon Championship with a 14-3 record and ended season at 14-5 … Went 8-1 in App State’s duals, including 7-1 in its SoCon duals … Two close losses at NCAAs, with a 7-5 decision and a 3-3 overtime match that was decided by riding time difference … In opening dual of the season, posted a 6-4 (SV-1) decision against then-No. 10 Daniel Bullard of NC State — each had a takedown during a first period that ended 3-all, both had an escape over the final two periods and Flitz got in on a single leg 13 seconds into the first OT period before securing the takedown 12 seconds later … Two of three losses heading into NCAAs were to Campbell’s Austin Murphy (5-4 in the regular season and 9-3 in the SoCon final) … Reached the final with a 16-0 tech fall in the quarterfinals and a 6-3 decision against Gardner-Webb’s Evan Schenk in the semifinal round.
2019-20: Went 30-11 at 174 pounds and earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Championships that were canceled by the coronavirus pandemic … Went 7-0 in SoCon duals, beating top-20 opponent Neal Richards of VMI in the regular-season finale, and claimed the second automatic SoCon berth at 174 by finishing second at the league tournament … Lost to Richards, the 2019 SoCon Wrestler of the Year, in the final but bounced back to claim a true second place and the accompanying NCAA berth by winning an 8-5 decision against Campbell’s Austin Kraisser … Seeded No. 26 for the NCAAs … Ranked No. 23 by the RPI and No. 28 by the Coaches Panel following conference championship weekend … SoCon Wrestler of the Month for February … Had a 13-match winning streak late in the season and won 17 of his final 19 matches … Went 10-2 in App State’s duals … Notable victories came against VMI’s Richards (12-11 with three first-period takedowns), NC State’s Daniel Bullard (8-6 vs. No. 15 seed for NCAAs), Lock Haven’s Jared Siegrist (8-5 and then 4-2 in TB-2 period vs. No. 27 seed for NCAAs) and Duke’s Mason Eaglin (9-4 vs. No. 32 seed for NCAAs) … Against Siegrist in a dual at Varsity Gym, used a takedown with 12 seconds left in the Tiebreaker-2 period to break a tie … Also had two wins against Kraisser, who finished the year 24-8 … Took seventh at the Southern Scuffle, with help from first win against Siegrist, and fifth at the Keystone Classic … Second place at the Wolfpack Open.
2018-19: Had a 13-18 overall record and 6-9 dual record as the primary starter at 174 pounds … Went 3-2 in SoCon duals with wins against Chattanooga, Davidson and The Citadel … Had a 2-2 record at the SoCon Championships in Boone … Got the Mountaineers off to a strong start against Chattanooga with a 13-4 major decision in a 21-14 team win that helped App State secure a share of the regular-season title … Finished the season with six wins by major decision ... Member of the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.
2017-18: Went 10-13 overall at 165 pounds as a redshirt freshman, 3-7 in duals and 1-4 in App State’s first five Southern Conference duals … Flitz’s 3-0 start to the dual season included a 10-8 decision against UNC’s Clay Lautt … Fourth place at the Hokie Open and fifth place at the Keystone Classic … Won by major decision against Davidson in SoCon action … Of seven dual losses, four were by two points and two were by one point.
2016-17: Went 1-2 at 165 pounds with a 10-4 decision against West Virginia in three matches at the Appalachian Open as a redshirting freshman.
High School: Attended Piedmont High School in Monroe, N.C. … Four-year letterwinner in wrestling … An all-state wrestler, he finished third place at the 2016 state championships at 160 pounds (3-A) to cap a 51-4 season … Amassed a 164-26 career record.
Clay Lautt - North Carolina (Olathe, KS - St James Academy)
2020-21 (Redshirt-Junior): Put together a 6-3 record • Picked up his first win of the season over Duke's Jack Wimmer on Jan. 22 • Earned a 6-2 decision over Jared McGill and a 10-3 decision over Thomas O'Brien of Pitt • He would then reel off three straight wins and would end with an 8-3 decision over Vic Marcelli of Virginia to finish second at the ACC Championships • Earned All-ACC honors • Named to the All-ACC Academic Team • Earned two decisions over Drew Hughes (Michigan State) and Dustin Plott (Oklahoma State) at NCAA Championships • Wrapped up NCAA Championships with a pin over Peyton Mocco of Missouri
2019-20 (Redshirt-Sophomore): Named NWCA Honorable Mention All-American following cancelation of NCAA Championships due to COVID-19 crisis • Posted a 21-7 record in his redshirt sophomore season en route to qualifying for the NCAA Championships at 174 pounds • ACC Champion at 174 • Went 3-0 at ACCs, defeating N.C. State’s Daniel Bullard, 4-3, in the finals • Went 13-3 in dual meets with a 3-2 ACC record • Defeated Army’s No. 11 Ben Harvey in a 3-1 decision on January 4 • Won two matches at the 2019 Midlands Championships • Finished sixth at the Southeast Open • NWCA Academic All-American • All-ACC Academic Team
2018-19 (Redshirt-Freshman): Went 24-9 in his redshirt season at 165/174 pounds • Finished as the runner-up at the App State Open • Took third at the Pembroke Classic and National Collegiate Open • Finished the season with 12 wins via fall, a team-high
2017-18 (Freshman): Appeared 15 times in his freshman year wresting at 165 • Won two matches at the Hokie Open, including a fall (2:13) against Davidson’s Tien Hunter.
Prep/Personal: Three-time Kansas state champion who finished with a 173-27 record at St. James Academy • Finished his senior year 48-1 with 37 pins • Member of the 2016 United States Greco-Roman team at the Cadet World Championships • Also earned all-state honors as a safety on the football team at St. James • Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winner for the state of Kansas as a senior • Clay Addison Lautt is the son of Jon and Sheri Lautt.