Courtesy of NC State athletics

RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State Board of Trustees approved Thursday a new contract for head wrestling coach Pat Popolizio

"Pat has proven that NC State wrestling can compete at the highest levels, including winning the ACC and finishing in the top five nationally," Yow added. "Our future is bright with Pat at the helm of NC State wrestling."

Popolizio has a new seven-year contract that runs through June 2025.

The 2018 ACC Coach of the Year, Popolizio led NC State to the 2018 ACC regular season title, the program's first since 2004, and the program's first undefeated ACC season (5-0) since 2000. NC State brought home the first team trophy with a school and ACC-best fourth place finish at the 2018 NCAA Championships. He added a third individual national championship this past season as Michael Macchiavello won the 197-pound title. NC State had a school-record two NCAA Finalists this season, first time ever in ACC history, and four All-Americans.

Popolizio, the 2016 FloWrestling National Coach of the Year, has guided his program to five straight top-20 finishes at the NCAA Championship and three straight top-10 finishes in the final NWCA/USA Today Coaches' Poll. NC State has been ranked in the top-10 for 40 straight polls.

Four of the last five ACC Wrestlers of the Year have been from NC State.