The first domino to fall was four-time team captain Hayden Hidlay announcing his return to NC State wrestling for a sixth year of eligibility next season March 24.

It was known before the season ended that classmate Daniel Bullard, a 174-pounder who won an ACC title and earned All-America honors at the NCAA Championships this winter, would be moving on. But there were three other fifth-year seniors on the roster — who all came in together to make up the nation's No. 1 recruiting class — whose futures were up in the air.

It turns out Hidlay won't be the only 'super senior' on the Pack's roster next year. Classmates Tariq Wilson, Thomas Bullard and Nick Reenan will also take advantage of the free year of eligibility and return for one last ride in Raleigh, according to announcements made by the program on social media this week.

The five have been integral to the two highest NCAA finishes in program history — tying for fourth in 2018 and placing sixth earlier this month — and four return to Raleigh with their sights set on bigger prizes. Several on the squad have not shied away from talking about their goals of winning a team national championship (when announcing his return, Hayden Hidlay spoke about wanting "to take on the big machine of Penn State").

Before the postseason even began, ninth-year head coach Pat Popolizio noted how much the class meant to his program, and even though they haven't reached all their goals, they have helped the team change its culture and attain high status as a powerhouse program.

He noted all five headliners "did something elite" during their time in college, and now four of that handful will get a chance to better what they've already done.

Over the last five years — since some wrestled as true freshmen, then redshirted later — the group has helped NC State go 65-8 overall (.890 winning percentage), 22-3 in the ACC (.880), win three ACC championships, place among the top 20 at the NCAA Championships in all four of its opportunities and be ranked among the nation's top 10 in the coaches' poll each week of their college careers.

Individually, the four returning 'super seniors' have combined to earn eight All-America honors and five ACC titles, qualify for 15 out of a possible 16 NCAA Championships, and compile individual records of 292-94 (.757).

With a well-stocked recruiting class (which The Wolfpacker will break down in depth later) on the way as well, NC State — which this season won its third straight ACC crown — has a ton of firepower for next year's possible lineup.

Here's one way-too-early look at how things could shake out, though the names below are just possible favorites for each weight class with plenty more on the roster competing to make their way into the lineup:

Camacho has started for the last two seasons, gone a combined 30-10 and reached the 'blood round' at this year's NCAA Championships, meaning he was one win shy of All-America honors.

Blue-chip recruit Stevo Poulin will also join the roster next season, but may be line for a redshirt.

Trombley is a two-time NCAA qualifier and won two matches on the big stage this year, while Jack was right there with him this entire season. Their wrestle-off for the starting spot at the end of the regular season had a one-point difference, and these two may continue duking it out for the top spot at 133.

… However, Jack could also factor in at 141, which Tariq Wilson has vacated in order to move up to 149. This is one of the more wide-open weight classes on the team, and others could factor into this discussion. But right now, Jack or Orine would likely be the on-paper favorites.

Like Jack, Orine was a former top-100 recruit. He went 18-6 as a redshirt at 133 pounds in 2019-20, then 6-1 after moving up to 141 this past season. His best win of the campaign was an 8-2 victory over former blue-chip recruit and junior world medalist Gabe Tagg of UNC in extra matches.

Meanwhile, Jack went 7-3 during his debut, all at 133.

Wilson is already among exclusive company at NC State by placing among the top three at the NCAA Championships multiple times — he's one of just four in program history to do so, and the only one without a national title. He's also the seventh three-time All-American, and next year will be looking to reach two other elite landmarks at NCSU — he could become the program's second four-time All-American (joining Hayden Hidlay) and its sixth to join the 100-win club (though Hidlay brings nine more wins into next season and will likely do it first).

Quality depth should be provided by redshirt freshman Hunter Lewis, who had arguably the team's top win at the weight this year when he pinned App State's John Millner, who went on to place eighth at the NCAA Championships. Lewis went 6-1 on the year, with an impressive six pins.

This is probably the most wide-open weight class on the squad, after four-time All-American Hayden Hidlay announced he'd make the jump up two weight classes to 174 this season. However, the roster boasts a trio of former top recruits in Scott, Roberts and Kovacs, who were all listed among the nation's top 115 overall prospects by at least one major outlet.

Scott went 6-6 in his debut as a starter at 149, and split his two matches this year with Duke's Josh Finesilver, who reached the blood round at NCAAs. However, Scott was expected to wrestle 157 this season, so with Wilson bumping up to 149, a move up seems like the logical move.

Kovacs and Roberts both competed at 157 this year. Roberts went 3-0 in a trio of extra matches, while Kovacs won his lone dual appearance and went 4-2 overall.

When explaining why Kovacs was getting a chance in the regular-season finale against Duke, Popolizio told The Wolfpacker: "I've seen a few matches this year where it wasn't what I'm looking for, and then I've seen matches where he's as good as anybody in our room."

That's high praise, and with Hidlay vacating the weight, it could be time for Kovacs to show that ability, though Scott and Roberts will have their say in the competition.

The ACC is going to be completely loaded at this weight next year, with 2019 NCAA champion Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) and 2021 NCAA finalist Jake Wentzel (Pitt) both expected back.

If Bullard returns to the weight, he's another experienced veteran for the league. The four-time NCAA qualifier will be looking to go out like his twin brother Daniel, who won his first ACC title and claimed his first top-eight NCAA placement in his final year of eligibility this winter.

Ironically, Thomas had been ranked higher nationally at his weight for much of his career, before Daniel emerged over the last 12 months or so.

The most shocking news about all of the super seniors' returns was the fact that Hidlay would not only be moving up in weight, but he'd make a two-weight-class jump.

The Pack's first-ever four-time All-American is a former NCAA finalist and reading between the lines of his podcast appearance it seems safe to say this move is all about Hidlay being able to enjoy his last year of wrestling to the fullest with minimal weight cutting and also providing maximum support to his brother, who is a 184-pounder (and also a former NCAA finalist now).

The "Brothers of Destruction" will go back to back for the first time since high school — when Hayden was a senior and won the Pennsylvania state title at 152 pounds, and a sophomore Trent made the finals at 160 — and that's a scary thought for opponents across the country.

Hidlay reached the national finals in his first opportunity at the NCAA Championships, and has been an absolute stud during his time in Raleigh.

He's 33-6 in his first two years in the lineup — and all but one of his losses have been by two points or less. Three of them came against ACC rival Hunter Bolen of Virginia Tech, who he beat in their most recent matchup during the ACC finals, and now he'll look to close the gap against Penn State's Aaron Brooks, who Hidlay fell to by one point in controversial fashion during the NCAA finals.

Trumble took the wrestling world by storm earlier this season, when in his dual debut he beat Pitt's Nino Bonaccorsi, who went on to reach the NCAA finals this season.

Reenan was actually the highest-ranked prospect in the No. 1 recruiting class, and the only one coming back for next year that has not earned an All-America honor yet.

The two split the starting duties this year and could go back and forth for it again next winter. Trumble finished with a record of 6-1, while Reenan went 7-5 and won the wrestle-off going into the postseason.

If Reenan, a three-time NCAA qualifier, gets fully healthy and returns to the form he showed in the summer of 2017 when he won the U.S. World Team Trials and qualified for Final X, he could be a major factor. However, he has been hampered by a torn ACL ever since suffering the original injury during the 2018-19 season.

If Trumble improves and adds consistency to the incredible flashes he showed as a rookie, he's also capable of making national noise.

It's possible others, such as an incoming freshman or former top-100 recruit Christian Knop, could factor in here, but NC State has enviable depth that should give them a quality options regardless of which one emerges.

Wilson emerged as the ACC's best heavyweight this year and earned the No. 10 seed for the NCAA Championships after an undefeated regular season and conference championship.

However, Trephan — a former top-100 recruit — pushed his veteran teammate to multiple overtimes in their preseason wrestle-offs and shouldn't be discounted after going 6-0 in extra matches this season.

Similar to 197, that means the Pack should be in a good place regardless of which option it decides to go with at the biggest weight class.

——

• Talk about it inside The Wolves' Den

• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolfpacker

• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolfpacker

• Like us on Facebook