March 24, 2005

RALEIGH, N.C. - Kody Hamrah absorbed six of his 10 losses this past season on or before December 3. From that point on, NC State's freshman 157-pounder won 13 of his remaining 17 bouts, including a team-best eight-match winning streak and a stretch run of 10 wins in his last bouts. On Thursday, the league's wrestling coaches voted Hamrah the 2004-05 Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year.

Hamrah, from Middlesex, N.J., becomes the Wolfpack's first ACC Rookie of the Year since Scott Garren in 1999-2000. Ironically, Garren also was a 157-pounder from New Jersey, and he and Hamrah had similar records as freshmen -- 16-6 for Garren and 17-10 for Hamrah. Both finished the freshmen seasons strong.

Hamrah, who advanced to the finals of the ACC Championships before losing, earned All-ACC honors for his performance at the league tournament. He went 6-0 in ACC dual matches, and had an overall record of 8-2 against conference opponents, counting tournament matches. Hamrah led the Wolfpack with five major decisions and was tied for second on the squad with four pins.