Upcoming Event: Wrestling at North Carolina on February 6, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Wrestling
at North Carolina
Friday, February 6
Chapel Hill, NC
7 p.m.
Duke University
at
North Carolina
Photo by: Duke Athletics
Blue Devils Head Down Tobacco Road to Face Tar Heels Friday
2/5/2026 1:56:00 PM | Wrestling
Duke (6-10, 0-3 ACC) at #13 North Carolina (8-3, 1-2 ACC)
Friday, Feb. 6, 2026Â *Â 7 p.m.
Chapel Hill, N.C. * Carmichael Arena
Duke Notes  l Live Scoring  l Watch on ACCNXÂ
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SETTING THE SCENE
• The Duke wrestling team heads down Tobacco Road this week as the Blue Devils (6-10, 0-3 ACC) face 13th-ranked North Carolina (8-3, 1-2 ACC) Friday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m., inside Carmichael Arena.Â
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HOW TO FOLLOW
• Fans can follow the action live on FloWrestling.
• The match will also be aired live on ACC Network Extra with Nick Klos (PBP) and Clay Lautt (Color) calling the action.Â
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THE SERIES WITH NORTH CAROLINA
• Duke and North Carolina will meet for the 101st time in program history with the Tar Heels leading the series with a 75-25 ledger. The series dates back to 1927.Â
• The last time Duke defeated North Carolina was on Feb. 10, 2016 with a 21-17 victory in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels have won 20 out of the last 21 matches in the series, including nine in a row.
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BARKET & WALLACE RANKED NATIONALLY
• Duke wrestling redshirt junior Connor Barket is currently listed in four different rankings -- FloWrestling (#23), Intermat (#23), The Open Mat (#20) and WrestleStat (#26).Â
• Seeing action at 174 pounds this season, redshirt sophomore Aidan Wallace is also ranked in three different polls -- Intermat (#23), WrestleStat (#29) and FloWrestling (#24).
• Wallace (23-2) and Barket (17-3) have combined for a 40-5 start to the 2025-26 campaign.Â
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MOVING UP WINS LIST
• Duke redshirt sophomore Aidan Wallace collected his 23rd win of the season this past Friday against Virginia. His 23 victories ranks tied for eighth on Duke's single-season record charts for 174 pounds. With his next win, he will move into a tie for sixth. The most wins in a season in Duke history at 174 pounds is 29 by Matt Finesilver in 2021-22.Â
• Redshirt junior Connor Barket collected his 17th win of the season against Virginia to rank tied for eighth on Duke's single-season chart in the heavyweight class. He posted 24 wins a season ago to rank fifth.Â
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LAST TIME OUT
• The Duke wrestling trio of Connor Barket, Dylan Ross and Aidan Wallace registered ACC victories last Friday evening inside Cameron Indoor Stadium as the Blue Devils dropped a 28-9 decision to Virginia.
• Wallace got things started for Duke with a 7-5 decision against Mason Stefanelli, while Barket then collected a 4-2 decision against Brenan Morgan. Ross closed the match with a 2-1 decision in a rematch from the Southern Scuffle against Wynton Denkins.
• The match opened at 157 pounds Friday evening and the Cavaliers collecting a major decision and decision, respectively, to open the contest and led 7-0.
• Duke redshirt sophomore Aidan Wallace got the Blue Devils on the board at 174 pounds with a 7-5 decision. A product of Mahwah, New Jersey, Wallace registered a takedown in the first period to go ahead, 3-0.With a reversal in the second period, Wallace went ahead, 5-0. Stefanelli put a point on the board as Wallace was called for stalling for the second time. With a penalty, escape and takedown in the third period, Stefanelli evened the score, 5-5. Wallace closed strong with an escape and riding time point to register the win.
• At the heavyweight division, Connor Barket and Morgan had a scoreless first period as Barket had a takedown removed via review. In the second, Barket notched an escape and takedown to go ahead, 4-0. Barket, who is from West Lafayette, Indiana, led 4-1 entering the third period and went on to hold on for a 4-2 decision.
• Through six matches, Duke trailed 14-6, but the Cavaliers totaled 14 points the next three bouts to pull ahead further.
• In the final bout of the match, Dylan Ross and Denkins faced each other for the second time over the last month as Denkins defeated Ross at the Southern Scuffle by a 4-2 decision on Jan. 3. Ross, a native of Edgewater, New Jersey, took a 4-1 lead through the second period and bounced back with a 4-2 decision of his own.
• Blue Devil graduate student Aurelius Dunbar was in a tight match with Michael Murphy as he trailed, 1-0, with a little over three minutes remaining in the contest. Murphy was able to notch a takedown with 1:01 remaining in the second and pulled out an 8-4 decision.
• Duke junior David Hussey also was involved in a close bout with Dylan Newsome, but he ended up falling by a 5-0 decision.
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ROSS REGISTERS SECOND ACC WIN
• Duke redshirt freshman Dylan Ross collected his second ACC win this past week as he defeated Virginia's Wynton Denkins. Ross had lost to Denkins, 4-2, in the Southern Scuffle back on Jan. 3. He has won six out of his last eight matches.Â
• Ross continues to have a solid season with the Blue Devils as he trying to qualify for the NCAA Championship. He owns a 13-8 overall record and 2-1 mark in ACC action. He is 6-6 in dual play so far in 2025-26.Â
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WALLACE NOTCHES MILESTONE
• With his six wins at the Southern Scuffle, redshirt junior Aidan Wallace reached 20 victories on the season. He has now collected 20+ wins at the 164-pound weight class and the 174-pound class over the last two seasons.
• Wallace became the 14th Blue Devil to notch back-to-back 20+ win seasons -- Matt Finesilver, Frank Cornely, Levi Craig, Voris Tejada, John Barone, Diego Bencomo, Jacob Kasper, Conner Hartmann, Mike Mitchell, Immanuel Kerr-Brown, Josh Finesilver, Marcus Cain and Tommy Hoang.
• Wallace has become just the fourth Blue Devil to collect 20+ wins in multiple weight classes -- Frank Cornely (174, 184), Voris Tejada (157 and 174), John Barone (174/184 & 184/197) and Josh Finesilver (133 and 141).Â
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DUKE REACHES SIX WINS
• Duke has opened the season with a 6-10 ledger. The six wins are the most victories by the Blue Devils since the 2021-22 campaign when Duke totaled a 7-10 ledger.Â
• Over the last 10 years, Duke has reached five or more wins only three times -- 2025-26, 2021-22 and 2017-18.
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OTHER NOTES
• Of Duke's 255 points scored on the season, 98 have come from the 174 and Heavyweight divisions.
• Graduate student Aurelius Dunbar returned to action against Pittsburgh, after missing action since the Southern Scuffle. He owns a 5-6 ledger at 165 pounds.
• Redshirt junior Gaetano Console and graduate student Natty Lapinsky will miss the remainder of the season due to injuries.Â
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WHAT IS NEXT
• Duke hosts NC State Friday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m., in another ACC contest inside Cameron Indoor Stadium.
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Friday, Feb. 6, 2026Â *Â 7 p.m.
Chapel Hill, N.C. * Carmichael Arena
Duke Notes  l Live Scoring  l Watch on ACCNXÂ
Â
SETTING THE SCENE
• The Duke wrestling team heads down Tobacco Road this week as the Blue Devils (6-10, 0-3 ACC) face 13th-ranked North Carolina (8-3, 1-2 ACC) Friday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m., inside Carmichael Arena.Â
Â
HOW TO FOLLOW
• Fans can follow the action live on FloWrestling.
• The match will also be aired live on ACC Network Extra with Nick Klos (PBP) and Clay Lautt (Color) calling the action.Â
Â
THE SERIES WITH NORTH CAROLINA
• Duke and North Carolina will meet for the 101st time in program history with the Tar Heels leading the series with a 75-25 ledger. The series dates back to 1927.Â
• The last time Duke defeated North Carolina was on Feb. 10, 2016 with a 21-17 victory in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels have won 20 out of the last 21 matches in the series, including nine in a row.
Â
BARKET & WALLACE RANKED NATIONALLY
• Duke wrestling redshirt junior Connor Barket is currently listed in four different rankings -- FloWrestling (#23), Intermat (#23), The Open Mat (#20) and WrestleStat (#26).Â
• Seeing action at 174 pounds this season, redshirt sophomore Aidan Wallace is also ranked in three different polls -- Intermat (#23), WrestleStat (#29) and FloWrestling (#24).
• Wallace (23-2) and Barket (17-3) have combined for a 40-5 start to the 2025-26 campaign.Â
Â
MOVING UP WINS LIST
• Duke redshirt sophomore Aidan Wallace collected his 23rd win of the season this past Friday against Virginia. His 23 victories ranks tied for eighth on Duke's single-season record charts for 174 pounds. With his next win, he will move into a tie for sixth. The most wins in a season in Duke history at 174 pounds is 29 by Matt Finesilver in 2021-22.Â
• Redshirt junior Connor Barket collected his 17th win of the season against Virginia to rank tied for eighth on Duke's single-season chart in the heavyweight class. He posted 24 wins a season ago to rank fifth.Â
Â
LAST TIME OUT
• The Duke wrestling trio of Connor Barket, Dylan Ross and Aidan Wallace registered ACC victories last Friday evening inside Cameron Indoor Stadium as the Blue Devils dropped a 28-9 decision to Virginia.
• Wallace got things started for Duke with a 7-5 decision against Mason Stefanelli, while Barket then collected a 4-2 decision against Brenan Morgan. Ross closed the match with a 2-1 decision in a rematch from the Southern Scuffle against Wynton Denkins.
• The match opened at 157 pounds Friday evening and the Cavaliers collecting a major decision and decision, respectively, to open the contest and led 7-0.
• Duke redshirt sophomore Aidan Wallace got the Blue Devils on the board at 174 pounds with a 7-5 decision. A product of Mahwah, New Jersey, Wallace registered a takedown in the first period to go ahead, 3-0.With a reversal in the second period, Wallace went ahead, 5-0. Stefanelli put a point on the board as Wallace was called for stalling for the second time. With a penalty, escape and takedown in the third period, Stefanelli evened the score, 5-5. Wallace closed strong with an escape and riding time point to register the win.
• At the heavyweight division, Connor Barket and Morgan had a scoreless first period as Barket had a takedown removed via review. In the second, Barket notched an escape and takedown to go ahead, 4-0. Barket, who is from West Lafayette, Indiana, led 4-1 entering the third period and went on to hold on for a 4-2 decision.
• Through six matches, Duke trailed 14-6, but the Cavaliers totaled 14 points the next three bouts to pull ahead further.
• In the final bout of the match, Dylan Ross and Denkins faced each other for the second time over the last month as Denkins defeated Ross at the Southern Scuffle by a 4-2 decision on Jan. 3. Ross, a native of Edgewater, New Jersey, took a 4-1 lead through the second period and bounced back with a 4-2 decision of his own.
• Blue Devil graduate student Aurelius Dunbar was in a tight match with Michael Murphy as he trailed, 1-0, with a little over three minutes remaining in the contest. Murphy was able to notch a takedown with 1:01 remaining in the second and pulled out an 8-4 decision.
• Duke junior David Hussey also was involved in a close bout with Dylan Newsome, but he ended up falling by a 5-0 decision.
Â
ROSS REGISTERS SECOND ACC WIN
• Duke redshirt freshman Dylan Ross collected his second ACC win this past week as he defeated Virginia's Wynton Denkins. Ross had lost to Denkins, 4-2, in the Southern Scuffle back on Jan. 3. He has won six out of his last eight matches.Â
• Ross continues to have a solid season with the Blue Devils as he trying to qualify for the NCAA Championship. He owns a 13-8 overall record and 2-1 mark in ACC action. He is 6-6 in dual play so far in 2025-26.Â
Â
WALLACE NOTCHES MILESTONE
• With his six wins at the Southern Scuffle, redshirt junior Aidan Wallace reached 20 victories on the season. He has now collected 20+ wins at the 164-pound weight class and the 174-pound class over the last two seasons.
• Wallace became the 14th Blue Devil to notch back-to-back 20+ win seasons -- Matt Finesilver, Frank Cornely, Levi Craig, Voris Tejada, John Barone, Diego Bencomo, Jacob Kasper, Conner Hartmann, Mike Mitchell, Immanuel Kerr-Brown, Josh Finesilver, Marcus Cain and Tommy Hoang.
• Wallace has become just the fourth Blue Devil to collect 20+ wins in multiple weight classes -- Frank Cornely (174, 184), Voris Tejada (157 and 174), John Barone (174/184 & 184/197) and Josh Finesilver (133 and 141).Â
Â
DUKE REACHES SIX WINS
• Duke has opened the season with a 6-10 ledger. The six wins are the most victories by the Blue Devils since the 2021-22 campaign when Duke totaled a 7-10 ledger.Â
• Over the last 10 years, Duke has reached five or more wins only three times -- 2025-26, 2021-22 and 2017-18.
Â
OTHER NOTES
• Of Duke's 255 points scored on the season, 98 have come from the 174 and Heavyweight divisions.
• Graduate student Aurelius Dunbar returned to action against Pittsburgh, after missing action since the Southern Scuffle. He owns a 5-6 ledger at 165 pounds.
• Redshirt junior Gaetano Console and graduate student Natty Lapinsky will miss the remainder of the season due to injuries.Â
Â
WHAT IS NEXT
• Duke hosts NC State Friday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m., in another ACC contest inside Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Â
Players Mentioned
285
/ Wrestling
174/184
/ Wrestling
157/165
/ Wrestling
184
/ Wrestling
141/149
/ Wrestling
165/174
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Welcome to Duke
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