Ramos, despite being a No. 15 seed, fought through the bracket and upset Northwestern’s Pierce Harger in the quarterfinals to clinch All-American status.
“Ethan absolutely came out here to win this tournament,” Coach C.D. Mock said. “And you couldn’t tell him differently if you tried.”
Ramos would fall short against Indiana wrestler Taylor Walsh, whose reversal in the second period gave him the ultimate edge in the 5-0 decision. But Ramos’ tournament run would help the Tar Heels tie for 24th nationally with Indiana. It’s UNC’s third-straight top-25 finish at NCAAs.
Of the five UNC wrestlers who qualified, Ramos was the only one to finish on the podium, but the wrestlers and coaches are not lingering on the tournament defeats.
“The only thing I can say is I hope people are watching out for us,” said redshirt sophomore Joey Ward, “because I know I’m bringing the heat (next season).”
The tournament provided experience and a taste of success for the UNC wrestlers, some of whom had never been. Most wrestling events do not see more than 100,000 fans in the stands, but the crowds have been that large in St. Louis for the past couple of championships.
“Wrestling doesn’t get a whole lot of attention or a whole lot of credibility,” Mock said. “This is one of the only events each year where we feel like our sport matters.”
The Tar Heels will take this experience, along with a belly full of fire, back to the wrestling room as they prepare for next season.
