Following the North Carolina wrestling team’s triumph against Duke two weeks ago, coach C.D. Mock said he wasn’t sure his team could defeat No. 10 Pittsburgh “with a bazooka.”

When wrestling becomes too arduous, when the consequences of the present moment appear too grave, John Michael Staudenmayer tries to remember to forget.

In any sport, it’s important to set the tone early. In wrestling it’s no different. The first match can set the pace for how things will go. In North Carolina’s 24-12 win against Duke, John Michael Staudenmayer was the Tar Heels’ first man on the mat, and he had every intention of being the first winner.

Whether they are winning or losing, streaks can shape the identity of a team. They can tell you how long a team has been able to dominate or consistently fall short.

In a season marred by inconsistency, the North Carolina wrestling team has looked to junior Evan Henderson as its unwavering leader.

With less than a minute left in his match against N.C. State, North Carolina sophomore Nathan Kraisser had just gotten an escape to extend his lead to five points. With the match basically in hand, Kraisser could’ve coasted to victory, but UNC trailed N.C. State 16-6 in team points, and even though UNC eventually lost 19-16, coasting wouldn’t cut it.

Bonus points told the tale of the North Carolina wrestling team Friday night as the Tar Heels fell 19-16 to neighboring N.C. State at William Neal Reynolds Coliseum.

The problem with this team? Confidence.

The stress, the angst, the gnawing doubts — they all disappeared from Nathan Kraisser with one emphatic clap.

North Carolina’s associate wrestling coach Cary Kolat said the team had a specific mindset going into last weekend’s dual matches against Virginia Tech and Stanford — win.

There’s not much about wrestling that surprises Allen Henderson. He raised a pair of wrestling twins, including Evan, an All-American at North Carolina. When two combatants grapple on the mat, he knows what to look for and where to look for it.

The North Carolina wrestling team entered the Pittsburgh duals coming off two straight losses in dual matches and a season record of 2-4. On Sunday, the Tar Heels were determined to turn their luck around.

One game — 121 points. That was the record for most points in a single game — set by the 1985 North Carolina women’s basketball team just one short year before coach Syvlia Hatchell would take her place at the helm of the program. That was the number to beat — the landmark to surpass.

The North Carolina wrestling team is a tournament team. The Tar Heels have a decent number of individuals who can excel in individual tournaments, and coach C.D. Mock has no issue stating that

Junior Evan Henderson entered the final round of Sunday’s Wolfpack Open in Raleigh staring down a familiar foe.

When members of the North Carolina wrestling team opened the Hokie Duals Sunday against Big Ten opponent No. 20 Wisconsin, they weren’t supposed to win. But they did — 24-21 .

North Carolina wrestler Evan Henderson beats to his own clock, his own rotational period. Maybe it’s because his main occupation has an inherent lunacy.

Going into the NCAA Championships, the North Carolina wrestling team faced nearly insurmountable odds.

Between the North Carolina wrestling team’s four coaches lie eight NCAA Division I Championship appearances and three national titles.

North Carolina sophomore Evan Henderson threw his arms in the air, sending the crowd into frenzy.