WRAL Invitational Wrestling Tournament logo

Since 1972, WRAL-TV and Capitol Broadcasting Company have sponsored the WRAL Invitational Wrestling Tournament in Raleigh, North Carolina.

2019 marks the 47th annual WRAL Invitational Wrestling Tournament. Matches will be held Dec. 13 and 14at Athens Drive High School, 1420 Athens Drive in Raleigh.

Format

The field includes teams from across the region competing on six mats. This is an individual tournament, double elimination format, with wrestlebacks to 8th place.

Weight classes: 106,113,120,126,132,138,145,152,160,170,182,195,220,285

Awards: Medals will be awarded to the top five places in each weight class; trophies will be awarded to the top three teams, for the most outstanding wrestler and for the most falls in the least time.

For the fans

Ticket prices are $12 per day, or an all-tournament pass can be purchased for $20.

2017 WRAL Wrestling Tournament schedule

More spectator information

For the coaches

Sanction: The tournament is sanctioned by the NCHSAA. All participants must be certified by NCHSAA. National Federation & NCHSAA rules apply.

Registration: Registration will be conducted via TrackWrestling. Lineups should be entered by 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11. You may email Jim Trenner (jtrenner@live.com) any alterations to your lineup by 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12. After this time, no changes other than scratches will be permitted.

Seeding: Wrestlers will be seeded as follows

  • State placers (during ANY season, with most recent having preference)
  • State qualifiers (during ANY season, with most recent having preference)
  • WRAL placers (during ANY season, with most recent having preference)
  • The 2016-2017 record based on at least 8 matches
  • Seeding will be done top to bottom, with byes being allocated to the highest seeds
    NOTE: Head to head will NOT be used as a criterion this year

Weight Allowance: Teams must notify Jim Trenner (jtrenner@live.com) by Friday, Dec. 6 if they have a match on Thursday, Dec. 12, leading to a 1 lb. allowance on Friday. No weight allowances will be honored after Dec. 6. Jim will notify all coaches immediately upon receiving notice of a weight allowance, but until then assume scratch weight is in effect.

OPC Forms: Coaches must bring their completed OPC weigh in forms with them to the weigh in. ONLY include wrestlers competing in the tournament on the form so as to avoid confusion when marking scratches.

Pairings: Available daily during the tournament from TrackWrestling.com

Other rules and information:

Absolutely no coolers will be allowed in the school.

On Friday, buses should park in the parking lot at the football stadium.

Do not arrive on campus prior to 2:30 p.m. on Friday.

Teams are restricted to the main and auxiliary gym areas of school as well as the cafeteria (coaches only in the hospitality room). Wrestlers caught in the halls of the school will be eliminated from the tournament.

Two coaches, one team manager and competing wrestlers will be stamped during the weigh-ins only. Table workers are needed and will be stamped for the day that they work. Notify Chris Martin (cmartin1@wcpss.net) or Alex Von Hoene (hvonhoene@wcpss.net) if you can bring table workers.

T-shirts will be on sale in the lobby area. These sell out quickly so please advise your team members and fans to purchase them early.

Tournament results

Schedule & Results – Coming Soon

From the record book

All Time Appearances | Past Champions | Record Holders

History

In October 1972, Bob Caudle of WRAL-TV in Raleigh proposed that a high school wrestling tournament be held at North Carolina State University. This signaled the birth of the WRAL Invitational Wrestling Tournament! The tournament committee consisted of Johnny Clements and Watson Hollifield, the city and county athletic directors, and tournament director, Jerry Barker, then assistant wrestling coach at NC State. Seven Raleigh area schools participated and the finals were held in the WRAL-TV studio.

Since that time, more than 7,000 wrestlers from hundreds of teams from across the country have participated in what has become one of the most competitive and highly anticipated high school wrestling events of the year. Wrestlers who participate in the WRAL Invitational Wrestling Tournament regularly go on to state championships and collegiate wrestling careers.

Contacts

Tournament Director: Alex Von Hoene | hvonhoene@wcpss.net

Site Coordinator: Travis Seese, Athens Drive HS, 1420 Athens Dr., Raleigh NC 27606.

2018 Videos

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