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North Carolina's Class of 2027 produced six All-Americans at the 2025 NHSCA Nationals—tied for the state's second-highest sophomore total since records began in 2005. Only the 2013 class, with nine, placed more.
The group more than doubled North Carolina's 20-year sophomore average of 2.4 All-Americans and doubled the three earned in 2024.
Six sophomore All-Americans
Tobin McNair
6th152 lbs · Raleigh · 4–2
McNair reached the semifinals, shut out No. 12 Paxon Legatt in the quarterfinals and recorded a 20–0 technical fall before medically forfeiting his final placement match with a shoulder injury.
Keyshon Morrison
7th220 lbs · Lake Norman · 6–2
The returning All-American won six consecutive consolation matches, defeated the No. 7, No. 8 and No. 13 seeds, and finished with three pins and a technical fall.
Jack Harty
7th182 lbs · Northern Guilford · 5–2
The No. 4 seed opened with two dominant technical falls and secured seventh place with a pin over David Clayton.
Gavin Lopez
7th195 lbs · Green Hope · 4–2
Unseeded, Lopez returned to the podium for a second year and recorded three falls, including a pin over Aidan Plemons in the placement match.
Aidan Plemons
8th195 lbs · Blowing Rock · 3–3
Plemons reached the quarterfinals with a major decision and a 9–7 victory before earning All-America honors in a deep 195-pound bracket.
Antonio Escobar
8th285 lbs · North Carolina · 4–3
Escobar recorded two pins and a pivotal 1–0 consolation victory, showing grit and promise in the heavyweight field.
Another national-level performance
Connor Brinkley entered the 220-pound bracket as the No. 12 seed and opened with a 1:02 pin. Although he did not repeat his 2024 seventh-place finish, his performance continued to demonstrate national-level potential.
Returning All-Americans showed growth
| Athlete | Freshman result | Sophomore result |
|---|---|---|
| Jack Harty | 3rd | 7th |
| Keyshon Morrison | 3rd | 7th |
| Gavin Lopez | 8th | 7th |
| Connor Brinkley | 7th | Did not place |
Among the nation's best
North Carolina's six sophomore All-Americans ranked third nationally behind Pennsylvania's 13 and California's seven. The state tied Florida, Ohio, New York and New Jersey while finishing ahead of Virginia, Missouri and Texas.
Combined with the freshman class's record-tying seven All-Americans, North Carolina earned 13 underclass All-America finishes—matching the state's best-ever combined freshman and sophomore performance from 2013.