BUIES CREEK, N.C.-Campbell head coach Billy Greene and his Fighting Camels will head to Raleigh, N.C. on Saturday, battling North Carolina State, Duke and Gardner-Webb at the NC State Duals.

"It's always valuable to see top competition," said Greene. "They are challenged and they want to be at that level. When guys get a chance to wrestle against other individuals at that level, they say, that person isn't so different that me and I can compete with him. The more competition you see at that level, the better you're going to get and you'll start winning some matches against those guys."

So far this year, the Fighting Camels have been led largely by their sophomore class, as David Wise at 133 and Kelin Bidelspach at 141 have each registered eight wins, while 174 pounder Dillon Landi has notched the most pins with four.

Junior Matt King, wrestling at 149, leads the squad in wins with nine after grabbing six at last weekend's Augsburg College Brute Sunshine Open, where six Camels earned places.

Over the weekend, Wise at 133, and Bidelspach at 141 pounds, the highest CU placers, each grabbed third place finishes, winning a pair of bouts on the day, bringing their tourney marks to 5-1 and 6-1, respectively.

Notching a fourth place finish was 165 pound sophomore Chris Mazzatta. The Scranton, Pa. native went 1-1 in bracket one, but then pulled off five straight victories before falling in the consolation finale, ending his weekend at 6-2.

At 174 pounds, Matthew Hawksworth, another Campbell sophomore, took fifth place on the strength of a 4-2 record, while freshman Parker Burns, wrestling in his first collegiate tournament, also recorded a 4-2 mark, finishing fifth at 197 pounds.

At 3-2 was sophomore CJ Gittens in the 125 pound class. The Riverview, Fla. native, wrestling just over 30 miles from his hometown, took seventh on the day.

Highlighting the tournament were Bidelspach, improving his overall record to 8-1 on the year, while freshman 157 pounder Ryan Ham and senior heavyweight Rob Yoder, gathered their first wins of the season.

Last time the Camels saw NC State, Landi, a Long Valley, N.J. native, recorded his first collegiate victory as he scored a 13-5 major decision over Cameron Reeves at 174, as Campbell fell to the Pack, 34-13 at Reynolds Coliseum in the CU 2006-07 season opener.

Two other Camels saw their first collegiate action in the match, as Chris Mazzatta was pinned at 149 while David Wise lost by major decision at 133.

"I'm glad we get a chance to see NC State," said Greene. "They are a quality squad, and Duke will be strong as well. And it's always a good matchup against Gardner-Webb. They are so similar to Campbell in so many ways, and we have a good, healthy rivalry."

The hosting Wolfpack, the Camels first opponent of the day, scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. start, will boast two National Wrestling Coaches Association ranked grapplers, including Joe Caramanica at 141 pounds, ranked seventh, and Darrion Caldwell at 149, ranked as high as third, but falling in the poll to ninth this week. Each will come into Saturday's matches with 16 wins a piece for the 1-5 Wolfpack.

NC State saw action last at UNC Greensboro's Southern Scuffle, finishing 13th as a team. Caldwell did not place in the tourney, however Caramanica took a third place finish and junior 184 pounder Ryan Goodman finished fourth in his class to lead the way. Wrestling unattached at 157, senior Kody Hamrah, also finished fourth.

The Blue Devils also took part in the Southern Scuffle last weekend, taking a 21st place finish as a team in the 29 school field. Duke, who did not have a single wrestler place in the top eight of his weight class, will bring several grapplers who are having successful 2007-08 campaigns thus far.

Most notably, sophomore John Barone, wrestling at 184, carries a 21-3 overall record with a 5-0 dual mark and eight pins. Other top performers include senior Kellen McKeon at 125 with a 17-8 record, 4-1 dual record and three pins, as well as sophomore heavyweight Wade Van Sickle, going 18-7 so far this season, with a 4-1 dual mark and three pins.

Gardner-Webb, another 2007 Southern Scuffle participant, will come into Reynolds Coliseum with a 0-1 dual record after being edged by VMI in December, 21-16.

In Greensboro, the Bulldogs' Chad Davis was the only GWU grappler to pick up a first round win, as he stands at 13-6 on the season at 174. Rob Tate leads Gardner-Webb in wins, notching a 15-1 record to date at 133. With a 10-3 mark at 197, Dustin Porter has also helped fuel the Bulldogs' attack, grabbing two pins.

"I hope some of the confidence that we gained at the Sunshine Open will carry into this weekend and they'll have some good performances against some top Division I opponents," said Greene. "At this phase of the season, it's a lot about getting experience under our belts and continue to learn from each match."

After the NC State Duals on Saturday, the Fighting Camels will head to Fairfax, Va. and George Mason, facing off against the Patriots and the Keydets of VMI on Jan. 12.