Obe Blanc announced today that he is hiring one of his former students from his days as an assistant to Pat Popolizio as four-time NCAA All-American Hayden Hidlay will join the North Dakota State Bison wrestling program as an assistant coach. 

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The five-time All-American and former ACC Wrestler of the Year joins Obenson Blanc's staff!

?: https://t.co/LxiOHvFanP#GoBison ? pic.twitter.com/PdoedUlHl7

— NDSU Wrestling (@NDSUwrestling) May 22, 2023

A Pennsylvania state champion at Mifflin County High School in 2016, Hidlay has spent every year since in Raleigh, North Carolina, as a member of the NC State Wolfpack wrestling team to more recently being on staff as Student-Athlete Development Coordinator. 

Hidlay placed second, fourth, fifth, and third in his four trips to the NCAA Championship Tournament, every year at 157-pounds except in 2022, when he bumped up to wrestle 174. Hidlay received the #2 seed at the canceled 2020 tournament. 

Obe Blanc, who coached Hidlay from 2017-19, is excited to reunite with his former pupil in Fargo, stating:

Hayden is among the best young leaders I have been able to observe as a coach and I am thrilled to have our athletes around a mentor like Hayden.

Hayden also has a long history of wrestling freestyle, making the U23 world team in 2018 and more recently competing overseas with the Wolfpack RTC and the Titan Mercury Wrestling Club. Hayden has also been a primary training partner and coach for his younger brother Trent, who will return to NC State for his final year of eligibility to wrestle at 197-pounds.

Blanc was named head coach of the Bison earlier in May, less than a week after former head coach Roger Kish departed for the University of Oklahoma's top wrestling position. Blanc has been on the NDSU staff for the last four years with the last two serving as associate head coach.