Davie County’s Aidan Szewczyk Focused on State Title After Runner-Up Finish

Mocksville, NC- After placing second at 120 pounds in the 2024–2025 North Carolina High School Athletic Association state finals, Davie County’s Aidan Szewczyk enters the 2025–2026 wrestling season determined to finish on top. His runner-up performance last winter has only fueled his motivation to bring home a state title this year.

Szewczyk‘s rise as one of North Carolina’s top wrestlers began long before high school. He first stepped onto the mat at age seven, joining Combat Athletics after his older brother, Adam, was introduced to wrestling by Coach Russell Hilton. Hilton, who had coached Adam in soccer at South Davie Middle School, is a Davie High graduate and former University of North Carolina at Pembroke wrestler. He recommended Combat Athletics as a place for Adam to start training, and when their mother passed along the suggestion, both brothers joined. “I wanted to try wrestling out too, so I went, and I’ve been going ever since,” Szewczyk said. “Without that situation, I don’t know when I would’ve started wrestling, so I’m very thankful for that opportunity.”

More than a decade later, Szewczyk remains a product of that system. He credits Combat Athletics for developing both his technical ability and mental approach, helping him mature as a competitor. “Being at Combat has heavily influenced my technical and mental aspects of wrestling for the better,” he said. His training schedule includes five to six days of practice each week, weightlifting, and additional cardio sessions to stay in top condition.

A network of coaches has also played a key role in Szewyck’s development. He credits Josh Stanley, head coach at Davie County and owner of Combat Athletics, along with Shelton Sales, an assistant coach at Combat. He also thanked Sammy Roundtree, head coach at Roundtree Wrestling Academy; Robert Palmer, assistant coach at Dudley High School; and Russell Hilton for their continued influence. “Everybody’s helped me with a certain aspect of my wrestling,” Szewczyk said. “Each coach has made me better.”

Growing up alongside his brother helped him learn early lessons about training and persistence. “We started on the same day, but he had a lot less career than I did because he started right out of middle school,” he said. “Seeing how he trained helped me train. Watching the mistakes he made early on helped me avoid them.”

His mental preparation has become one of his strengths. Szewczyk likes to keep his mindset calm and focused before big matches, usually listening to R&B or hip-hop to get into the right rhythm. “If you flood your head with negative thoughts, it’s just not going to help you,” he said. “I just tell myself a match is a match.”

Injuries have tested him over the years, including a torn labrum before the Super 32 tournament that nearly sidelined him. “It made me more aware on the mat,” he said. “Now I know what to do and not to do in those positions. If I’m about to get scored on, I’m not just going to hold on—I’ll adjust to the next best thing.”

Szewczyk’s goals blend short-term focus with long-term ambition. “My best short-term goal is getting one percent better every day,” he said. “It all adds up. Those little gains build into the bigger goals—like winning major tournaments and finding the right college to continue my wrestling career.”

He balances academics and athletics with equal commitment, currently enrolled in six college-level courses while keeping up his demanding training schedule. “Colleges want to see that balance,” he said. “I love wrestling more, but I’ve learned how to manage both.”

The lessons from wrestling extend beyond competition. “It’s just not giving up,” Szewczyk said. “Cutting weight is a big example. You can sit and complain or push through. Wrestling fires me up because it connects to life lessons. If I have a tough test, I’m going to work my hardest to find the answer.”

As one of Davie’s team leaders, Szewczyk now works to help younger wrestlers adjust to the program’s intensity. “Davie has a really hard training regime,” he said. “I want to help the freshmen realize it gets easier if you stick with it. I had leaders who guided me when I was younger, and I want to do the same for them.”

Outside of wrestling, Szewczyk enjoys fishing, running, working out, and spending time with teammates. His message to younger wrestlers reflects the perspective of someone who understands the grind. “There are levels,” he said. “It’s always going to get harder, but you can’t look at everything at once. Take it one season at a time.”

He also recalls valuable experiences training and traveling alongside elite wrestlers Joe Sealey and Jax Forrest, observing firsthand the work ethic of some of the nation’s best. “Watching how they train showed me what it takes to be one of the best,” he said. “It helped me realize where I need to be.”

Aidan Szewczyk heads into the 2025–2026 season determined to take the final step and capture the state title that eluded him last year. In his junior wrestling debut, he secured a wins against McMichael, and both Page High School opponents were pinned after decisive leads in a tri meet last night.