Virginia Tech wrestling is heading into the NCAA Championships with momentum and depth that could see them clinch a team trophy. Fresh off their second consecutive ACC title and with all 10 starters qualifying, the Hokies are poised for a strong showing in Cleveland.
Pre-tournament projections have Virginia Tech in the mix for a top-five finish, sitting around sixth nationally. This means every match counts; a couple of All-Americans or a finalist could push them into trophy territory.
The action kicks off at Rocket Arena at noon ET on Thursday, with ESPN covering the event over three days. Here’s what the schedule looks like:
- Thursday, March 19: Preliminaries at noon ET
- Thursday, March 19: Preliminaries and wrestle-backs at 7 p.m.
ET
- Friday, March 20: Quarterfinals and wrestle-backs at noon ET
- Friday, March 20: Semifinals and wrestle-backs at 8 p.m. ET
- Saturday, March 21: Consolation finals at 11 a.m. ET
- Saturday, March 21: Championship finals at 6:30 p.m. ET
Now, let's dive into a weight-by-weight breakdown of Virginia Tech's lineup:
125 - Eddie Ventresca (No. 2 seed) Ventresca starts strong against Drexel’s Desmond Pleasant.
As the No. 2 seed, he has a clear path early on, with potential matchups against top-10 opponents and a semifinal clash with Ohio State’s No. 3 Nic Bouzakis.
Ventresca is a key player for team points and title contention.
133 - Aaron Seidel (No. 4 seed) Seidel faces a challenging bracket with top-seeded Jax Forest on the opposite side, the only wrestler to defeat him this season.
He opens against Wyoming’s No. 29 Luke Willochell.
As the No. 4 seed, Seidel is well-positioned but will face tough competition as the tournament progresses.
141 - Tom Crook (No. 25 seed) Crook has a tough draw, starting against No.
8 Vance Vombaur, who has beaten him twice this season. If he advances, he’s likely to face No.
9 Joey Olivieri of Rutgers, who boasts a strong record.
149 - Collin Gaj (No. 4 seed) ACC champion Gaj has a favorable start against George Mason’s No.
29 Kaden Cassidy. A potential quarterfinal against NC State’s Koy Buesgens, whom he recently defeated, looms.
However, Penn State’s undefeated No. 1 Shane Van Ness also sits in his bracket.
157 - Ethen Miller (No. 14 seed) Miller’s path is challenging, opening against No.
19 Kai Owen of Columbia. He might face No.
3 Meyer Shapiro of Cornell next. The good news?
He avoids the top seed until a potential final.
165 - Mac Church (No. 25 seed) Church opens against No.
8 Matty Bianchi of Little Rock. With an upset, he could face No.
9 Bryce Hepner, who narrowly defeated him in the ACC finals.
174 - Sergio Desiante (No. 25 seed) Desiante faces No.
8 Alex Facundo of Oklahoma, who recently beat him. A victory could lead to a match against No.
9 Beau Mantanona of Michigan, with top-seeded Levi Haines of Penn State potentially waiting in the wings.
184 - Jaden Bullock (No. 14 seed) Bullock kicks off against No.
19 Jared McGill of Edinboro. A win sets up a likely rematch with No.
3 Max McEnelly of Minnesota, who has bested Bullock twice this season.
197 - Sonny Sasso (No. 4 seed) Sasso starts against No.
29 Colton Hawks of Arizona State. He’s favored in a potential quarterfinal against No.
5 Joey Novak, whom he dominated earlier. Yet, No.
1 Josh Barr, undefeated this season, might stand in his way to the finals.
285 - Jimmy Mullen (No. 16 seed) Mullen faces a tough road, starting with No.
17 Vincent Mueller of Columbia. An early win likely leads to a bout with undefeated No.
1 Yonger Bastida of Iowa State.
With several top-four seeds and wrestlers capable of exceeding expectations, Virginia Tech has the depth to make a serious push. The key will be securing bonus points and breaking into All-American status, awarded to the top eight in each weight class. This could be the difference between a solid finish and bringing home a team trophy.