Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - The 16th-ranked Virginia Tech wrestling team will return home to Cassell Coliseum this weekend to host a pair of ACC matches. On Friday night, the Hokies will entertain the University of North Carolina at 7 p.m. before taking on the University of Maryland Sunday at 4 p.m.
North Carolina will enter with a 5-4 overall record, 0-0 in the ACC. The Tar Heels have a pair of ranked wrestlers in the lower weights: 20th-ranked Nathan Kraisser at 125 pounds and sixth-ranked Evan Henderson at 141 pounds. Tech owns a 32-31-2 lead in a series that dates back to 1924 after winning the last five dual meets between the two.
On Sunday, Tech will close out its home slate with a 4 p.m. match against the Terrapins in their final ACC season. The Terps are 4-6 overall, 0-1 in the ACC and losers of their last four dual matches. Four Maryland wrestlers are ranked: No. 15 Shyheim Brown at 141 pounds, No. 1 Jimmy Sheptock at 184 pounds, No. 8 Christian Boley at 197 pounds and No. 6 Spencer Myers at heavyweight. Maryland leads the series 13-8, but the Hokies won 20-19 last season in College Park.
Before Sunday’s match, Tech’s five seniors - John Dickson, Zach Neibert, Chris Penny, Erik Spjut and Nick Vetterlein will be honored. All five will be in the lineup this weekend.
Friday night’s match will be broadcast live on ESPN3, an online platform, while Sunday’s match will be broadcast on Hokies XTra. Danny Nokes and David Marone will have the call for both events.
The Hokies are 11-2 overall, 0-1 in the ACC. Tech went 3-1 last weekend at the Virginia Duals to place third.
Fans can keep up with the action through TrackWrestling as well as on Twitter, @VT_Wrestling
Below are the probables for all three teams, as submitted by the respective coaching staffs.
#16 Virginia Tech (11-2, 0-1 ACC)
125: #19 Joey Dance (13-5)
133: Dennis Gustafson (8-7)
141: Erik Spjut (9-11)
149: #20 Zach Neibert (10-6)
157: Sal Mastriani (6-8)
165: Chris Moon (11-3)
174: John Dickson (6-8)
184: #17 Nick Vetterlein (15-4)
197: Chris Penny (16-7)
285: #20 Ty Walz (18-5)
North Carolina (5-4, 0-0 ACC)
125: #20 Nathan Kraisser (16-5)
133: Troy Heilmann (15-10)
141: #6 Evan Henderson (23-3)
149: Christian Barber (22-5) or Joe Moon (13-6)
157: Jake Crawford (9-13) or Robert Henderson (3-5)
165: John Michael Staudenmayer (7-6)
174: Scott Marmoll (13-12)
184: Alex Utley (15-8)
197: Frank Abbondanza (6-12) or Josh Lehner (6-5)
285: Bob Coe (6-14)
Maryland (4-6, 0-1 ACC)
125: Billy Rappo (11-8) or Paul O’Neill (5-6)
133: Tyler Goodwin (8-5) or Tony Farace (6-11)
141: #15/NR Shyheim Brown (13-4)
149: Frank Goodwin (8-6) or Derrick Evanovich (4-8)
157: Ben Dorsay (10-6) or Danny Orem (7-8)
165: Josh Snook (4-7)
174: Tony Gardner (5-8) or Ty Snook (0-0)
184: #1/#1 Jimmy Sheptock (19-0)
197: #8/#10 Christian Boley (16-1)
285: #6/#7 Spencer Myers (16-2)
The following wrestlers will compete on Sunday in the “Shorty” Hitchcock Memorial on the campus of Millersville University in Pennsylvania:
133: Kevin Norstrem (unattached)
141: Nick Anderson
141: Jerry Ronnau
149: Cameron Bowen
149: Mattheos Lozier (unattached)
157: Mason Mele (unattached)
157: Chad Strube
165: David Bergida (unattached)
174: Zach Epperly (unattached)
174: Brooks Morrison
197: Jared Haught (unattached)
197: Henry Mauk (unattached)
197: David Reck (unattached)
285: Dan Garwood (unattached)
285: Brandon Taylor