BLACKSBURG - The 12th-ranked Virginia Tech wrestling team will play host to a pair of dual meets Sunday in Cassell Coliseum as the Hokies welcome Gardner-Webb and 23rd-ranked North Dakota State to town. Tech will open with G-W at 3 p.m. and will take on the Bison at 6 p.m. Gardner-Webb and NDSU will wrestle at 4:30 p.m.
Gardner-Webb is a young team that is 1-1 on the season and features just one ranked wrestler in 20th-ranked Austin Trott at 165 pounds. The Hokies are 8-0 all-time against Gardner-Webb, last wrestling the Bulldogs in 2010.
This will be the second meeting between the Hokies and Bison as Tech won at the 2008 Virginia Duals in Hampton. The Bison will be making the long trip to the Commonwealth and will also wrestle at the University of Virginia on Saturday to open the season. G-W will also take on the Cavs on Saturday.
NDSU sports five ranked wrestlers in its probable lineup with three scheduled to tangle with ranked Hokie wrestlers. At 125 pounds, No. 13 Josh Rodriguez is slated to take on fifth-ranked Joey Dance. At 174 pounds, 14th-ranked Kurtis Julson will match up with 13th-ranked Zach Epperly. At heavyweight, No. 10 Evan Knutson and 12th-ranked Ty Walz will battle. Also ranked for the Bison are Mitchell Bengtson (No. 20 at 141 pounds) and Hayden Zillmer (No. 13 at 184 pounds).
For the Hokies (1-0), in addition to the three ranked wrestlers mentioned above, Kevin Norstrem is ranked 18th at 133 pounds and Devin Carter is ranked second at 149 pounds. Head coach Kevin Dresser made the announcement this week that Carter will begin the progression back down to 141 pounds, but has to do it in increments based upon NCAA rules. So Carter will continue to wrestle at 149 pounds, but will weigh well under the weight limit until he can get to 141 pounds. Nick Brascetta will miss this weekend due to an injury and will be replaced by Sal Mastriani at 157 pounds. Mastriani, who beat Carter last week in the Hokie Open, will start at 149 pounds once Carter can get to 141 pounds.
Admission is free for all three matches.
Tech’s match against Gardner-Webb will be shown live and for free on Hokies XTra. Bailey Angle will have the call, along with former Hokie All-American Chris Diaz as the analyst. All three matches on Sunday will have live stats through TrackWrestling:
VT vs. G-W
G-W vs. NDSU
VT vs. NDSU
Tickets are going fast for Tech’s three matches at the Moss Arts Center on campus. Fans can purchase for the Virginia, Pitt or NC State match by going to vthoki.es/moss.
Below are the probable lineups for all three squad, as submitted by the respective coaching staffs:
#12 Virginia Tech (1-0)
125: #5 Joey Dance (1-0)
133: #18 Kevin Norstrem (1-0)
141: Jerry Ronnau (0-0) OR Nick Anderson (3-3)
149: #2 Devin Carter (1-0)
157: Sal Mastriani (4-0)
165: David Bergida (2-2) OR Chad Strube (3-1)
174: #13 Zach Epperly (1-0)
184: Austin Gabel (1-0)
197: Jared Haught (1-0)
285: #12 Ty Walz (1-0)
Gardner-Webb (1-1)
125: Cortez Starkes (2-3)
133: Tyler Ziegler (5-2)
141: Chris Vassar (5-2)
149: Ryan Mosley (6-2)
157: Kyle Ash (2-2)
165: #20 Austin Trott (4-1)
174: Brett Stein (6-2)
184: Gray Jones (4-2)
197: Terry Henderson (3-4)
285: Justin Kozera (3-2)
#23 North Dakota State (0-0)
125: #13 Josh Rodriguez (0-0) OR Tirso Lara (1-4)
133: Kyle Gliva (4-2) OR Justin Scherkenbach (10-3)
141: #20 Mitch Bengtson (8-1) OR Clay Cathey (7-4)
149: Clay Ream (7-4)
157: Steven Keogh (4-2)
165: Matthew Gray (8-4) OR Trevor Chavez (2-2)
174: #14 Kurtis Julson (4-0)
184: #13 Hayden Zillmer (8-1)
197: Tyler Lehmann (1-2) OR Tommy Petersen (5-3)
285: #10 Evan Knutson (4-0)
Additionally, several Tech athletes will head to Raleigh, North Carolina, on Sunday for the Wolfpack Open, hosted by NC State. This year’s event will be held in Carmichael Gymnasium, and admission is $15.
125: Brandon Olsen (unattached)
141: Nick Anderson
149: Solomon Chishko (unattached)
149: Taylor Misuna (unattached)
149: Chad Saunders (unattached)
149: Brent Waterman
157: Carter Page (unattached)
157: Jake Spengler (unattached)
157: Justus Weaver (unattached)
165: Mike Ciavarro (unattached)
174: Tae Leary
197: David Reck
285: Dan Garwood
285: Brandon Taylor