BLACKSBURG - The Virginia Tech wrestling squad will head to University Park, Pennsylvania, Friday night for a top-10 dual meet battle as the will take on fourth-ranked and four-time defending national champion Penn State at 7 p.m. inside sold-out Rec Hall. Both teams will enter the match unbeaten and with firepower up and down the lineup.
Tech has never beaten Penn State in five previous tries: a 27-2 loss in 1962 on the road; a 30-0 loss in 1963 on the road; a 28-0 loss in 1964 on the road; a 25-5 loss at home in 1965; and a 26-9 loss in the 2010 Virginia Duals.
The Hokies knocked off No. 4 Ohio State last month and will now face the Nittany Lions, who are ranked fourth in this week’s NWCA/USA Today National Poll. Tech will be looking for its second top-10 win of the season, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since 2011 when the Hokies upset No. 2 Oklahoma State and No. 4 Wisconsin on back-to-back days at the NWCA National Duals in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The Big 10 Network will stream the match online on BTN2Go, but a subscription is required. Additionally, a pay audio feed is available through Penn State’s website. Free live stats will be available through TrackWrestling.
Penn State will return the trip to Blacksburg next season.
Below are the probable lineups, as submitted by both coaching staffs. The rankings are from InterMat Wrestling.
#6 Virginia Tech (4-0)
125: #5 Joey Dance (11-1)
133: #19 Kevin Norstrem (9-5)
141: #3 Devin Carter (11-2)
149: Sal Mastriani (10-4)
157: David Wesley (0-2)
165: David Bergida (6-6) OR Chris Moon (1-1) OR Chad Strube (4-2)
174: #9 Zach Epperly (11-2)
184: Austin Gabel (7-5)
197: Jared Haught (11-4)
285: #6 Ty Walz (12-1)
#4 Penn State (4-0)
125: #10 Jordan Conaway (7-0)
133: #5 Jimmy Gulibon (7-0)
141: Kade Moss (7-4) OR Michael Waters (8-4)
149: #13 Zack Beitz (4-1) OR Luke Frey (5-1)
157: Cody Law (9-4) OR #9 Dylan Alton (0-0)
165: Garett Hammond (13-2)
174: #2 Matt Brown (7-0)
184: #18 Matt McCutcheon (11-3)
197: #4 Morgan McIntosh (8-0)
285: #8 Jon Gingrich (4-0) OR Jimmy Lawson (6-0)