Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - The ninth-ranked Virginia Tech wrestling squad will host a pair ACC dual meets this weekend in the Moss Arts Center, taking on 13th-ranked Pittsburgh on Friday night (7 p.m.) before battling NC State Sunday afternoon (2 p.m.).
Tickets are still available for both matches and can be purchased thru vthoki.es/moss. Each paying patron with a ticket will be able to redeem that ticket for a free drink at the concession stand for both matches this weekend.
For the Hokies (10-2, 1-0 ACC), Friday’s match will be the second of five ACC dual matches. With a recognized ACC dual meet team title being handed out again this season, every dual meet carries more significance. Virginia Tech has won 29 of its last 32 ACC dual matches dating back to Feb. 16. 2008. Pittsburgh, in its first year in the league, won the inaugural ACC dual meet title last season, although the Hokies have won the past two tournament titles.
Seven Hokies are ranked in this week’s InterMat wrestling poll with five of them in the top 10. Devin Carter leads the way at 141 pounds, where he is ranked third. He missed last weekend with an injury, but could return this weekend. He will be a match-time decision. Also ranked for Tech are Joey Dance (4th at 125), Kevin Norstrem (17th at 133), Sal Mastriani (10th at 149), Nick Brascetta (5th at 157), Zach Epperly (12th at 174) and Ty Walz (8th at heavyweight).
Pitt is 7-4 overall and 2-1 in the ACC after falling to Virginia two weekends ago. Led by No. 2 Max Thomusseit at 184 pounds and No. 6 Tyler Wilps at 174 pounds, four Panthers are ranked in the latest InterMat rankings and seven Pitt wrestlers were ranked in the first edition of the NCAA Coaches Panel rankings, released on Jan. 22. The Hokies will be looking for their first dual meet win ever against Pitt as they are 0-11 all-time after falling 19-14 last year on the road.
NC State (13-4, 1-1) features the defending national champion and current top-ranked heavyweight in Nick Gwiazdowski. Two other wrestlers are also ranked in the top 20 for the Pack: 18th-ranked Sam Speno at 141 pounds and 20th-ranked Max Rohskopf at 165 pounds. Tech trails the Pack 24-31-1 in a series that dates back to 1926. Tech won 17-16 last year in Raleigh and has won six in a row against the Wolfpack.
These matches will be the final of three this season in the Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre, located within the Moss Arts Center’s Street and Davis Performance Hall. The Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech and the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT) are headquartered in the Moss Arts Center. The 150,000-square-foot facility includes a performance hall, visual arts galleries, amphitheater, four-story experimental Cube, and multiple studios. Groundbreaking for the center was held on June 21, 2010 and the center officially opened on Oct. 28, 2013.
Flowrestling will have a live stream with Christian Pyles on the call. Live stats will be available through TrackWrestling.com and @VT_Wrestling will have the live updates.
For FAQs on the Moss Arts Center, including parking and directions, click here. http://www.hokiesports.com/wrestling/recaps/20150127aaa.html
Below are the probable lineups, submitted by the respective coaching staffs:
#9 Virginia Tech (10-2, 1-0 ACC)
125: #4 Joey Dance (20-2)
133: #17 Kevin Norstrem (14-9) OR Brandon Olsen (0-0)
141: #3 Devin Carter (20-2) OR Jerry Ronnau (11-9)
149: #10 Sal Mastriani (21-7) OR Brent Waterman (7-4)
157: #5 Nick Brascetta (2-0)
165: Chad Strube (6-10)
174: #12 Zach Epperly (13-5)
184: Austin Gabel (13-9) OR Brooks Morrison (6-5)
197: Jared Haught (11-13) OR David Reck (13-4)
285: #8 Ty Walz (18-5)
#13 Pitt (7-4, 2-1 ACC)
125: Dom Forys (13-8) OR Jake Gromacki (5-4)
133: Nick Zanetta (14-12)
141: Ben Ross (2-7)
149: Edgar Bright (6-1) OR #20 Mikey Racciato (14-8)
157: Ronnie Garbinsky (9-9) OR Eric Nutter (3-4)
165: Cody Wiercioch (8-7) OR Troy Reaghard (9-7)
174: #6 Tyler Wilps (9-2)
184: #2 Max Thomusseit (19-1)
197: #20 Nick Bonaccorsi (11-7) OR Ryan Solomon (12-6)
285: John Rizzo (4-8)
NC State (13-4, 1-1 ACC)
125: Joe DeAngelo (11-8)
133: Bryce Meredith (12-2) OR Jamel Morris (6-3) OR Chris Wilkes (2-5)
141: #18 Jr. Sam Speno (12-7)
149: Brian Hamann (7-4) OR Beau Donahue (12-6) OR Sam Melikian (7-8)
157: Chad Pyke (12-12)
165: #19 Max Rohskopf (22-8) OR Lee Davis (10-6)
174: Pete Renda (16-8)
184: Nicky Hall (7-4) OR Michael Macchiavello (8-7)
197: Michael Boykin (15-7)
285: #1 Nick Gwiazdowski (23-0)
Several tech wrestlers will compete Saturday at the Edinboro Open in Pennsylvania.
133: Jackson Myers (unattached)
141: Dennis Gustafson (unattached)
149: Cameron Bowen
149: Solomon Chishko (unattached)
157: Carter Page (unattached)
157: Jake Spengler
157: Justus Weaver (unattached)
165: David Bergida
174: Tae Leary
184: Zack Zavatsky (unattached)
285: Dan Garwood
285: Brandon Taylor