Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - With two duals left in the 2017-18 season, No. 9 Virginia Tech will next travel to Charlottesville for a 1 p.m. match on Sunday against Virginia. The winning school will earn points in the Commonwealth Clash, presented by Virginia529. The Hokies currently lead 4-2 in the Clash.
The match will be streamed on the WatchESPN platform via ACC Network EXTRA. Live updates will also be available on Twitter by following @HokiesWrestling.
RANKED BOUTS
133: #18 Dennis Gustafson vs. #9 Jack Mueller
• This will be the first meeting between the two wrestlers.
• Mueller, who wrestled at 125 pounds in 2016-17 and finished sixth at nationals, lost to Joey Dance by an 11-3 major decision in last season’s dual at Cassell Coliseum.
18 STRAIGHT VS. THE ACC
• The Hokies have won 18 consecutive ACC dual meets entering this weekend’s match at UVA.
• Tech’s last loss to an ACC opponent was a 19-14 loss at Pitt on Feb. 17, 2014.
• Since that loss, the Hokies have two ACC Tournament titles and the last three ACC dual meet championships.
BLEES NAMED ACC WRESTLER OF THE WEEK
• Redshirt junior Ryan Blees was named ACC Wrestler of the Week on Feb. 6 after he defeated sixth-ranked Troy Heilmann of UNC in sudden victory overtime, 3-1.
• The honor was Blees’ second in as many weeks; he was named Co-Wrestler of the Week after picking up bonus wins vs. Lehigh and Duke.
• Since dropping down to 149 in January, Blees has won 13 of his last 14 matches.
• He entered Intermat’s rankings this week after his win over Heilmann, checking in at No. 16.
8 HOKIES IN COACHES PANEL RANKINGS
• Eight of the Hokies 10 starters appeared in the second NCAA Division I Coaches Rankings released this week.
• All eight wrestlers are ranked in the top 25.
• Six Tech grapplers were slotted in the top 20 in their respective weight classes – Dennis Gustafson at 133 pounds (13), Ryan Blees at 149 (15), David McFadden at 165 (3), Zack Zavatsky at 184 (6), Jared Haught at 197 (2), Andrew Dunn at 285 (19).
• Rounding out the Hokies’ reps in the rankings are Brent Moore at 141 (23) and Hunter Bolen at 174 (25).
• In the RPI rankings, both McFadden and Haught were slotted at No. 1 in their respective weight classes.
VIRGINIA TECH PROJECTED LINEUP
125: Kyle Norstrem (11-11) or Ryan More (4-8)
133: #18 Dennis Gustafson (20-7)
141: Brent Moore (17-9)
149: #16 Ryan Blees (19-5)
157: B.C. LaPrade (12-10) or Solomon Chishko (8-5)
165: #3 David McFadden (27-0)
174: #15 Hunter Bolen (18-9) or Cody Hughes (14-12)
184: #8 Zack Zavatsky (25-4)
197: #2 Jared Haught (22-2)
285: #18 Andrew Dunn (19-10)
VIRGINIA PROJECTED LINEUP
125: No. 15 Louie Hayes (26-5)
133: No. 9 Jack Mueller (19-4) or Sam Book (11-7)
141: Sam Martino (6-15)
149: Sam Krivus (16-11) OR Jake Keating (19-12)
157: Fred Green (10-11) OR Michael Murphy (5-8)
165: Andrew Atkinson (15-5)
174: Will Schany (17-9)
184: Michael Battista (1-13) OR Drew Peck (1-3) OR Jack Walsh (0-10)
197: Jay Aiello (13-11)
285: Tyler Love (8-13) OR Brian Kennerly (6-6)