Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Five Hokies, two student-athletes and three staff members, will represent the Virginia Tech wrestling program at the 2018 World Team Trials this weekend in Rochester, Minn., from May 18-20.
Live results and a live stream will be available all weekend long on FloWrestling.com. Junior freestyle action begins on Friday, May 18, at 11 a.m. and senior action kicks off on Saturday, May 19, at 11 a.m.
Assistant coach Frank Molinaro (70kg), director of performance Tyler Graff (61kg) and volunteer assistant coach Ty Walz (97kg), a three-time All-American at Virginia Tech, will all be competing in the senior division. Redshirt freshmen John Borst (92kg) and Mekhi Lewis (74kg), who both qualified for this year's Trials with second and fifth place finishes, respectively, at the U.S. Open, will be scrapping for spots on the junior world team.
Molinaro, who clinched his spot in Rochester by placing sixth at this year's U.S. Open, lost two out of three in the 65kg finals to Zain Retherford at last year's World Team Trials. Graff qualified for the Trials after placing fourth at this year's Open. Walz's gold medal performance at the Bill Farrell Open clinched him a spot at the Trials in the 97kg field.
Winners of the trials on the senior level will move on to the Final X location in their respective weight class. The 65kg winner will face Joey McKenna in State College, Pa., the 70kg winner will take on James Green and the 97kg winner will wrestle Kyle Snyder, both in Lincoln, Neb.