Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - Rising redshirt junior David McFadden swept Missouri All-American Daniel Lewis in a best of three finals to clinch the 79kg spot on the United States' U23 Junior World Team at the U23 World Team Trials in Akron, Ohio on Sunday.
McFadden became the second Hokie wrestler to make a world team this summer joining redshirt freshman Mekhi Lewis, who won the 74kg title at the Junior World Team Trials in Rochester, Minnesota last month. Virginia Tech has now had a representative on the U23 World Team the last two years. Volunteer assistant coach Ty Walz made the team at 97kg last year and won the bronze medal at the inaugural U23 World Championships in Poland.
After defeating Purdue's Dylan Lydy with a 10-0 tech fall in the quarterfinals, McFadden defeated Utah Valley's Kimball Bastian, 6-2, in the semis, setting the stage for a showdown with Lewis. In the first match, McFadden led 4-2 and was holding on to a 6-6 advantage on criteria in the second period when he caught Lewis on his back attempting a throw, securing the pin in 4:55. McFadden jumped out to a 10-5 lead in first period of the second match and used a four-point move and a step out point to pick up the tech fall, 15-5
Redshirt senior Ryan Blees, who dropped his first round match, won eight consecutive matches in the consolation bracket and rallied to an eighth place finish at 70kg. Competing at 97kg for the first time, redshirt freshman John Borst placed sixth after advancing to the semifinals, where he lost a narrow 6-5 decision to Kent State All-American Kyle Conel.
Later in 2018, McFadden and the rest of the U.S. squad will travel to Romania for Senior U23 World Championships from November 12-18.
57kg: Kyle Norstrem, 3-2
61kg: Ryan Haskett, 2-2
65kg: Caden Darber, 0-2
70kg: Ryan Blees, 8-3 (8th Place)
79kg: David McFadden, 7-0 (1st Place)
86kg: Cody Hughes, 5-2
97kg: John Borst 3-3, (6th Place)