MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – After a season-opening 28-6 dual win over Campbell last weekend, Virginia Tech wrestling faces its first road test of the season when it joins the quad meet of West Virginia, Ohio and Kent St. on Sunday.
Action gets underway at 12 p.m. ET with the No. 8 Hokies taking on Ohio. Tech will see Kent St. at 1:30 p.m. before wrapping up with host West Virginia at 3 p.m.
The Hokies matches against the Bobcats and Golden Flashes will be on Mat 2, while their match vs. the Mountaineers will be on Mat 1. Both mats can be streamed on ESPN+.
HOKIES AT QUAD MEET
• No. 8 Tech takes on Ohio, Kent St. and West Virginia. The Hokies are 2-8 all time vs. Ohio, winless in four meetings with Kent St. and tied all time with West Virginia, 11-11-2.
• The Hokies enter the second weekend of the season after a 28-6 dual win over Campbell on Jan. 2. Tech won eight of the 10 matches, including bonus-point wins from freshman Sam Hillegas and No. 1 Mekhi Lewis.
• Tech has six wrestlers ranked in the InterMat rankings to West Virginia's two and Kent State's one.
ANDONIAN MAKES RANKINGS LEAP
• After receiving the No. 20 ranking at 149 pounds in the InterMat preseason list, sophomore Bryce Andonian vaulted up the rankings to No. 13 after a 12-9 decision win over then-No. 9 Josh Heil of Campbell.
• Andonian, the 2020 ACC 149-pound runner-up, got off to a quick start in the match, using three takedowns and a two-point near fall to lead 8-2 early. After a comeback attempt from Heil, Andonian held on to the 12-9 win.
• Tech has six wrestlers in the InterMat rankings this week, including No. 1 Mekhi Lewis and No. 2 Hunter Bolen. Graduate student Korbin Myers moved up to No. 9 at 133 pounds, heavyweight John Borst also moved up one spot to No. 16 and redshirt freshman Sam Latona remained No. 18 at 125 pounds.
• The Hokies stayed at No. 8 in the NWCA Coaches Poll after starting the year 1-0.
HILLEGAS' STELLAR DEBUT
• Starting at 141 pounds last week vs. Campbell, freshman Sam Hillegas pinned Shannon Hanna in 4:17 to start his collegiate career with a bang.
• The Pittsburgh native was a two-time Pennsylvania state champion before signing with the Hokies in 2019. He finished his high school career with a 157-5 record, including 79 pins.
• Hillegas was the No. 12 ranked recruit of the Class of 2020 according to FloWrestling.
LEWIS, MYERS WIN IN RETURNS
• After taking an Olympic redshirt for the 2019-20 season, 2019 NCAA Champion Mekhi Lewis returned to the mat at Cassell Coliseum and won his 2021 debut, a 13-4 major decision over Campbell's Austin Kraisser.
• Lewis followed up the dual win with a 17-2 technical fall in 5:43 over Jack Ervien in the extra matches of the Campbell dual.
• After missing the entire 2019-20 season with injury, graduate student Korbin Myers won his match over Gabe Hixenbaugh in a 4-1 decision.
