Blacksburg – Virginia Tech Wrestling sophomore, Andy Smith, and Tech wrestling alum, Ty Walz, are headed to Lincoln, Nebraska for the 2021 World Team Trials held from September 11-12. Winners of the tournament will secure a spot to the 2021 World Championships in Oslo, Norway from October 2-10.
WEEKEND DETAILS
Date/Time: Sept. 11, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Session 1); 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. (Session 2)
Sept. 12, 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (Session 3); 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. (Session 4)
Site: Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Nebraska
Event Schedule: USA Wrestling
Broadcast: Flowrestling
HOKIES COMPETING
Competing at 197-pounds for the Hokies, Smith will wrestle in the 92kg/202lbs weight class in his second senior level event. Most recently, Smith took home a third-place finish at the 2021 Senior Nationals this past April which qualified for next weekend's world team trials. This will be the first tournament for Smith who is looking to improve upon his last season's 4-6 as a true freshman before the upcoming college season gets underway.
Hokies wrestling alum, Ty Walz, is also set to compete for a world team spot in Lincoln. Walz was a three-time All-American while competing for his alma mater then immediately followed up with a bronze finish at the 2017 U23 World Championships upon graduation. A consistent US national team member since the start of his international career at 97kg/213lbs, Walz makes the bump up to 125kg/285lbs in his attempt to make his first Senior-level world team.
SOUTHEAST REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER COMPETITORS
In addition to Smith and Walz, the Southeast Regional Training Center will be sending women's freestyle wrestler Jenna Burkert (55kg/121lbs) and men's freestyle competitors James Green (70kg/154lbs) and Nahshon Garrett (61kg/134lbs) to Lincoln. Loaded resumes all around – Burkert was a finalist at this past Olympic Team Trials, Green is the five-time defending US world team member at 70kg, and Garrett was a previous world team member in 2018 and an NCAA champion in 2016.
Follow the Southeast RTC on Twitter (@southeastrtc) for all updates throughout the weekend.
