Blacksburg – The Virginia Tech wrestling team plays host to visiting No. 9 Ohio State to open their dual slate Friday night at 7 p.m. on ACC Network Extra. The Hokies face their first test of the season as the No. 9 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes make their way to Cassell Coliseum Friday night.
No. 8 Virginia Tech vs. No. 9 Ohio State
Date: Friday, November 19
Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: ACC Network Extra/ESPN+
Live Stats and Updates: Hokies Wrestling Twitter
Tech Hosts Ohio State for First Test of Season
- Friday is the seventeenth meeting between the Hokies and the Buckeyes. Ohio State has won 13 of the previous 16 matchups.
- Tech won the last meeting – a 21-15 upset win for No. 11 Tech over then ranked No. 3 Ohio State in Columbus.
- Tech will face Gardner-Webb on Saturday to close out the weekend at 1 p.m. in Cassell. The Hokies will then travel to Columbia for a tri-meet against Missouri and Northern Iowa on Dec. 4.
- Redshirt senior, Nathan Traxler, makes his Cassell debut after transferring from Stanford. The four-time NCAA qualifier stands at 4-0 on the season after winning the title at the 2021 Southeast Open.
Looking at the Opposition
- No. 9 Ohio State stands at 1-0, a ranked win over University of North Carolina. The Buckeyes return three All-Americans – No. 2 Sammy Sasso (149-pounds), No. 6 Ethan Smith (174-pounds), and No. 7 Tate Orndorff (285-pounds).
Tale of the Tape
- Virginia Tech fields eight ranked wrestler's in this week's Intermat rankings. Ohio State's lineup features seven.
- Tech will send seven of their ranked wrestler's out tomorrow night. Friday will feature five ranked matchups, including No. 9 Bryce Andonian against No. 2 Sammy Sasso at 149-pounds.
- In addition to the premier match, there are four other potential ranked matchups
- 125 – No. 12 Sam Latona will face No. 14 Malik Heinselman
- 174 – No. 4 Mekhi Lewis takes on No. 6 Ethan Smith
- 184 – No. 9 Hunter Bolen toes the line against No. 19 Rocky Jordan
- 285 – No. 17 Nathan Traxler squares off against No. 7 Tate Orndorff
No. 8 Virginia Tech vs No. 9 Ohio State
7 PM, Nov. 19, 2021
Lineup Probables
| Hokies | Buckeyes | |
| 125-pounds............... | No. 12 Sam Latona, r-So | No. 14 Malik Heinselman, Sr. |
| 133-pounds............... | No. 4 Korbin Myers, r-Sr. | Dylan Koontz, r-Sr. |
| 141-pounds............... | Collin Gerardi, r-Jr. | Dylan D'Emilio, r-So. |
| 149-pounds............... | No. 9 Bryce Andonian, Jr. | No. 2 Sammy Sasso, r-Jr. |
| 157-pounds............... | No. 29 Connor Brady, r-So. | Bryce Hepner, So. |
| 165-pounds............... | Clayton Ulrey, So. | No. 10 Carson Kharchla, r-So. |
| 174-pounds............... | No. 4 Mekhi Lewis, r-Jr. | No. 6 Ethan Smith, r-Sr. |
| 184-pounds............... | No. 9 Hunter Bolen, r-Sr. | No. 21 Rocky Jordan, r-Jr. |
| 197-pounds............... | Dakota Howard, r-Jr. | No. 24 Gavin Hoffman, r-Jr. |
| 285-pounds............... | No. 14 Nathan Traxler, r-Sr. | No. 7 Tate Orndorff, r-Sr. |