Blacksburg – The Virginia Tech wrestling team comes into the 2021-2022 season ranked in the top-ten across three media rankings with nine grapplers garnering top 31 rankings within their respective weight classes. The Hokies rank 6th, 7th, and 10th according to NWCA, FloWrestling, and Intermat team rankings, respectively.
The group features a national and junior world champion, three returning All-Americans, junior world bronze medalist, and seven NCAA championship qualifiers.
Sam Latona enters his second year ranked 7th (FloWrestling) and 8th (Intermat) following a 14-3 redshirt freshman campaign that ended with sixth-place All-American, ACC Champion, and ACC Freshman of the Year honors.
Korbin Myers returns to Tech in his final year of eligibility looking to improve upon his best career finish in 2021. Myers will assume his weight at 133 once again after a 12-2 record capped with a fourth-place finish and as an ACC Champion. Ranked 4th (FloWrestling) and 5th (Intermat), respectively, Myers is 10 wins away from career win 100.
Sam Hillegas lands at 20th in FloWrestling's first rankings. Hillegas looks to improve on a true freshman campaign that saw him end 2021 with a fourth-place finish at the 2021 ACC Championships.
Bryce Andonian debuts the polls ranked 7th (FloWrestling) and 8th (Intermat) after enjoying a great summer campaign – making the US Junior World Team and securing bronze at the 2021 Junior World Championships in Oslo, Russia. A two-time ACC runner-up and three-time qualifier, Andonian looks to land on the podium in year three.
Connor Brady sees the rankings after a third-place ACC Championship finish and qualifying for his first NCAA championship. The redshirt sophomore garners honorable mention (FloWrestling) and 30th (Intermat).
Mekhi Lewis enters the season in the top five after ascending a weight class following a withdrawal from the 2021 NCAA championships after reaching the quarterfinals due to injury. Coming in at 3rd (FloWrestling) and 4th (Intermat) in the season's earliest rankings, the 2018 Junior World Champion and 2019 national champion will look to once again end atop the podium.
Hunter Bolen begins the 2021-2022 season ranked 7th (FloWrestling) and 9th (Intermat) after a 13-3 campaign and seventh-place All-American honors. Bolen will look to become only the 16th Hokie to become a four-time NCAA qualifier.
Andy Smith will look to improve upon a true freshman campaign as he enters the season ranked 31st (Intermat) and makes the FloWrestling honorable mention list.
Nathan Traxler is ranked 17th (FloWrestling) and 15th (Intermat) at heavyweight. A transfer from Stanford, Traxler brings a Pac-12 champion and four-time NCAA championship qualifier pedigree to Blacksburg as he looks to finish his collegiate career with a podium finish.