Blacksburg, VA – For the first time since the conclusion of the 2021 NCAA Championships, Virginia Tech was back in action Sunday at the Southeast Open in Salem, Virginia. A strong showing saw five Hokies bringing back titles to Blacksburg.
Returning All-Americans Korbin Myers and Hunter Bolen both won open division titles in dominating fashion. Back in action adding to the tally was 2019 national champion Mekhi Lewis securing a first-place finish at his new weight of 174-pounds and Stanford heavyweight transfer, Nathan Traxler, getting his first title under the Hokie banner.
It was an all-Hokie final in the Freshman/Sophomore division with freshman 125-pounder Eddie Ventresca rounding out the champion's circle going 5-0 with three of those matches ending with bonus points.
Tech returns to action next Sunday with a contingent headed to Raleigh, NC for the Wolfpack Open. The Hokies open dual competition by welcoming Ohio State in Cassell Coliseum on November 19.
Full results can be found in the link at the top left-side of the page. Other notable highlights from Sunday:
- At 125-pounds, returning All-American Sam Latona went 2-1 on the day to finish second in his first competition of the season.
- Freshman Cooper Flynn went 3-1 with a fall, tech fall, and a major decision en route a runner-up finish behind fellow Hokie, Eddie Ventresca.
- Army transfer, Andrew Wert placed second in the Freshman/Sophomore division at 133-pounds picking up three falls and a decision on the day.
- Redshirt Junior, Collin Gerardi brought a second-place finish back to Blacksburg with a 3-1 showing.
- Freshmen Jackson Spires and Ty Finn placed second and fourth at 157-pounds, respectively. Spires knocked up two techs and finished 5-1, while Finn wrestled the NCAA match limit, going 5-2 with four wins ending with bonus.
- Redshirt Sophomore, Connor Brady went 3-1 on the day securing a second-place finish behind the #8 ranked wrestler in the country
- Freshman Trey Kibe ended his first tournament as a Hokie with a third-place finish at 174-pounds.
- Sophomore Simeone Holmes finished in third at 184-pounds picking up two falls and one tech on the day.
- Redshirt Junior Dakota Howard scored three techs en route to a second-place finish at 197-pounds in the open division.
- Sophomore Hunter Catka went 3-1, locking up a one fall and two major decisions on his way to a third-place finish.Gallery: (11-7-2021) WRE: 2021 Southeast Open