Moments of Excellence: Wrestling finishes eighth at 2022 NCAA ChampionshipMoments of Excellence: Wrestling finishes eighth at 2022 NCAA Championship
Levi Ventura
Wrestling

Moments of Excellence: Wrestling finishes eighth at 2022 NCAA Championship

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As the 2022 calendar year comes to a close, Virginia Tech Athletics will spend the month of December celebrating the Hokies' standout achievements from the past 12 months in a campaign called "Moments of Excellence."
 The "Moments of Excellence" campaign will serve as a look back to the historic highlights and memorable accomplishments in Tech Athletics during 2022. Each varsity sport program will have an outstanding moment featured during December on the official Virginia Tech Athletics website and @HokieSports social media properties. Fans can visit the Hokies' social media directory to stay in contact with Tech Athletics and their favorite sports teams.
 
Hokies Wrestling finished eighth at the 2022 NCAA Championships in Detriot, Michigan - the ninth time finishing in the top-11 in the past eleven seasons. Tech also claimed three All-American honors for the ninth straight season - one of only four programs to accomplish the same feat. Mekhi Lewis, the first national champion in program history, made history yet again by becoming the program's first two-time finalist.
 The MOMENT

BLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech wrestling team finished eighth along with three All-America honors at the 2022 NCAA Championship in Detroit to finish off another strong season. Paced by All-American finishes by Mekhi Lewis, Korbin Myers, and Bryce Andonian, the Hokies scored the fourth most ever points in program history at the national championship.



Highlighted by Virginia Tech wrestling's first national champion Lewis' runner-up finish, two other All-Americans in now two-time All-American Korbin Myers and first-time All-American Bryce Andonian extended Tech's three or more All-American streak to nine straight seasons. Only three other programs feature the same claim – Penn State, Iowa, and Cornell.


 
In his first season at a new weight and returning from injury after medically withdrawing from the 2021 NCAA Championship, 2019 national champion Mekhi Lewis made the finals for the second time in his career by pinning No. 3 Logan Massa (MICH) in the third period of their semifinal match on Friday night. Lewis made history once again as he became Tech's first two-time finalist in program history. Lewis' path to the finals included wins over #31 Dennis Robin (WVU), #18 Lance Runyon (UNI), #10 Clay Lautt (UNC), and #3 Logan Massa. Lewis fell in the finals to defending national champion, No. 1 Carter Starocci of Penn State on Saturday night via 5-4 sudden victory rideout criteria in the most entertaining final of the night. The Hokie is only the program's third finalist and made history in 2019 when he became Tech's first national champion by dethroning two-time, defending national champion of Penn State, Vincenzo Joseph.  


 
Bryce Andonian had a breakout year culminating in a third-place finish in his second trip to the national championships. Andonian was on brand with his must-see TV, putting on arguably the top-three most entertaining matches throughout the tournament. The Hokie was electric all weekend – picking up wins over Max Brignola (LEH), Jon Jon Millner (APP ST), Austin Gomez (WISC) before falling to Ridge Lovett (NEB) in the semifinal. Andonian secured his first career All-American status by pinning No. 3 seeded Austin Gomez in an exhilarating bout start to finish. Andonian then took Lovett to the wire in the semifinal match but fell just short as time expired. The Hokie secured his third-place finish with a second win over Austin Gomez on the backside to put an exclamation point on his year that started with a Junior World bronze medal finish back in September 2021.


 
Korbin Myers ended his illustrious career as a two-time All-American with a sixth-place finish in Detroit on Saturday. Myers made it to the quarterfinals of his fifth NCAA tournament before falling to Austin Desanto of Iowa. Myers handled Matt Ramos (PUR) in the consolation bracket to secure his second All-American honor and help propel the Hokies to a top-10 finish – the first since 2018 and the third in head coach Tony Robie's time at the helm.