Hokies ready for battle in Chapel HillHokies ready for battle in Chapel Hill
Wrestling

Hokies ready for battle in Chapel Hill

BLACKSBURG – The No. 8 Virginia Tech wrestling team travels back on Tobacco Road, this time to face North Carolina on Friday night. The Hokies (8-3, 2-1) will look to win their ninth match in eleven meetings against the Tar Heels (6-7, 2-1) live from Chapel Hill on ACC Network Extra at 7 p.m. EST in a dual that features 16 ranked wrestlers including the potential for a top-five bout at 157-pounds.
 


 
No. 8 Virginia Tech Hokies vs North Carolina Tar Heels
When: Friday, February 10, 2023
Time: 7PM EST
Where: Carmichael Arena, Chapel Hill, NC
How to Watch: ACC Network Extra
Live Updates: Hokies Wrestling Twitter
 
 
Tech in the Rankings

  • Tech remains in the top-10 as a team across three rankings for the eleventh straight week entering Friday night – No. 8 in the National Wrestling Coaches' Association, No. 6 according to Intermat, and No. 7 in the Flowrestling rankings
  • The Hokies boast ten ranked wrestlers in at least one ranking poll (Intermat/Flowrestling) for the tenth straight week – Tech fields ten ranked wrestlers via Intermat and/or Flowrestling for the ninth-straight week – Eddie Ventresca (NR, 24), Sam Latona (7, 7), Tom Crook (11, 9), Caleb Henson (8, 7), Bryce Andonian (5, 5), Connor Brady (27, HM), Mekhi Lewis (3, 3), Hunter Bolen (7, 7), Andy Smith (22, 22), and Hunter Catka (20, 18)


 
Hokies vs Tar Heels – History

  • Friday night will be the 75th meeting between the Hokies and the Tar Heels, Tech leads the series 41-31-2
  • Tech holds the advantage at home record (19-14-2) as well as away record (20-16)
  • The first meeting between the two programs was January 31, 1924, a 6-6 tie; Hokies own both the largest and smallest margin of victory: 46-3, January 22, 1973 and 16.5-15.5, January 19, 1948
  • The Hokies are 8-2 in the last ten matchups, the most recent a 23-11 victory for the Hokies in Cassell Coliseum on February 11, 2022

 
Tale of the Tape

  • There will be a combined ranked wrestlers stepping on the mat on Friday night
  • The Hokies field 10 ranked competitors to the Tar Heels' six – Jack Wagner (17, HM), Lachlan McNeil (12, HM), No. 3 Austin O'Connor (3, 6), Clay Lautt (14, 17), and Gavin Kane (11, 12)
  • There will potentially be six ranked bouts including a top-five matchup between 2021 All-American and Junior World Bronze Medalist Bryce Andonian versus 2019 National Champion and 2021 All-American, Austin O'Connor. The have met twice in the ACC finals at 149-pounds in 2019 and 2020, both won by O'Connor
  • Two top-15 bouts will potentially take fruition Friday night – No. 11 Tom Crook will face No. 12 Lachlan McNeil in a rematch from the Southeast Open earlier this season which Crook won; No. 7 Hunter Bolen will meet No. 11 Gavin Kane and look for his first win against the Tar Heel in their third meeting

 
Looking back at Last Week

  • The Hokies were dominant in Durham last weekend in a shutout victory over the Duke Blue Devils, 45-0
  • The Hokies scored bonus in eight of nine wrestled bouts to tie their largest margin of victory against the Blue Devils and extend their win streak over Duke to 19-straight victories
  • North Carolina dropped a 21-11 dual to Pitt last weekend, winning three bouts on the night

 
Pledge per Takedown

  • Join the team and celebrate their success on the mat with Pledge Per Takedown, presented by the Hokie Club. Make a pledge for each takedown the Hokies have this season, and every gift will go directly to their biggest needs

 
No. 8 Virginia Tech vs North Carolina
Probables
125 – Eddie Ventresca vs No. 17 Jack Wagner (UNC)
133 – No. 7 Sam Latona vs Jace Palmer (UNC)
141 – No. 11 Tom Crook or Collin Gerardi vs No. 12 Lachlan McNeil (UNC)
149 – No. 8 Caleb Henson vs No. 27 Zach Sherman or Wil Guida or Jayden Scott (UNC)
157 – No. 5 Bryce Andonian vs No. 3 Austin O'Connor (UNC)
165 – No. 27 Connor Brady vs Joey Mazzara or Gino Esposito (UNC)
174 – No. 3 Mekhi Lewis vs No. 14 Clay Lautt or Michael Goldfeder (UNC)
184 – No. 7 Hunter Bolen vs No. 11 Gavin Kane (UNC)
197 – No. 22 Andy Smith vs Max Shaw or Cade Lautt (UNC)
285 – No. 20 Hunter Catka vs Brandon Witman or Aydin Guttridge (UNC)