Tech ready to wrestle for the crownTech ready to wrestle for the crown
Wrestling

Tech ready to wrestle for the crown

Opens in a new window 2023 ACC Championships Event Page Opens in a new window 2023 ACC Championships Brackets

BLACKSBURG – Fresh off their shared regular season title, the No. 8 Virginia Tech wrestling team is heading south to Raleigh, North Carolina for the 2023 ACC Championships on March 5 in Reynolds Coliseum. The Hokies will look to add their 15th ACC title, their first conference tournament title since 2018.
 


 
2023 ACC Championships
When: Sunday, March 5, 2023
Time: 11AM EST – 7PM EST
Where: Reynolds Coliseum, Raleigh, North Carolina
Admission: https://theacc.co/23ACCtix
How to Watch: ACC Network & ACC Network Extra
Live Updates: https://theacc.co/23WRESTlive
 
Virginia Tech opens the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships this weekend in Raleigh, North Carolina, with seven Hokies garnering top-two seeds and none below four in their respective weight classes.
 
Seven Hokies will be making a return to the championships, led by two-time ACC Champion, Mekhi Lewis (174). Sam Latona (133) and Hunter Bolen (184) will be looking to add their second ACC title to their name on Sunday with Bryce Andonian (149) and Hunter Catka (285) seeking the top of the podium after placing second in their previous league championships. Connor Brady (165) will be looking to improve upon two-third place finishes in his third conference championship appearance. Andy Smith (197) makes his second appearance as the two seed after making his conference debut in 2021.
 
Three fresh faces make their first ACC championship appearance – Eddie Ventresca (125), Tom Crook (141), and Caleb Henson (149) will make their post-season debut on Sunday in Raleigh.
 
First-round action kicks off the event at 11 a.m., the semifinals are set for 1 p.m., followed by the consolation semifinals at 3:30 p.m. and the consolation finals at 5 p.m. all streaming on ACC Network Extra. Championship matches begin at 7 p.m. live on ACC Network.
 


 
Ten Starters Set for Tech

  • 125 – No. 20 Eddie Ventresca, r-Fr

    • Redshirt Freshman
    • 17-6; 7 bonus point victories
    • 3-1 vs the Field

 

  • 133 – No. 6 Sam Latona, r-Jr

    • Redshirt Junior
    • 22-5; 8 bonus point victories
    • 4-1 vs the Field

 

  • 141 – No. 12 Tom Crook, Fr

    • Freshman
    • 14-7; 5 bonus point victories
    • 3-3 vs the Field

 

  • 149 – No. 7 Caleb Henson, Fr

    • Freshman
    • 19-3; 10 bonus point victories
    • 4-0 vs the Field

 

  • 157 – No. 5 Bryce Andonian, Sr

    • Senior
    • 7-1; 6 bonus point victories
    • 4-1 vs the Field

 

  • 165 – No. 27 Connor Brady, r-So

    • Redshirt Sophomore
    • 12-8; 3 bonus point victories
    • 2-3 vs the Field

 

  • 174 – No. 3 Mekhi Lewis, r-Sr

    • Redshirt Senior
    • 16-1; 8 bonus point victories
    • 5-0 vs the Field

 

  • 184 – No. 7 Hunter Bolen, Gr

    • Graduate
    • 17-4; 10 bonus point victories
    • 2-2 vs the Field

 

  • 197 – No. 22 Andy Smith, r-Jr

    • Redshirt Junior
    • 13-6; 7 bonus point victories
    • 3-1 vs the Field

 

  • 285 – No. 20 Hunter Catka, r-So

    • Redshirt Sophomore
    • 15-5; 11 bonus point victories
    • 3-2 vs the Field

 
ACC Championship History

  • Since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2004, the Hokies have claimed four tournament titles – 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018
  • Tech and NC State have claimed the past eight conference tournament titles
  • Tech boasts three previous ACC champions – Sam Latona, Mekhi Lewis, and Hunter Bolen
  • The Hokies field a total of 92 individual conference champions – 50 in the ACC

 
ACC Championship Seeds

  • 125-pounds; 2 Allocations
  1. Jarrett Trombley, NCST
  2. Eddie Ventresca, VT
  3. Jack Wagner, UNC
  4. Colton Camacho, PITT
  5. Patrick McCormick, UVA
  6. Ethan Grimminger, DUKE

Ventresca enters his first league championship with a first round bye into the semifinals and will await the winner of Wagner (UNC) versus Ethan Grimminger (Duke). Ventresca has a win over both – 7-2 decision over Wagner and a 17-2 tech fall over Grimminger.
 

  • 133-pounds; 3 Allocations

    1. Mickey Phillippi, PITT
    2. Sam Latona, VT
    3. Kai Orine, NCST
    4. Jace Palmer, UNC
    5. Marlon Yarbough, UVA
    6. Logan Agin, DUKE

Latona enters his third ACC Championship as a top-two seed in as many tries and will look to return to the top of the podium (first title at 125-pounds in 2021) after his second-place finish last season at 125-pounds. With the two seed, Latona will face the winner between Kai Orine of NC State and Duke's Logan Agin in the semifinals. Latona fields two wins against both opponents – 3-1 decision over Orine and a 15-2 major decision over Agin.
 

  • 141-pounds; 4 Allocations

    1. Cole Matthews, PITT
    2. Ryan Jack, NCST
    3. Lachlan McNeil, UNC
    4. Tom Crook, VT
    5. Dylan Cedeno, UVA
    6. Jarred Papscy, Duke

Freshman Tom Crook makes his conference championship debut on Sunday as the four seed and will have a first round match against No. 5 seed Dylan Cedeno of Virginia. A win in the quarterfinals will push Crook into the semifinals where returning conference champion, No. 1 seed, Cole Matthews of Pittsburgh will await. Crook holds split results between the two opponents – a 7-3 decision victory over the Cavalier at the 2022 Southeast Open while a 2-6 loss to Matthews in the regular season dual.
 

  • 149-pounds; 3 Allocations

    1. Caleb Henson, VT
    2. Jackson Arrington, NCST
    3. Jarod Verkleeren, UVA
    4. Tyler Badgett, PITT
    5. Zach Sherman, UNC
    6. Patrick Rowland, DUKE

Freshman phenom Caleb Henson looks to continue his undefeated conference streak in his first year of competition, garnering the top seed at 149-pounds. Henson sits in the semifinals awaiting the winner between No. 4 seed Tyler Badgett of Pitt and No. 5 seed, UNC's All-American, Zach Sherman. While Henson and Sherman have yet to meet, Henson does hold a 14-2 major decision victory over the Panther.
 

  • 157-pounds; 3 Allocations

    1. Austin O'Connor, UNC
    2. Bryce Andonian, VT
    3. Ed Scott, NCST
    4. Dazjon Casto, PITT
    5. Jake Keating, UVA
    6. Logan Ferrero, DUKE

For the fourth time in as many appearances, Bryce Andonian enters the ACC Championships as the No. 2 seed. One of seven Hokies earning a first round bye, the returning All-American will face the winner of NC State's No. 3 seed, Ed Scott versus Duke's Logan Ferrero. Andonian holds wins over both opponents – a 1:25 fall over Ferrero and a 24-10 major decision over Scott. Andonian is also 5-0 against the Pack wrestler with three wins in their college careers and two on the freestyle circuit last summer.
 

  • 165-pounds; 3 Allocations

    1. Holden Heller, PITT
    2. Justin McCoy, UVA
    3. Matt Singleton, NCST
    4. Connor Brady, VT
    5. Joey Mazzara, UNC
    6. Gabe Dinette, DUKE

Redshirt sophomore Connor Brady enters his third championship appearance as the No. 4 seed. The two-time NCAA qualifier will look to improve on his previous conference performances as he looks to qualify for this third national championship. The Hokie will seek to duplicate a dual season victory over No. 5 seed Joey Mazzara of UNC in the opening match. A win over Mazzara slots Brady in the semifinals against Pitt's top seeded Holden Heller who edged Brady in the dual, 0-2.
 

  • 174-pounds; 3 Allocations

    1. Mekhi Lewis, VT
    2. Alex Faison, NCST
    3. Lucas Augustine, PITT
    4. Michael Godfelder, UNC
    5. Victor Marcelli, UVA
    6. OPEN

The Hokies' only defending champion enters his fourth conference championship as the top seed at 174-pounds. NCAA champion, two-time NCAA finalist, and two-time ACC champion, Mekhi Lewis looks to put a stamp on his hold at the top of the podium on Sunday as he looks for his third ACC title. Already sitting in the semifinals, Lewis will face the winner between UNC's Michael Goldfeder and UVA's Victor Marcelli. Lewis owns pins over both competitors – Goldfeder in 4:55 and Marcelli at the 6:03 mark.
 

  • 184-pounds; 5 Allocations

    1. Trent Hidlay, NCST
    2. Hunter Bolen, VT
    3. Gavin Kane, UNC
    4. Neil Antrassian, UVA
    5. Reece Heller, PITT
    6. Jack Wimmer, DUKE

For the fifth time in his career, Hunter Bolen enters as a top two seed and will look to add his second ACC title to his resume. Bolen will also look to become Tech's first five-time NCAA qualifier with his performance in Raleigh on Sunday. With a first round bye into the semifinals, Bolen will await the winner of UNC's Gavin Kane versus Luke Chakonis of Duke. Bolen is 1-2 against the Tar Heel but holds the most recent victory, a 6-0 decision.
 

  • 197-pounds; 4 Allocations

    1. Nino Bonacorsi, PITT
    2. Andy Smith, VT
    3. Isaac Trumble, NCST
    4. Michael Battista, UVA
    5. Vincent Baker, DUKE
    6. Max Shaw, UNC

Andy Smith enters his second league championship as the No. 2 seed after going 3-1 in the conference dual season. Smith returns to the lineup after an appearance at the 2021 ACC Championships where he went 0-2 in his first year in the Hokies' lineup. Already sitting in the semifinal round, Smith will see either No. 3 Isaac Trumble of NC State or UNC's No. 6 Max Shaw. While Smith and Shaw did not meet this season, Smith holds the 3-2 decision advantage over Trumble in the electric dual held in Blacksburg back in January.
 

  • 285-pounds; 3 Allocations

    1. Jonah Niesenbaum, DUKE
    2. Owen Trephan, NCST
    3. Hunter Catka, VT
    4. Jacob Slinger, PITT
    5. Brandon Whitman, UNC
    6. Ethan Weatherspoon, UVA

No. 3 seed Hunter Catka takes the mat on Sunday for his second ACC Championship appearance after a runner-up finish in 2021 and qualifying for his first NCAA tournament. The Hokie will face UVA's Ethan Weatherspoon – Catka won the regular season match via 5-1 SV – in his opening round. A win will propel him into the semifinals where he'd meet NC State's Owen Trephan in a pivotal match towards the team race. Catka dropped a tight 1-3 SV bout to the Pack wrestler in the Hokies versus Wolfpack dual in January.