BLACKSBURG, VA – More New Year fireworks are scheduled for Tuesday, January 2 as the No. 11 Virginia Tech wrestling team travels to enemy territory in Columbia, MO to dual the No. 2 Missouri Tigers to ring 2024. In what is an always electric meeting between both programs there is a total of 18 ranked wrestlers – 11 in the top-10 – with the potential for eight ranked bouts throughout the evening beginning at 6:30 p.m. EST in the Hearnes Center live on Flowrestling.
Hokies Last Time Out
- Tech handled visiting No. 19 on December 17, defeating the Cardinal 29-7
- Redshirt sophomore Cooper Flynn earned ACC and NCAA Wrestler of the Week honors; pulled out of Olympic redshirt en route to defeating No. 4 Nico Provo
- The Hokies secured four bonus point victories from No. 5 Sam Latona (133-pounds; 12-3), No. 2 Caleb Henson (149-pounds; 20-5), No. 2 Mekhi Lewis (174-pounds; 8-0), and Cody Howard (184-pounds; 13-3)
- Additionally, the Hokies had three upset victories over the Cardinal from Flynn (125-pounds; 5-2 vs No. 4 Nico Provo), No. 24 Connor Brady (165-pounds; 10-3 vs No. 16 Hunter Garvin), and Sonny Sasso (197-pounds; 8-4 vs No. 14 Nick Stemmet)
Hokies in the Rankings
- Tech enters the dual ranked No. 11 in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association polls, No. 8 according to Intermat, and No. 6 courtesy of Flowrestling
- The Hokies feature nine ranked wrestlers in the latest Intermat rankings led by No. 2 Caleb Henson (149-pounds) and No. 2 Mekhi Lewis (174-pounds). Also ranked in the top-10 are No. 5 Sam Latona (133-pounds), No. 8 Bryce Andonian (157-pounds), and No. 10 Cooper Flynn (125-pounds).
- No. 18 Sam Fisher (184-pounds), No. 20 Hunter Catka (285-pounds), No. 24 Connor Brady (165-pounds), and No. 25 Andy Smith (197-pounds) round out the remaining ranked Hokies
All-Time vs Mizzou
- Tuesday's match will be the eighth between the two programs, with Missouri leading the series 3-4
- Despite the Tigers leading the series, Tech has won the last three meetings with the last two both by two points in the team score
- The two programs first met in the 2004-2005 season in a 6-33 loss for the Hokies
- The Hokies notched their first win of the series in 2019, 29-10 in Cassell Coliseum
Last Time vs the Tigers
- In the last meeting against Mizzou, the Hokies narrowly defeated the then higher ranked Tigers, 17-15 on December 11, 2022 in Blacksburg
- Tech saw major decision victories from Cooper Flynn and Hunter Bolen while notching three victories from Sam Latona, Mekhi Lewis, and a pivotal win from Clayton Ulrey
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No. 11 Virginia Tech Hokies (3-1, 0-0 ACC) vs No. 2 Missouri Tigers (5-0, 3-0 Big 12)
Tuesday, January 2, 2024; 6:30 PM EST
Hearnes Center, Columbia, MO
Probable Lineup
125 – No. 10 Cooper Flynn vs No. 2 Noah Surtin (MIZ)
133 – No. 5 Sam Latona vs Kade Moore (MIZ)
141 – Tom Crook OR Mac Church vs No. 20 Joshua Edmond (MIZ)
149 – No. 2 Caleb Henson vs Logan Gioffre (MIZ)
157 – No. 8 Bryce Andonian vs No. 5 Brock Mauller (MIZ)
165 – No. 24 Connor Brady vs No. 1 Keegan O'Toole OR James Conway (MIZ)
174 – No. 2 Mekhi Lewis vs TBD
184 – No. 18 Sam Fisher OR Cody Howard vs No. 11 Clayton Whiting (MIZ)
197 – No. 25 Andy Smith vs No. 3 Rocky Elam (MIZ)
285 – No. 20 Hunter Catka vs No. 6 Zach Elam (MIZ)