Hokies receive seeds for 2024 NCAA ChampionshipsHokies receive seeds for 2024 NCAA Championships
Wrestling

Hokies receive seeds for 2024 NCAA Championships

Opens in a new window 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championship Brackets Opens in a new window NCAA Championship Central

BLACKSBURG, VA – For the second consecutive season and just the third time in program history, the Virginia Tech wrestling team will be sending ten competitors to the NCAA Championships next week in Kansas City, MO from March 21-23. The Hokies are just one of seven programs – Penn State, Oklahoma State, Cornell, Minnesota, NC State, and Missouri – to qualify all ten weights for the season finale. The 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championship seeds and brackets were announced on Wednesday night with Virginia Tech garnering 5 top-10 seeds in their respective weight classes.


 
Three Hokies Garner Top-10 Seeds
 
The Hokies claimed the top seed for just the second time in program history as Mekhi Lewis garnered the No. 1 seed ahead of the championships. Lewis will sit as the top seed at 174-pounds with an unblemished record of 15-0 with eight bonus point victories and his fourth ACC title this past weekend. The 2019 national champion, two-time finalist, and three-time All-American will look to make history yet again as Tech's first four-time All-American and return atop of the podium in his final season.


 
Continuing off from his phenomenal freshman season, Caleb Henson was tabbed as the No. 4 seed at 149-pounds yet again. Henson looks to cap off a thus sensational sophomore campaign that sees him entering Kansas City with a 25-2 record and a runner-up finish at the 2024 ACC Championships. 
 
 


 
The meteoric rise of redshirt freshman Thomas Stewart, Jr. continues as he will take to his first NCAA Championship as the No. 7 seed at 184-pounds. The Triangle, Virginia native stands at 10-2 and is coming off an ACC title – including a win over All-American Gavin Kane – in his debut season in the lineup for the Hokies.
 
 


 
Five seeded in the Top-20
 
After initially planning to take an Olympic redshirt, redshirt sophomore and U23 World Team Member, Cooper Flynn entered the lineup in late December and hasn't looked back. The Seymour, TN native will take the mat in Kansas City as the No. 11 seed at 125-pounds and a 14-4 record.


 
Redshirt junior Sam Latona enters his fourth NCAA Championship as the No. 12 seed at 133-pounds. Latona posts a 20-7 season record and a runner-up finish at the ACC Championships. Latona will look to become just the sixth three-time All-American in program history in Kansas City next weekend.


 
Another two-time All-American claiming the No. 12 seed for the Hokies is Bryce Andonian at 157-pounds with a 17-5 record on the season and a third-place finish at his last ACC Championship. Despite battling an injury sustained in early January, the most exciting wrestler in the country is poised to make another deep championship run – and once again tantalize the country – in his final trip to the NCAA Championships.


 
Two-time ACC finalist at 165-pounds, Connor Brady booked his fourth trip to the NCAA Championships. Brady has qualified each year as a starter and will look to breakthrough in what could be his final season. The Powell, OH native travels to Kansas City as the No. 18 seed in a loaded weight class.


 
Sophomore Tom Crook makes his second appearance in the post-season in as many tries at 141-pounds. The Tampa, FL native finds himself seeded as the No. 20 seed with an 19-8 record after starting the season at 149-pounds. Crook was one of three Hokies to receive an at-large bid with a strong season resume and after placing fourth at the 2023 ACC Championship.


 
Smith, Catka Round out the Hokies
 
Andy Smith goes back-to-back as an NCAA Qualifier for the Hokies. The 197-pounder from Christiansburg, VA will look to improve upon his last outing and outwrestle his No. 26 seed when action takes place in Kansas City.


 
Rounding out the Hokies headed to Kansas City is Hunter Catka at 285-pounds. The Brookhaven, PA native is now a three-time qualifier after a runner-up finish at the 2024 ACC Championships. Catka snags the No. 26 seed when action begins on Thursday in Kansas City.


 
 
2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships
Kansas City, Missouri
Virginia Tech Hokies Seeds
 
125 – No. 11 Cooper Flynn, r-So

  • Seymour, TN
  • McDonough High School
  • First-time NCAA Qualifier
  • Season Record: 14-4; Career Record: 41-13
  • First Round Opponent: No. 22 Brayden Palmer (Chattanooga), 18-2

 
133 – No. 12 Sam Latona, r-Jr

  • Alabaster, AL
  • Thompson High School
  • Four-time NCAA Qualifier (2021-2024), Two-time All-American (6th, 2021; 7th, 2023)
  • Season Record: 20-7; Career Record: 89-29
  • First Round Opponent: No. 21 Ethan Oakley (App St), 26-7

 
141 – No. 20 Tom Crook, So

  • Tampa, FL
  • Tampa Jesuit
  • Two-time NCAA Qualifier (2023-2024)
  • Season Record: 18-7; Career Record: 34-18
  • First Round Opponent: No. 13 Jordan Titus (West Virginia), 24-4

 
149 – No. 4 Caleb Henson, So

  • Cartersville, GA
  • Woodland High School
  • Two-time NCAA Qualifier (2023-2024), All-American (5th, 2023)
  • Season Record: 25-2; Career Record: 52-7
  • First Round Opponent: Alek Martin (South Dakota), 20-10

 
157 – No. 12 Bryce Andonian, Sr

  • Kirtland, OH
  • St. Edward's High School
  • Five-time NCAA Qualifier (2020-2024), Two-time All-American (3rd, 2022; 7th, 2023)
  • Season Record: 17-5; Career Record: 68-23
  • First Round Opponent: Lucas Revano (Penn), 21-9

 
165 – No. 18 Connor Brady, r-Jr

  • Powell, OH
  • Liberty High School
  • Four-time NCAA Qualifier (2021-2024)
  • Season Record: 15-8; Career Record: 54-39
  • First Round Opponent: Brevin Cassella (Binghamton), 28-7

 
 
174 – No. 1 Mekhi Lewis, Sr

  • Somerset, NJ
  • Bound Brook High School
  • Five-time NCAA Qualifier (2019, 2021-2024), National Champion & Three-time All-American (1st, 2019; 2nd, 2022; 4th 2023)
  • Season Record: 15-0; Career Record: 121-11
  • First Round Opponent: No. 32 Brody Bauman (Purdue), 12-14 OR No. 33 Cael Valencia (Arizona State), 11-13

 
184 – No. 7 Thomas Stewart, Jr., r-Fr

  • Triangle, VA
  • Blair Academy
  • First-time NCAA Qualifier
  • Season Record: 10-2; Career Record: 24-7
  • First Round Opponent: No. 26 Maximus Hale (Penn), 21-8

 
197 – No. 26 Andy Smith, r-Jr

  • Christiansburg, VA
  • Christiansburg High School
  • Two-time NCAA Qualifier (2023-2024)
  • Season Record: 15-9; Career Record: 42-28
  • First Round Opponent: No. 7 Zach Glazier (Iowa), 24-2

 
285 – No. 26 Hunter Catka, So

  • Brookhaven, PA
  • Sun Valley High School
  • Three-time NCAA Qualifier (2021, 2023-2024)
  • Season Record: 14-6; Career Record: 53-24
  • First Round Opponent: No. 7 Taye Ghadiali (Campbell), 32-3