Hokie Club5 Reasons to Attend Hokies Wrestling’s Home Opener
Virginia Tech wrestling is back at Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum for the home dual meet opener on Friday, November 15 at 7 p.m. Admission is FREE!
Here are five reasons you should attend Hokies Wrestling’s home opener below:
- Top 10 Match-Up
Head coach Tony Robie and the Hokies have made it a tradition to open season competition against the nation’s best and this year is no different as the No. 7 Hokies host the No. 8 Tigers. Tech has placed top 11 in the nation for the eleventh straight season, coming off a sixth-place finish at the 2024 NCAA Championships. The past three matchups between the two programs have all been top ten showdowns and all within five points with the Hokies holding the 2-1 advantage.
- Nationally Ranked Hokies
Virginia Tech boasts ten nationally ranked wrestlers out of ten possible starters and comes in ranked as high as No. 5 as a team according to select media outlets. Defending champion at 149-pounds Caleb Henson leads the squad ranked No. 1 with returning All-Americans Lennox Wolak (174-pounds), Thomas Stewart, Jr. (184-pounds), and Connor McGonagle (133-pounds) slotted at No. 4, No. 5, and No. 10, respectively to round out Hokies in the top ten. No. 13 Eddie Ventresca (125-pounds), No. 13 Andy Smith (197-pounds), No. 14 Jimmy Mullen (285-pounds), two-time All-American No. 18 Sam Latona (141-pounds), No. 19 Connor Brady (165-pounds), and No. 25 Rafael Hipolito, Jr. (157-pounds) also find themselves in the rankings ahead of Friday’s matchup.
- Last, First Home Opener in Cassell and New Faces
Sam Latona will take the mat for his last home opener on Friday night. The most decorated collegiate wrestler in Alabama history returned for his final year of eligibility and will look to become Tech’s eighth three-time All-American and finish on top of the podium. Two new faces to the program by way of the transfer portal who will make their debut in Cassell are graduate transfers Lennox Wolak and Connor McGonagle. Wolak is a returning All-American after a sixth place finish last season and McGonagle was ranked as high as third last season before sitting out of the starting lineup at Lehigh.
- Caleb Henson Season Debut and Banner Unveiling
After an historic season to become the program’s second national champion and the first division 1 wrestling national champion from the state of Georgia, Caleb Henson’s moment will be permanently recognized in Cassell’s rafters. Fans are encouraged to join the team in celebrating Caleb’s accomplishment as we unveil his national champion banner on Friday night and as he makes his season debut.
- Return to Cassell, Mat Mania, and Giveaways
Wrestling returns to Cassell after a long nine months since the Hokies have taken the mat at home. With the first of four home duals in Cassell on Friday night, the first 100 fans will receive a Virginia Tech Wrestling foam belt. Additionally, fans are encouraged to bring a new toy for donation to the Montgomery County Christmas Store benefiting local families in the New River Valley.