Hokie ClubSalem, Va. – The No. 7 Virginia Tech wrestling team opened the season in emphatic fashion with a dominant 37-6 win over visiting UT-Chattanooga on Friday night. The Hokies won eight out of ten bouts including three falls and two technical falls in Roanoke College’s Cregger Center. Tech then won four titles at the 2024 Southeast Open on Saturday to put a stamp on the opening weekend for the top ten team.
Tech dominates Mocs in first dual of season
No. 7 Virginia Tech opened the 2024-2025 season with a bang in Salem, VA against the visiting Chattanooga Mocs, 37-6. Making his return to the lineup after being sidelined midway last year was redshirt junior No. 20 Eddie Ventresca at 125-pounds to the tune of a 21-5 tech fall just halfway through the second period. The 2023 All-American looked like his old self stringing together six takedowns, a two-point nearfall count, and an escape against Ty Tice to get things started for the Hokies.
Making his debut in orange and maroon was graduate transfer No. 9 Connor McGonagle at 133-pounds. The newest Hokie struck early and struck fast with a takedown in the first 15 seconds of the bout and added two near-falls to take a 5-0 lead. McGonagle would then muscle in a power half and secure the slap on the mat for the pin over Easton Cooper just 1:26 into the match to give the Hokies an 11-0 lead in the team score.
A familiar face took the mat for the first dual of the season for the last time in his Virginia Tech Wrestling career was No. 16 Sam Latona. The Alabaster, Alabama native made his 141-pound debut after previously spending his first four seasons at 125-pounds and 133-pounds where he picked up All-American honors in both weight classes. Latona faced off against former hometown club teammate No. 24 Isaiah Powe in the only ranked bout of the evening with the Hokie taking a controlling 5-1 victory. Latona would get an escape and secure a takedown in the second period to take the 4-0 lead. Latona would surrender an escape in the third but not before locking riding time to pick up the decision victory in his new weight class.
Bumping up from his usual weight class with a valiant effort for two-time All-American and returning national champion No. 1 Caleb Henson was redshirt freshman Hunter Mason at 149-pounds. Mason kept the bout tight and battled to score late in the bout but would drop a 0-3 decision to Dayne Dalrymple.
How does a team replace one of the most exciting wrestlers in NCAA history? Well, you get another one who can light up the scoreboard and puts on highlight reel worthy moves and that’s just what Tech has found in redshirt freshman No. 28 Rafael Hipolito Jr. The native from Manaus, Brazil got the Hokies back in the win column with an action-packed victory at 157-pounds, hanging up 22 points on the board with sensational takedowns and crafty defense. Hipolito used a plethora of offense with six takedowns, three-point nearfall, and an escape over Tavian Camper for the 22-6 tech fall.
Another young Hokie making a statement was Mac Church at 165-pounds with a 11-4 victory over Jackson Hurst. After spending his first year at 141-pounds for the Hokies, the redshirt freshman filled out every bit of his new weight class with a controlling victory. The Waynesburg, Pennsylvania native tallied three takedowns, an escape and riding time to pick up his first win of the season on Friday night.
At 174-pounds it was junior Ty Finn filling in for graduate transfer and returning 2024 All-American Lennox Wolak. The Hokie faced off against Sergio Desiante in a scramble heavy bout that saw Finn dropping a tight 2-4 decision despite a near finish as time expired.
Filling in for 2024 ACC Champion and returning All-American Thomas Stewart Jr. was Sam Fisher taking the mat for the Hokies at 184-pounds against Kamdyn Munro with the Hokies in a comfortable 22-6 lead in the team score. Fisher and Munro traded escapes in the second and third periods for a 1-1 score with 20 seconds left in the match before Fisher secured a takedown as time expired for the 4-1 victory. Tech wouldn’t look back as two more young Hokies ended the night in emphatic fashion.
It was Sonny Sasso at 197-pounds for the Hokies with a takedown to take an early lead against David Harper. Sasso would then cut Harper up before countering a Harper-initiated scoring attempt that saw the redshirt freshman Hokie secure his first pin fall victory of the season just 1:23 into the bout and push the Hokies’ team score to 31-6.
At 285-pounds, redshirt freshman Jimmy Mullen closed the evening with another fall for the Hokies. Mullen, now full-time focused on wrestling, hit a slick two-on-one lateral throw for the first takedown of the match to take the early lead. The Kearny, New Jersey native would then lock up a cradle to end the evening for the Hokies and secure the 37-6 team victory.
Tech secures four individual titles and ten total placers at Southeast Open
It was a quick turnaround as 21 Hokies competed in Salem on Saturday at the Southeast Open with Tech claiming four champions and ten placers to wrap up opening weekend.
Picking up right where he left off Friday night was Sasso who went undefeated on the day while securing a fall in each bout en route to his Southeast Open title at 197-pounds. Sasso pinned all his opponents within the first period in a dominant showing including victories over two national qualifiers. Six pins all within the first period in 24 hours for the young Hokie in impressive fashion.
Mullen would also secure a title with two pin fall victories and a tech fall at 285-pounds. Mullen would be tested in the semifinals but would earn the 6-3 decision in sudden victory before finding a cradle in the finals.
Joining the champion’s parade was Hipolito with acrobatic prowess and dominant victories throughout the day. Hipolito picked up two falls to begin his championship run and would secure two controlling decision victories in his semifinals and championship bout to pick up the second Southeast Open title of his career.
Hailing from West Virginia was freshman Gage Wright picking up the fourth title for the Hokies in the Freshman/Sophomore division. Wright would go 4-0 with a pin and a tech fall victories en route to his title at 165-pounds in his first action representing Virginia Tech.
Tech returns to action next Saturday in Boone, NC for the Mountaineer Invitational.
Southeast Open Finishes
Open Division
141-pounds: Hunter Mason – Runner-up
157-pounds: Rafael Hipolito, Jr. – Champion
165-pounds: Mac Church – Runner-up
165-pounds: Jackson Spires – 6th Place
165-pounds: Kylan Montgomery – 6th Place
197-pounds: Sonny Sasso – Champion
285-pounds: Jimmy Mullen – Champion
Freshman/Sophomore
157-pounds: Matt Henrich – Runner-up
165-pounds: Gage Wright – Champion
285-pounds: Parker Ferrell – 5th Place