Sasso brings home title; six Hokies find the podium over the weekendSasso brings home title; six Hokies find the podium over the weekend
Wrestling

Sasso brings home title; six Hokies find the podium over the weekend

Opens in a new window CKLV Full Results Opens in a new window Patriot Open Full Results

BLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech wrestling team completed the final weekend of competition for the semester with split contingents in Las Vegas for the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and Patriot Open in Fairfax, VA. The Hokies placed a total of six wrestlers on the podium between the two events led by Sonny Sasso’s title at the Patriot Open on Sunday.

Campbell and Gaj with Impressive Runs in Las Vegas

  • 9 Dillon Campbell finished fourth at 133-pounds, going 3-2 in his Cliff Keen Invitational debut
  • The redshirt freshman won his first two matches via major decision and decision over Gavin Caprella (Air Force) 11-1 and No. 18 Tyler Ferrara (Cornell) 1-0
  • Campbell dropped a close back-and-forth bout to No. 19 Kyler Larkin (ASU) in the semifinals, 8-9, that came down to the final buzzer
  • Freshman Collin Gaj was impressive with a seventh-place finish at 149-pounds in his first CKLV appearance
  • Gaj went 5-2 over the two-day tournament while recording four bonus point victories and one decision. He secured three ranked wins including a dominant 11-2 major decision over three-time All-American No. 3 Lachlan McNeil (U-Michigan) and a 0:56 fall over SDSU’s No. 27 Alek Martin after leading 7-0

 

Sasso dominant in Fairfax; Crook, Desiante, and Garelli find the podium

  • Bonus point Sonny Sasso let it fly in Fairfax – three falls and one dominant decision – en route to a Patriot Open title at 197-pounds
  • Ranked No. 16 in the country, the redshirt sophomore recorded pins over Maryland’s Anthony Bradley, App State’s Hunter Adams, and Spartan Combat’s (Cornell) Jude Correa
  • Sasso’s lone non-fall was against Navy’s Payton Thomas but was a dominant 9-3 decision
  • 17 Tom Crook advanced to the 141-pound final while recording two tech falls and a gritty decision
  • Crook gave himself a chance in the finals but just fell short to national qualifier and conference place winner Vince Cornella, 4-10
  • Also advancing to the finals was No. 26 Sergio Desiante with a tech fall, major decision, and decision en route to the finals at 174-pounds
  • Desiante was in deep late for the winning takedown but would run out of time to finish runner-up in Fairfax
  • Redshirt freshman Gunner Garelli was gritty, battling to a fourth-place finish at 184-pounds
  • The La Grange, IL rattled off two opening round wins before falling to eventual champion No. 29 Malachi Duvall (GMU) in the semifinals

Tech concludes their first semester competition and will return to action at the 2025 Midlands Championships and/or 2026 Southern Scuffle. Follow Hokies Wrestling on Instagram, X, and Facebook for the latest Virginia Tech Wrestling news and updates.

Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational Results

Round of 32

141 | Drew Gorman (VT) loss via maj dec Nash Singleton (Oregon St), 4-15

149 | Collin Gaj (VT) MAJ DEC Ryan Michaels (EDIN), 10-2

165 | Mac Church (VT) FALL Zyon Trujillo (UVU), 1:40 3-0

174 | Ben Weader (VT) loss via dec Nick Fine (COL), 1-7

285 | Parker Ferrell (VT) TECH FALL Daniel Bittner (HARV), 19-4 6:04

Round of 16

133 | No. 9 Dillon Campbell (VT) MAJ DEC Gavin Caprella (Air Force), 11-1

149 | Collin Gaj (VT) loss via dec No. 4 Jaxon Joy (CORN), 1-5

165 | Mac Church (VT) loss via dec Shawn Taylor (WVU), 1-4 SV

285 | Parker Ferrell (VT) loss via maj dec No. 17 Trevor Tinker (Cal Poly), 0-8

Consolations Round of 16 #1

141 | Drew Gorman (VT) loss via dec Aldo Hernandez (App St), 6-8

Consolations Round of 16 #2

149 | Collin Gaj (VT) TECH FALL Lucan O’Brien (NIL), 21-6 3:50

165 | Mac Church (VT) MAJ DEC Ryan Vigil (VMI), 14-4

174 | Ben Weader (VT) DEC Graham Gambrall (ORST), 7-4

285 | Parker Ferrell (VT) DEC Wyatt Schmitt (OHIO), 2-0

Quarterfinals

133 | No. 9 Dillon Campbell (VT) DEC No. 18 Tyler Ferrara (CORN), 1-0

Consolations Round of 8 #1

149 | Collin Gaj (VT) DEC No. 31 Sam Cartella (NU), 3-2

165 | Mac Church (VT) loss via dec Brett Smith (NIL), 2-9

174 | Ben Weader (VT) loss via dec Tommy Bennett (NIL), 2-4

285 | Parker Ferrell (VT) MAJ DEC Jack Forbes (UVU), 14-4

Consolations Round of 8 #2

149 | Collin Gaj (VT) MAJ DEC No. 3 Lachlan McNeil (MICH), 11-2

285 | Parker Ferrell (VT) loss via dec No. 5 Taye Ghadiali (MICH), 1-7

Semifinals

133 | No. 9 Dillon Campbell (VT) loss via dec No. 19 Kyler Larkin (ASU), 8-9

Consolation Quarterfinals

149 | Collin Gaj (VT) loss via dec No. 12 Aden Valencia (STAN), 3-5

Consolation Semifinals

133 | No. 9 Dillon Campbell (VT) DEC Gunner Andrick (WVU), 5-1

3rd Place

133 | No. 9 Dillon Campbell (VT) loss via dec No. 18 Tyler Ferrara (CORN), 8-1

7th Place

149 | Collin Gaj (VT) FALL Alek Martin (SDSU), 7-0 0:56

 

A Better Way Patriot Open

Round of 16

141 | Tom Crook (VT) TECH FALL Anthony Basile (GMU), 19-4 2:17

149 | Chris Bacchioni (VT) loss via maj dec Kaden Cassidy (GMU), 0-9

174 | Sergio Desiante (VT) TECH FALL Gavin Cole (NAPS), 20-5 4:36

184 | Gunner Garelli (VT) DEC Christopher Mance (DRXL), 5-4

184 | Glean Gonzalez (VT) loss via maj dec No. 29 Malachi Duvall (GMU), 0-10

197 | Sonny Sasso (VT) FALL Anthony Bradley (MARY), 11-0 3:00

Consolations

149 | Chris Bacchioni (VT) FALL Jonah Lugo (NASSAU), 6-0 0:58

149 | Chris Bacchioni (VT) loss via fall Gavin Linsman (WPWC), 4-8 6:58

184 | Glean Gonzalez (VT) loss via tech fall Max Stein (PRTC), 1-17 6:12

Quarterfinals

141 | Tom Crook (VT) TECH FALL Matthew Martino (PRINCE), 19-3 4:22

174 | Sergio Desiante (VT) MAJ DEC Elliot Humphries (PRTC), 12-1

184 | Gunner Garelli (VT) DEC Johnathan Hoffman (NASSAU), 7-3

197 | Sonny Sasso (VT) FALL Hunter Adams (App St), 3-0 1:59

Semifinals

141 | Tom Crook (VT) DEC Elijah Cortez (SCRTC), 5-2

174 | Sergio Desiante (VT) DEC Liam Carlin (PENN), 8-1

184 | Gunner Garelli (VT) loss via fall No. 29 Malachi Duvall (GMU), 3-4 2:52

197 | Sonny Sasso (VT) DEC Payton Thomas (NAVY), 9-3

3rd Place

184 | Gunner Garelli (VT) loss via dec Kingsley Menifee (MSU), 7-10

Finals

141 | Tom Crook (VT) loss via dec Vince Cornella (SCRTC), 4-10

174 | Sergio Desiante (VT) loss via dec Logan Messer (GMU), 2-4

197 | Sonny Sasso (VT) FALL Jude Correa (SCRTC), 2-3 1:58