Hokies make history with three World Team members crowned at 2026 U20 World Team TrialsHokies make history with three World Team members crowned at 2026 U20 World Team Trials
Wrestling

Hokies make history with three World Team members crowned at 2026 U20 World Team Trials

Seidel, Burton, and Bassett capture titles, win spots on U20 World Team; six Hokies find podium in Geneva

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GENEVA, OHIO – For the first time in program history, Virginia Tech wrestling has three Hokies on the U20 World Team set to represent the program and the United States at the 2026 United World Wrestling World Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia on August 16-23. Aaron Seidel, Ryan Burton, and Bo Bassett all punched their tickets to the World Championship later this summer with wins at the U20 US World Team Trials, marking the first time three Hokies have been on the same world team. Additionally, Jimmy Mullen, Noah Nininger, and Drew Gorman place top 4 at U23 Trials to close out weekend.

Savage Seidel dominates the field to make first World Team

All-American freshman Aaron Seidel continues his phenomenal freshman year with more accolades: 2026 U20 World Team Trials champion and US U20 World Team member. Known for his scoring points in bunches mindset and ability, the Fredricksburg, Pennsylvania native entered the world team trials as the top-seed and showed why as he went 5-0 against the field while outscoring opponents 52-1 en route to the 61-kilogram title. With a dominant weekend, the Hokie made his first World Team and will represent the United States and Virginia Tech at the 2026 U20 World Championship.

Burton Bursts onto the World Stage

Freshman Ryan Burton continues his surging redshirt season to claim the 79-kilogram World Team Trials title and the 2026 U20 World Team spot. With his 2026 US Open title in April, earned a bye into the best of three World Team Trials and made the most of his opportunity in Geneva with two impressive final performances over a dangerous Cornell-commit Joseph Jeter. Burton took the first bout in a controlling 10-7 decision and handedly added a subsequent 8-1 victory in the second bout to take the best of three series and make his first World Team in his young career.

Bassett Makes Second World Team of the Summer

The generational run continues for Bo Bassett as he added another national title and world team spot to his name. Like Burton, Bassett earned a U20 US Open title in April to push himself into the best of three World Team Trial finals in Geneva this past weekend. The incoming freshman defeated highly touted Penn State recruit Clinton Shepard two matches to none via fall and 10-0 tech fall to make his second world team this year. Bassett will look to make it a trifecta and make his third team on June 19 in Newark, New Jersey at Final X for the 65-kilogram Senior World Team spot.

Mullen, Nininger, and Gorman Find the Podium

The trio of Jimmy Mullen, Noah Nininger, and Drew Gorman impressed in Geneva with podium finishes in their respective weight classes with a combined 21-5 record while tallying 19 bonus point wins over the two-day tournament. Mullen advanced to the finals as the 14-seed with four pins and one tech fall before recording another pin in the first match of the best of three series finals. Mullen would wrestle tough but dropped the second and third bout to finish runner-up at 125-kilograms. In his first competition since December, Nininger turned heads over the weekend with a third-place finish at 74-kilograms with a 9-1 record and eight wins via pin or tech fall. Nininger’s weekend was highlighted by a dominant win over two-time All-American Casey Swiderski of Oklahoma State to put an exclamation mark on the young Hokie’s weekend. Rounding out the Hokie contingent was Gorman taking fourth at 65-kilograms with four bonus point wins and a 6-2 record. The Buford, Georgia native put on a thriller in a 20-18 victory over NCAA qualifier and world team member, Arizona State’s Pierson Manville, to secure a podium finish in Geneva.