NewsUSA WrestlingCollegeUSAW

Hokies complete undefeated season, down Pitt 27-12

by Virginia Tech Athletic Communications

Feature photo courtesy of Virginia Tech Wrestling's Twitter.

BLACKSBURG, Va. - For the eighth time in school history, Virginia Tech wrestling is an ACC Champion after defeating Pitt 27-12 in the final dual of the season Friday night to win the ACC Dual Meet Championship outright.

With the win, the No. 4 Hokies (9-0, 5-0 ACC) cap off their seventh undefeated season in school history, the first since the 1956-57 season. Head coach Tony Robie is the fourth coach in program history to accomplish the feat, and at 9-0, this is the Hokies' longest undefeated season, topping the 8-0 1954-55 team.

Tech has now won the ACC Dual Meet Title four times, matching its number of ACC Championship titles. The trophy is back in Blacksburg after the Hokies three-peated as conference regular season champs from the 2014-15 season through 2016-17.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
• The reigning ACC Wrestler of the Week Sam Latona finished off an undefeated regular season of his own with a 12-3 major decision over Pitt's Colton Camacho. Latona will enter the postseason with an 8-0 record, including two wins over ranked opponents. The fifth-ranked 125-pounder in the country outscored his opponents 29-0, registering four bonus-point wins this season.

• Bryce Andonian won his seventh match of the year and picked up bonus points for the fifth time with a 10-1 major decision over Mick Burnett. The 2020 ACC 149-pound runner-up finished the conference season at 4-1 and outscored ACC opponents 17-3.

• Connor Brady secured his first win at Cassell Coliseum and did so in convincing fashion with a 12-1 major decision over Tyler Badgett, his first career bonus-point victory in an ACC dual. The redshirt freshman had a four-point near fall in the second period to distance himself out to a 9-1 lead and hung on for the win without being brought to the mat.

• At 174 pounds, Dakota Howard had the performance of the night with a 21-6 technical fall in 5:05. Howard continuously dropped Jared McGill, racking up six takedowns and two four-point near falls in just over two periods. The one-time ACC Wrestler of the Week has now secured bonus points in 11 of his 16 career wins.

• Sending a message before the postseason was Hunter Bolen, who came away with a 12-4 major decision over Gregg Harvey. The second-ranked 184-pound wrestler in the nation, Bolen scored five takedowns and controlled Harvey for 2:53 of riding time. Bolen is the only Hokie to complete the 2020-21 season with a 5-0 record in the ACC.

BOX SCORE
No. 4 Virginia Tech 27, No. 16 Pitt 12
285: Hunter Catka (VT) dec. Austin Cooley (PITT), 4-0
125: #5 Sam Latona (VT) MD Colton Camacho (PITT), 12-3
133: Joey Prata (VT) dec. Louis Newell (PITT), 3-1
141: #17 Cole Matthews (PITT) dec. Collin Gerardi (VT), 8-4
149: #10 Bryce Andonian (VT) MD Mick Burnett (PITT), 10-1
157: Connor Brady (VT) MD Tyler Badgett (PITT), 12-1
165: #10 Jake Wentzel (PITT) def. #1 Mekhi Lewis (VT) via injury default
174: Dakota Howard (VT) TF Jared McGill (PITT), 21-6 (5:05)
184: #2 Hunter Bolen (VT) MD Gregg Harvey (PITT), 12-4
197: #7 Nino Bonaccorsi (PITT) dec. Andy Smith (VT), 8-1

Extra Matches
141: Sam Hillegas (VT) MD Ryan Michaels (PITT), 14-3
157: Clayton Ulrey (VT) MD Antonio Petrucelli (PITT), 18-6
174: Kolton Clark (VT) WBF Dane Csencsits (PITT), 1:33
285: Hunter Catka (VT) MD Jake Slinger (PITT), 12-4
197: Austin Cooley (PITT) dec. Stan Smeltzer (VT), 10-4

UP NEXT
The Hokies get a two-week break before the 2021 ACC Championships in Raleigh, North Carolina. The tournament, hosted by NC State, is set for Sunday, Feb. 28.

USA Wrestling Logo Secondary Stroke

Follow us

MEMBERSHIP

  • Accessibility
  • Site Map
  • Terms of Use , opens in a new tab
  • Privacy Policy , opens in a new tab
  • Ombuds , opens in a new tab

© 2023 USA Wrestling. All Rights Reserved.