Hayden Hilday (NC State) image courtesy of NC State Athletics

The 2022 ACC Wrestling Championships will be hosted by the University of Virginia this year, held in Charlottesville for what should be a very entertaining day of ACC wrestling action on Sunday, March 6.

Below, find a full breakdown of the event, which will feature a pair of nationally-ranked top-10 teams and a large group of highly-ranked individuals looking to win conference titles. Eight 2021 ACC champions are expected to compete for back-to-back championships this weekend.

ACC Pre-Allocation Spots for NCAA Tournament (39)
125 – 3
133 – 5
141 – 4
149 – 4
157 – 5
165 – 3
174 – 4
184 – 5
197 – 3
285 - 3

ACC in the Final NCAA Coaches Rankings
125 pounds: No. 19 Jakob Camacho (NC State), No. 20 Sam Latona (Virginia Tech), No. 27 Gage Curry (Pittsburgh)
133 pounds: No. 5 Korbin Myers (Virginia Tech), No. 9 Micky Phillippi (Pittsburgh), No. 17 Kai Orine (NC State), No. 19 Joe Heilmann (North Carolina), No. 23 Brian Courtney (Virginia)
141 pounds: No. 5 Cole Matthews (Pittsburgh), No. 8 Kizhan Clarke (North Carolina), No. 20 Ryan Jack (NC State), No. 25 Collin Gerardi (Virginia Tech)
149 pounds: No. 3 Tariq Wilson (NC State), No. 8 Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech), No. 13 Josh Finesilver (Duke), No. 24 Zach Sherman (North Carolina), No. 28 Jarod Verkleeren (Virginia)
157 pounds: No. 4 Austin O’Connor (North Carolina), No. 8 Ed Scott (NC State), No. 19 Jake Keating (Virginia), No. 22 Elijah Cleary (Pittsburgh), No. 24 Connor Brady (Virginia Tech)
165 pounds: No. 15 Jake Wentzel (Pittsburgh), No. 20 Thomas Bullard (NC State), No. 21 Justin McCoy (Virginia)
174 pounds: No. 4 Hayden Hidlay (NC State), No. 6 Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech), No. 8 Clay Lautt (North Carolina), No. 12 Matt Finesilver (Duke)
184 pounds: No. 3 Trent Hidlay (NC State), No. 9 Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech), No. 23 Gavin Kane (North Carolina), No. 24 Michael Battista (Virginia), No. 28 Gregg Harvey (Pittsburgh)
197 pounds: No. 8 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh), No. 16 Isaac Trumble (NC State), No. 17 Jay Aiello (Virginia), No. 29 Cody Howard (Virginia Tech), No. 31 Max Shaw (North Carolina)
285 pounds: No. 14 Nathan Traxler (Virginia Tech), No. 24 Tyrie Houghton (NC State), No. 27 Quinn Miller (Virginia), No. 33 Jake Slinger (Pittsburgh)

North Carolina State (13-1 overall, 5-0 conference)

The Wolfpack won yet another ACC regular-season title this year with a perfect 5-0 mark in the ACC. Pat Popolizio’s group even answered a January forfeit from Virginia Tech with a win over the Hokies in a rescheduled non-conference bout for the end of the year, 21-10. If NC State wins the ACC tournament this year, it would be their fourth in a row.

Key standouts to watch certainly include 2021 ACC champions Tariq Wilson (149) and Hayden Hidlay (174).

In the dual meet season, the Wolfpack out-scored their ACC opponents, 147-33.

NWCA Coaches Poll ranking: No. 4

FloWrestling ranked individuals: No. 3 Tariq Wilson (149), No. 3 Trent Hidlay (184), No. 5 Hayden Hidlay (174), No. 10 Ed Scott (157), No. 14 Isaac Trumble (197), No. 21 Jakob Camacho (125), No. 22 Kai Orine (133), No. 22 Thomas Bullard (165)

Returning 2021 ACC champions: Tariq Wilson (149, won at 141), Hayden Hidlay (174, won at 157), Deonte Wilson (285)

Virginia Tech (9-4 overall, 4-1 conference)

It was another standout year for head coach Tony Robie’s Virginia Tech Hokies, posting a runner-up conference regular season finish and plenty of impressive performances along the way. The year started with a key win over then-third-ranked Missouri, an 18-16 victory on the road.

Four past ACC champions will be performers to watch for Virginia Tech in Charlottesville – Sam Latona (125), Korbin Myers (133), Mekhi Lewis (174, won at 165) and Hunter Bolen (184). Lewis won his ACC title in 2019 and weeks later, claimed the NCAA crown at 165 pounds.

NWCA Coaches Poll ranking: No. 8

FloWrestling ranked individuals: No. 4 Korbin Myers (133), No. 6 Bryce Andonian (149), No. 6 Mekhi Lewis (174), No. 11 Hunter Bolen (184), No. 17 Nathan Traxler (285), No. 19 Sam Latona (125),

Returning 2021 ACC champions: Sam Latona (125), Korbin Myers (133), Hunter Bolen (184)

North Carolina (8-6 overall, 3-2 conference)

Coleman Scott’s Tar Heels enter the 2022 ACC Championships looking to continue their postseason success. Last year, Austin O’Connor became the school’s first individual champion since 1995. The team took losses to NC State and Virginia Tech in ACC competition but had a five-match winning streak going into the later portion of the conference schedule.

O’Connor (157), the 2021 ACC champion at 149 pounds, continues to anchor the Tar Heel lineup. However, Clay Lautt (174) recently defeated NC State’s Hayden Hidlay via fall and is ranked No. 8 nationally going into the postseason.

NWCA Coaches Poll ranking: No. 23

FloWrestling ranked individuals: No. 4 Austin O’Connor (157), No. 8 Clay Lautt (174), No. 10 Kizhan Clarke (141), No. 16 Zach Sherman (149), No. 18 Joe Heilmann (133), No. 18 Gavin Kane (184)

Returning 2021 ACC champions: Austin O’Connor (157, won at 149)

Pittsburgh (8-6 overall, 2-3 conference)

Pittsburgh, led by head coach Keith Gavin, went 8-6 on the year with multiple impressive team wins, including a 24-19 upset over Arizona State at home, 24-19. The team posted a pair of conference dual meet wins, including a 25-10 win over Virginia and a regular season finale victory over Duke, 29-12.

The Panthers have plenty of talent to make a run in the conference tournament this season, led by returning ACC champions Jake Wentzel (165) and Nino Bonaccorsi (197).

NWCA Coaches Poll ranking: N/A

FloWrestling ranked individuals: No. 11 Micky Phillippi (133), No. 11 Jake Wentzel (165), No. 12 Cole Matthews (141), No. 15 Nino Bonaccorsi (197), No. 22 Elijah Cleary (157), No. 24 Gage Curry (125)

Returning 2021 ACC champions: Jake Wentzel (165), Nino Bonaccorsi (197)

Virginia (4-6 overall, 1-4 conference)

Steve Garland’s team will play host to this year’s ACC Championships, looking to make a statement at home in Charlottesville. The team defeated Duke, 30-9, in conference competition, and had other notable road victories early in the year against both Maryland and SIU-Edwardsville. The team narrowly lost to Northwestern in a well-fought 18-16 match in Illinois before the new year.

The team has two wrestlers ranked in FloWrestling’s top-20 going into the conference tournament – No. 15 Jake Keating (157) and 2021 U23 World bronze medalist Jay Aiello (197).

NWCA Coaches Poll ranking: N/A

FloWrestling ranked individuals: No. 15 Jake Keating (157), No. 23 Brian Courtney (133), No. 23 Jarod Verkleeren (149), No. 18 Jay Aiello (197), No. 23 Justin McCoy (165)

Returning 2021 ACC champions: N/A

Duke (7-10 overall, 0-5 conference)

Head coach Glen Lanham’s team won seven dual meets this season and posted a ninth-place finish at the 2022 Southern Scuffle. The team went 4-0 against Southern Conference competition this season, including an 18-16 February win against Gardner-Webb. In November, the Blue Devils went 2-1 at the Boilermaker Duals at Purdue, defeating both Bellarmine and Northern Illinois.

The Finesilver brothers continue to headline Duke’s postseason competition. No. 13 Josh Finesilver (149) and No. 15 Matt Finesilver (174) will lead the team in Charlottesville.

NWCA Coaches Poll ranking: N/A

FloWrestling ranked individuals: No. 13 Josh Finesilver (149), No. 15 Matt Finesilver (174)

Returning 2021 ACC champions: N/A

2021 ACC Championships results
125: Sam Latona (VT) dec. Jakob Camacho (NCS), TB 1; 2-1
133: Korbin Myers (VT) dec. Micky Phillippi (UP), 3-1
141: Tariq Wilson (NCS) major dec. Zach Sherman (UNC), 10-1
149: Austin O’Connor (UNC) dec. Bryce Andonian (VT), 10-8
157: Hayden Hidlay (NCS) major dec. Justin McCoy (UVA), 12-3
165: Jake Wentzel (UP) dec. Jake Keating (UVA), 4-0
174: Daniel Bullard (NCS) dec Clay Lautt (UNC), SV-1; 4-2
184: Trent Hidlay (NCS) dec. Hunter Bolen (VT), SV-1; 3-1
197: Nino Bonaccorsi (UP) dec.Jay Aiello (UVA), 10-4
285: Deonte Wilson (NCS) dec. Hunter Catka (VT), TB-1; 2-1

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1. NC State 89.5
2. Virginia Tech 65.5
3. North Carolina 63
4. Virginia 55
5. Pitt 45
6. Duke 7.5

2022 Competition Schedule/Broadcast outlet

Sunday, March 6 (Eastern Time)
11:00 a.m. – First Round Matches, ACC Network Extra
1:00 p.m. – Semifinals, ACC Network Extra
3:30 pm. – Consolation Semifinals, ACC Network Extra
5:00 p.m. – Consolation Finals, ACC Network Extra
7:00 p.m. – Finals, ACC Network

No. 4 NC State, No. 8 Virginia Tech have team title hopes at ACC Championships on Sunday

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