Caponi Wins ACC Wrestling Title, Albright Gets NCAA At-Large Bid
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March 3, 2007
Raleigh, NC – Virginia sophomore wrestler Rocco Caponi won his first ACC title to advance to 2007 NCAA Championships. Caponi will be making his second trip to the NCAAs. He received a berth in 2005 as a true freshman after he finished second at the ACCs. Caponi earned the bid by defeating NC State’s Jeremy Colbert at 184 pounds with a 4-2 decision. The second-seed in his division, Caponi beat Josh Haines of Maryland 7-2 in the semifinals.
Caponi’s wins upped his total this season to 31. Prior to the ACCs he had missed the Cavaliers last three matches due to a knee injury. He becomes the first UVa wrestler to claim an ACC title since the 2005 season.
Virginia was fourth overall in the team standings with a total of 45.5 points. NC State claimed the team title with 103.5 points. Maryland, which posted a perfect 5-0 regular season record versus league opponents, was second with 67.5 points. Last season the Cavaliers were fifth at the ACCs with no individual champions.
Caponi was one of three Virginia wrestlers to advance to the finals. Eric Albright lost to top-seeded Evan Sola of North Carolina 7-0 in the 133 finals. Kellon Balum was defeated by top-seed Darrion Caldwell 5-2 in the championship final.
Albright received an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships. This will be his first NCAA appearance.
Drew DiPasquale (149), Damian Johnson (165), Mike Grogan (174), Kyle Narkiewicz (197) and Steve Smith (heavyweight) all placed fourth in their respective class.
The NCAA Championships take place March 15-17 at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Mich.
Team Standings1. NC State 103.52. Maryland 67.53. North Carolina 60.54. Virginia 45.55. Virginia Tech 34.56. Duke 23.0
2007 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Finals125 – Taylor Cummings (NCSU) dec. James Knox (MD), 1-0133 – Evan Sola (UNC) major dec. Eric Albright (UVA), 8-0141 – Darrion Caldwell (NCSU) dec. Kellon Balum (UVA), 5-2149 – Joe Caramanica (NCSU) dec.Vincent Ramirez (UNC), 4-3157 – Jon Bonilla-Bonham (VT) dec. Kody Hamrah (NCSU), 8-3165 – Jason Kiessling (MD) dec. Eric Decker (DU), 3-2174 – Mike Letts (MD) dec. Rick Brownlee (NCSU), 10-4184 – Rocco Caponi (UVA) dec. Jeremy Colbert (NCSU), 4-2197 – Ryan Goodman (NCSU) dec. Hudson Taylor (MD), 6-4, svHwt – Jainor Palma (NCSU) dec. Spencer Nadolsky (UNC), 5-2