Wrestling Stands 11th after Day One at Southern Scuffle

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. The Virginia wrestling team holds 11th place after the first day of the Southern Scuffle, hosted by UNC Greensboro Saturday at Greensboro Coliseum’s Special Events Center. The Cavaliers, with a total of 32 points, have three wrestlers remaining in the championship bracket entering the final day of competition.

Rocco Caponi (Jr., Uniontown, Ohio), the top seed at 184 pounds, moved into the quarterfinals with a pair of victories and improved to 19-0 this season. Brent Jones (So., Burke, Va.), the No. 5 seed at 197 and Michael Chaires (Fr., Scotia, N.Y.) the No. 7 seed at 165, each advanced to the quarterfinals of their respective classes with three wins apiece.

The Cavaliers have 11 wrestlers still active in the consolation brackets the most of any of the 28 schools in the competition. With 14 wrestlers still active, Virginia has the third-most competitors remaining overall. Reigning national champion and fourth-ranked Minnesota tops the field after the first day with 53.5 points. Edinboro is second at 42.5.

Pat Riley (So., Bernardsville, N.J.) scored Virginia’s biggest win of the day, toppling third-seeded and 13th-ranked Eric Medina of Maryland, 6-5, in the second round.

The action concludes Sunday beginning at 9 a.m.