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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. The Virginia wrestling team moves into the dual-meet portion of its schedule this weekend, visiting Appalachian State at 6 p.m. Saturday, then heading to Greensboro, N.C., Sunday for a 3 p.m. dual with Davidson and a 5 p.m. bout with host UNC Greensboro.
With wins over all three opponents this weekend, the Cavaliers (10-3) would set a school record for dual wins in a season. The record is 12, set in 1975, 2003 and 2006. Including the duals this weekend, Virginia has 10 duals remaining before the ACC Championships in March.
Virginia has four wrestlers ranked nationally this week. Rocco Caponi (Jr., Uniontown, Ohio) stands as high as ninth in the W.I.N. rankings at 184 pounds, Eric Albright (Jr., York, Pa.) holds a No. 17 mark in the InterMat 133-pound rankings, Brent Jones (So., Burke, Va.) is as high as No. 19 in the InterMat 197-pound rankings and Michael Chaires (Fr., Scotia, N.Y.) holds the No. 20 mark at 165 pounds from W.I.N.
The Cavaliers went 3-2 last weekend at the Virginia Duals, posting wins over Ohio, Lehigh and Lock Haven and dropping duals to No. 19 Old Dominion and Penn, who now is ranked No. 25 by W.I.N. Caponi, Jones and Chris Henrich (Fr., Lansdale, Pa.) each swept through their five weekend bouts.
Appalachian State is 7-5 in duals after taking down UNC Greensboro, 22-14, Sunday at home in Boone, N.C. The Mountaineers are led by senior Scott Ervin, who is ranked 13th-nationally at 149 pounds. The ASU-UVa match follows the ASU-Georgia Southern men’s basketball game and will be the Mountaineers’ first-ever wrestling dual match in the Holmes Center.
Davidson (1-3) fell to Gardner Webb, 25-23, at home Tuesday. The Wildcats took two forfeits, but won five of the remaining eight matches. Junior Sam O’Hair (184) is the reigning Southern Conference Wrestler of the Week.
UNCG (4-4) defeated VMI, 33-12, Wednesday at home. The Spartans have one ranked wrestler, Daren Burns, who holds a No. 14 national standing at 197 pounds, according to the W.I.N. rankings.
Virginia returns home next Friday, battling North Carolina in the Cavaliers’ ACC dual opener.