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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. Virginia wrestling’s incoming freshman class has been ranked No. 19 nationally by InterMat. It marks the third straight top 25 class that head coach Steve Garland and his staff have signed. Last season, the Cavaliers’ freshman class was ranked No. 8 nationally by InterMat, while the 2006 class was touted No. 23.
“We are very happy with this year’s class,” Garland said. “Another top 20 ranking is great and I am proud of my staff, but I really feel like the kids we are bringing in this year have been overlooked by a lot of people. Derek Valenti is a New Jersey state champ from one of the toughest states in the country, and Jedd Moore, out of Ohio, is one of the hardest-working kids I have ever seen. Trust me on this, these guys are very good.”
The 2008-09 Virginia class is comprised of Joe Trause (Carlstadt, N.J./Bergen Catholic), Jedd Moore (Mount Vernon, Ohio/Marion), Adam Cogar (Hillsboro, Ohio/Barberton), Mike Salopek (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin), Derek Valenti (Newton, N.J./Kittatinny), Dan Clarke (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey) and Ebe Nelson (Raytown, Mo./Raytown).
The class features three high school All-Americans. Valenti (130 pounds) was the New Jersey state champion and earned All-America honors at High School Nationals with a third-place finish. Clarke (145 pounds) also notched All-America laurels at the High School Nationals with a fifth-place finish and was a state place-winner in New Jersey.
Moore also took fifth at high school nationals to earn All-America honors and was the Ohio Division III state champion at 152 pounds. Trause (125 pounds) was a four-time state placewinner in New Jersey, including two titles. He placed fourth at state his senior season despite battling through an ankle injury.
Salopek (189 pounds) finished as a two-time Pennsylvania state placewinner and nabbed fifth place as a senior, while Cogar (215 pounds) was as a two-time Ohio state runner-up. Nelson (285 pounds) is another strong athlete who placed third in the state (Missouri) as a senior and passed up a chance to play football in order to concentrate on wrestling.