Virginia Hosts Gardner-Webb Saturday In Home Opener
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia wrestling team (0-0) hosts Gardner-Webb (0-1) at Memorial Gym on Saturday (Jan. 9) in the first home dual of the 2021 season. The dual starts at 1 p.m. with additional individual matches to begin following completion of the dual.
Admission to Virginia home wrestling matches is not open to the public.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
The match will be broadcast on ACCNX and is available through the ESPN app and WatchESPN to people who subscribe to a television service that carries the ACC Network. Links to the live stream and live stats are available at VirginiaSports.com. Fans can also get updates by following the program’s official Twitter account (@UVAWrestling).
THE FORMAT FOR THE WEEKEND
The squads will wrestle the regular dual with the 10 weight classes beginning at 1 p.m. Due to the condensed season schedule and in an attempt to allow for more wrestlers to get countable matches this season, the squads will wrestle additional individual matches following the completion of the matches that make up the traditional dual meet.
VIRGINIA IN THE RANKINGS
Virginia has four wrestlers in the latest individual rankings released by InterMat, with senior Jay Aiello (Chantilly, Va.) leading the way as the third-ranked wrestler in his weight class. Also appearing in the rankings are senior Louie Hayes (Orland Park, Ill.), sophomore Justin McCoy (New Paris, Pa.) and junior Quinn Miller (Lilburn, Ga.).
133: No. 12 Louie Hayes
157: No. 16 Justin McCoy
197: No. 3 Jay Aiello
HWT: No. 19 Quinn Miller
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia opened the 2021 season last weekend at the Appalachian State Individual Quad with 11 wrestlers going undefeated at the round-robin event. Hayes and redshirt sophomore Jake Keating (Naperville, Ill.) both went 4-0 on the day to lead a group of 10 wrestlers that all went at least 3-0 at the event. The Cavaliers posted 13 wins by fall and 29 total bonus-point victories on the day.
PROBABLE VIRGINIA LINEUP
125: Patrick McCormick OR Trey Lane OR Sam Book
133: Louie Hayes
141: Brian Courtney
149: Denton Spencer
157: Justin McCoy
165: Jake Keating
174: Vic Marcelli OR Robby Patrick
184: Michael Battista
197: Jay Aiello
HWT: Quinn Miller
A LOOK AT GARDNER-WEBB
Gardner-Webb opened its season last weekend in a dual at NC State, a dual the Wolfpack won 42-0. In addition to the matches that comprised the dual, the Bulldogs also wrestled additional individual matches against wrestlers from NC State and Campbell. Gardner-Webb was picked to finish fourth in the Southern Conference in a preseason vote of the league’s coaches and returns six starters from last year’s squad. Also returning are three individuals who placed at last year’s SoCon Championships.
PROBABLE GARDNER-WEBB LINEUP
125: Austin Wadlow
133: Todd Carter
141: Conrad Schiess OR Brandon Bright
149: Jacson Muldrew
157: Chase McKinney OR Taylor Parks
165: RJ Mosley
174: Samuel Mora
184: Evan Schenk
197: Jack Trautman
HWT: Anthony Perrine OR Gabriel Pickett
UP NEXT FOR VIRGINIA
Virginia will continue to wrestle at home next weekend when ACC competition begins. The Cavaliers will host No. 4 NC State in a 5 p.m. dual at Memorial Gym.