Virginia Continues ACC Competition At No. 8 Virginia Tech
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia wrestling team (1-1, 0-1 ACC) continues ACC competition this weekend, heading on the road to face No. 8 Virginia Tech (4-0, 0-0 ACC) in a 5 p.m. dual at Cassell Coliseum on Friday (Jan. 22).
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
The dual 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. A link to the live stream is available at VirginiaSports.com. Fans can also get updates by following the program’s official Twitter account (@UVAWrestling).
CAVALIERS IN THE RANKINGS
Virginia enters the weekend with five wrestlers ranked in the latest edition of the InterMat rankings. Jay Aiello (Chantilly, Va.) leads the way as the No. 3 wrestler at 197 pounds. Also ranked are Louie Hayes (Orland Park, Ill.), who is No. 12 at 133 pounds, Justin McCoy (New Paris, Pa.), who is No. 15 at 157 pounds, Jake Keating (Naperville, Ill.), who is No. 15 at 165 pounds, and Quinn Miller (Lilburn, Ga.), who is No. 20 at heavyweight.
InterMat Rankings
133: No. 12 Louie Hayes
157: No. 15 Justin McCoy
165: No. 15 Jake Keating
197: No. 3 Jay Aiello
HWT: No. 20 Quinn Miller
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST VIRGINIA TECH
Virginia and Virginia Tech met last season in Charlottesville with the teams facing off in John Paul Jones Arena. The Cavaliers won four weight classes in a dual that Virginia Tech won 20-16. Virginia started things off with a pin from three-time All-American Jack Mueller at 125 pounds before Louie Hayes won by decision at 133 pounds. All-American Jay Aiello and Quinn Miller closed out the dual with wins at 197 pounds and heavyweight for the Cavaliers.
VIRGINIA’S PROBABLE LINEUP
125: Patrick McCormick (4-3) OR Sam Book (4-2)
133: No. 12 Louie Hayes (6-0)
141: Brian Courtney (4-1)
149: Denton Spencer (1-1)
157: No. 15 Justin McCoy (4-1)
165: No. 15 Jake Keating (6-0)
174: Vic Marcelli (3-2) OR Robby Patrick (3-1)
184: Michael Battista (4-1)
197: No. 3 Jay Aiello (5-0)
HWT: No. 20 Quinn Miller (4-1)
VIRGINIA TECH’S PROBABLE LINEUP
125: No. 10 Sam Latona OR Joey Prata (3-0)
133: No. 8 Korbin Myers (3-0) OR Brandon Wittenberg (0-2)
141: Sam Hillegas (4-0) OR Collin Gerardi (2-0)
149: No. 12 Bryce Andonian (3-0) OR Caden Darber (1-0)
157: Connor Brady (2-2) OR Clayton Ulrey (2-1)
165: No. 1 Mekhi Lewis (4-0) OR Jordan Florence (0-2)
174: Dakota Howard (0-2) OR Sam Fisher (0-2)
184: No. 2 Hunter Bolen (3-0) OR Nathan Warden (0-2)
197: Andy Smith (4-1) OR Stan Smeltzer (3-0)
285: No. 15 John Borst (3-0) OR Hunter Catka (3-0)
A LOOK AT THE HOKIES
Virginia Tech enters the Friday night dual with an overall record of 4-0 and will be competing in its first ACC dual of the year after last week’s contest with North Carolina was postponed. In their four dual wins, the Hokies have posted victories over Campbell, Kent State, Ohio and West Virginia as part of a quad dual on January 10. Virginia Tech has six wrestlers ranked in this week’s InterMat rankings among its probable starters, including top-ranked Mekhi Lewis at 165 pounds and second-ranked Hunter Bolen at 184 pounds.
KEATING NAMED ACC WRESTLER OF THE WEEK
Jake Keating has been named the ACC Wrestler of the Week following his 4-3 decision over No. 10 Thomas Bullard in the Cavaliers’ last outing against fourth-ranked NC State. Keating notched a first-period takedown and then used a second-period takedown to build a 4-2 lead on the Wolfpack wrestler. He recorded the only takedowns of the matchup on the way to the victory as he competed in his first ACC dual since the 2018-19 season. Keating redshirted last season.
LAST TIME OUT FOR VIRGINIA
Virginia opened ACC competition last weekend with a home dual against No. 4 NC State. The Cavaliers got wins at 133 pounds, 165 pounds and 197 pounds in the 23-9 loss to the Wolfpack. Louie Hayes got the first win of the night with his 11-6 decision over Ryan Jack, while Keating was the second Cavalier in the win column with his victory over the 10th-ranked Bullard. Jay Aiello closed out the scoring for Virginia with his 2-0 decision at 197 pounds. Most of the weight classes were tightly contested as six of them were decided by three points or fewer.
UP NEXT FOR THE CAVALIERS
Virginia will return home next week to host No. 12 Pittsburgh in a Friday (Jan. 29) contest at Memorial Gym. It will be the first of back-to-back home duals for the Cavaliers as ACC competition continues.