CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 21 Virginia wrestling team (3-2, 2-2 ACC) closes out the regular season on Saturday (Feb. 13) when the Cavaliers travel to face No. 14 North Carolina (4-2, 2-2 ACC) in a 6 p.m. dual at Carmichael Arena.

It is the final dual of the season for both teams who will then turn their focus to the ACC Championships at NC State on Feb. 28.

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. Links to the live stream is available at VirginiaSports.com. Fans can also get updates by following the program’s official Twitter account (@UVAWrestling).

VIRGINIA IN THE TEAM RANKINGS
The Cavaliers come in at No. 21 in this week’s coaches poll released by the National Wrestling Coaches Association following wins over No. 12 Pittsburgh and Duke in back-to-back weeks. Virginia is one of five teams from the ACC ranked in the coaches poll this week.

NCAA RELEASES INITIAL COACHES PANEL RANKINGS
The NCAA released its initial coaches panel rankings on Thursday and the Cavaliers had eight wrestlers featured in the poll that ranks the top 33 wrestlers nationally in each weight class based on the votes of the 14-person panel. Coaches voting on the panel may only consider wrestlers designated as a starter and for this first ranking the wrestler must have two Division I matches in the weight class in the past 30 days.

Cavaliers In The Coaches Panel Rankings
133: No. 7 Louie Hayes
141: No. 14 Brian Courtney
157: No. 17 Justin McCoy
165: No. 11 Jake Keating
174: No. 28 Vic Marcelli
184: No. 21 Michael Battista
197: No. 10 Jay Aiello
HWT: No. 20 Quinn Miller

LAST TIME OUT FOR THE CAVALIERS
Virginia is coming off a 42-3 win over the Duke Blue Devils last weekend, a dual in which the Cavaliers won 9-of-10 weight classes and posted four pins. It was the second consecutive victory for Virginia who defeated then No. 12 Pittsburgh the weekend before.

THE SERIES WITH THE TAR HEELS
Virginia and North Carolina have faced off 79 times with the Tar Heels holding a 47-32 lead in the all-time series. North Carolina has won three straight in the series with the last Virginia win coming on the road in the 2017 season when the Cavaliers knocked off the 25th-ranked Tar Heels. Last season’s dual was a tight one with No. 8 North Carolina escaping Memorial Gym with a 19-18 victory over the Cavaliers.

LAST TIME OUT AGAINST UNC
A year ago the two teams closed the dual season with a meeting in Charlottesville that pit then No. 8 North Carolina against the Cavaliers. Bonus points were the difference as each team won five weight classes, with Virginia taking victories by Jack Mueller at 125 pounds, Justin McCoy at 157 pounds, Cam Coy at 165 pounds, Michael Battista at 184 pounds and Jay Aiello at 197 pounds. In a match that started at 141 pounds, the Tar Heels picked up a major decision and a fall to build the early lead before Mueller’s tech fall at 125 pounds put Virginia on top with one bout remaining. North Carolina picked up a decision at 133 pounds to win its fifth weight class and take the 19-18 victory.

A LOOK AT NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina enters the weekend with a 4-2 record after taking wins at No. 15 Pittsburgh and Lehigh last week. The Tar Heels are 2-2 in ACC competition with the victory over Pittsburgh and Duke matching the wins posted by the Cavaliers. North Carolina has six wrestlers ranked in the latest InterMat rankings, including top-ranked Austin O’Connor at 149 pounds.

VIRGINIA PROBABLE LINEUP
125:
Trey Lane (1-2) OR Josiah Encarnacion (0-0)
133:
No. 10 Louie Hayes (7-2)
141: No. 16 Brian Courtney (7-1)
149: Denton Spencer (1-4)
157: No. 17 Justin McCoy (7-1)
165: No. 13 Jake Keating (7-2)
174: Vic Marcelli (6-2)
184: Robby Patrick (5-1) OR Hudson Stewart (5-1)
197: No. 8 Jay Aiello (7-1)
HWT: Jessie Knight (4-3)
• Listed rankings are InterMat individual rankings

NORTH CAROLINA PROBABLE LINEUP
125: Wil Guida (2-4)
133: Joe Heilmann (2-2)
141: No. 10 Zach Sherman (6-1)
149: No. 1 Austin O’Connor (5-0) OR Nick Lirette (5-2)
157: Josh McClure (4-2) OR Sonny Santiago (4-1)
165: No. 11 Kennedy Monday (5-2) OR Sawyer Davidson (4-0)
174: No. 18 Clay Lautt (4-2)
184: Devin Kane (3-2) OR Blah Dahnweih (0-0) OR Ethan Hoffman (0-0)
197: No. 19 Max Shaw (5-2) OR Mark Chaid (0-3)
285: Andrew Gunning (1-2) OR Brandon Whitman (2-2)
• Listed rankings are InterMat individual rankings

NEXT TIME OUT FOR THE CAVALIERS
Virginia is scheduled to return to action at the ACC Championships on Feb. 28 at NC State. The all-day event will crown the team champion and individual champions for each weight class, as well as determine automatic qualifiers for the 2021 NCAA Championships.