Virginia Tech Wrestling: Hokies To Face No. 18 Rutgers

Virginia Tech squares off at home in the Moss Arts Center against Rutgers on Friday November 22nd at 7:00 PM in another ranked matchup.

The Hokies look to carry forward their momentum after downing No. 8 Missouri last week, but will face a tough lineup from Piscataway. Rutgers comes into Blacksburg with a dual record of 3-1 on the season, with its only loss coming against No. 7 NC State. Per Intermat’s rankings, 9 out of 10 wrestlers in Rutgers' lineup are ranked, including two inside the top 10 of their respective weight classes. 

Probable matchups:

• 125: No. 12 Eddie Ventresca vs No. 17 Dean Peterson
• 133: No. 10 Connor McGonagle vs No. 6 Dylan Shawver
• 141: No. 16 Sam Latona vs No. 22 Joey Olivieri
• 149: No. 1 Caleb Henson vs No. 33 Michael Cetta
• 157: No. 24 Rafael Hipolito vs Conner Harer or Andrew Clark
• 165: No. 19 Connor Brady or Mac Church vs No. 32 Tony White
• 174: No. 4 Lennox Wolak vs No. 18 Jackson Turley
• 184: No. 12 TJ Stewart vs No. 21 Brian Soldano
• 197: No. 13 Andy Smith vs. No. 12 John Poznanski
• 285: No. 16 Jimmy Mullen vs No. 9 Yaraslau Slavikouski 

With ranked matchups up and down the slate, wrestling fans will be in for a treat. Although the Hokies are ranked higher in 7 of 10 bouts, there remains plenty of room for chaos in this top-20 matchup. 

The marquee match of the evening will take place at 133 pounds, as both wrestlers are ranked inside the top-10 of the weight class. The Lehigh transfer Connor McGonagle comes into this match 2-0 and has yet to cede a point in dual matches for the Hokies, defeating Missouri’s Kade Moore 3-0 and Chattanooga's Blake Boarman 5-0. Rutgers' Dylan Shawver enters the match with a dual record of 4-0. Other notable matches that may determine the result of the dual include those at 125 pounds, 197 pounds, and 285 pounds, but every match is critical. 

After a stretch of consecutive losses in the dual against Missouri, Virginia Tech’s Lennox Wolak and TJ Stewart look to bounce back on Friday night. Stewart in particular will be after a big performance after being upset by Missouri’s Colton Hawks. Four-time NCAA qualifier and 2024 ACC runner-up Connor Brady did not wrestle against the Tigers last week, but if healthy, the 165-pound graduate student would provide some needed experience in the middle of the Hokies’ lineup. Otherwise, redshirt freshman Mac Church probably will get the nod once again to face Rutgers' Tony White.   

Hokies' head coach Tony Robie will need his team to be in peak form to pull out a victory against Rutgers in a dual that is likely to have postseason implications for both squads.