*NOTE* - I want to make it clear what this is and what this is not. What this is NOT is an overview of the entire team. What this is, is a who’s who preview of THIS season 2022-2023. Meaning that I am going to talk about the starters who I feel will have an impact THIS year. Those who will win big matches in duals. Those who will earn placings in major tournaments like CKLV, RENO, MIDLANDS, MATMEN INVITE, SOUTHERN SCUFFLE, CONFERENCES & NCAA’s. In some cases a weight class will have multiple talented wrestlers. I will note that & I will also be making posts later on about the best wrestle-offs to look forward to this season. Then after that is determined I will make post later into the season of who our best backups are in the nation.
This post will NOT include redshirts. Those who are redshirting this season will be included in a separate post entitled “22’-23’ Best Redshirts.”
The Hokies are yet another team I can see sending all 10 of their varsity wrestlers to the NCAA championships this season. From top to bottom, bottom to top, they are looking very solid. Gone is five time NCAA qualifier Korbin Myers who earned All American honors of 4th & 6th in his final two seasons. Also gone is Nathan Traxler, who I would for many reasons add to the "best to never AA" list. Between the PAC-12 & the ACC he was a five time conference finalist, winning two titles & he twice made the Southern Scuffle finals. Also a nod to Stan Smeltzer a notable backup most of his career, with notable wins & an 8th place finish at the Southern Scuffle.
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| 125 lbs Eddie Ventresca OR Cooper Flynn |
We have ourselves what will be a very good wrestle-off between two talented redshirt freshmen. At 15-6 as a redshirt, two of Ventresca's victories have already been over Flynn, but talk about close, both were by 2-1 scores. Ventresca 8th at the Southern Scuffle also scored impressive victories over Spencer Moore of North Carolina, Greg Diakomihalis of Cornell & Tristan Lara of Northern Iowa. Flynn at 15-3 also had some impressive wins of his own. A 6-5 tiebreaker of Korbin Meink of Campbell, a 5-1 decision of Spencer Moore & a 12-3 decision over Navy's Jacob Allen. Either one of these guys will compete hard within the ACC & be an NCAA qualifier for the Hokies.
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| 133 lbs Sam Latona |
A 6th place All American in 2021, Sam Latona finished one match shy of earning a second top 8 finish this past season. He also took runner-up honors at the ACC's, a champion in 2021. Sometimes small setbacks are the best thing to happen to a wrestler. Causes reevaluation & readjustments. Moving up to 133 lbs he still has to contend with Pittsburgh's Mickey Phillippi as well as North Carolina State's Kai Orine, but he is a candidate to win the ACC title & earn another All American honor.
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| 141 Collin Gerardi |
Junior Collin Gerardi has thus far earned two NCAA qualifications for the Hokies & will look for a third this season.
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| 149 lbs Caleb Henson |
I don't have a whole heck of a lot to go on, collegiately speaking in regards to Caleb Henson but the fact that he manhandled two time EIWA place-winner Marshall Keller 12-0 this past season in the handful of matches that he did wrestle is indication enough.
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| 157 lbs Bryce Andonian |
Three time ACC finalist Bryce Andonian had himself a phenomenal season last year. 3rd in the NCAA's, I would have named him somewhere near the top to make the NCAA finals at 149. Yet now, he's moved up to 157 & while I believe he'll be just as tough here as he was at 149, I want to see it first. He'll have his work cut out for him in the ACC as well as the rest of the NCAA.
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| 165 lbs Connor Brady OR Drew Nicholson OR Clayton Ulrey |
I'm very interested to see who ends up winning this triple threat for the 165 lbs Virginia Tech varsity position. Both Connor Brady & Drew Nicholson are two time NCAA qualifiers & Clayton Ulrey is a tough customer in his own right with some impressive victories. This will be fun to see who in the wrestle-offs earns the spot.
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| 174 lbs Mekhi Lewis |
Essentially the only thing that stands in between Mekhi Lewis & an NCAA title this season, is the same thing that stood between him & an NCAA title last season: Carter Starocci of Penn State. That's no offense to anyone else at the weight, but until proven otherwise, Lewis & Starocci are our two best bets. An NCAA champion in 2019, he was runner-up last season. In their only meeting Starocci edged Lewis 6-5 tiebreaker. Let's hope for the sake of fun & exciting wrestling, this is a meeting we see more than once this season.
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| 184 lbs Hunter Bolen |
Mark my word you are probably looking at one of the most overlooked & underestimated wrestles of 22'-23's beginning who is very capable of doing some very serious things this season. A four time NCAA qualifier, 7th in the nation in 2021, I hate to say this but all things considered he has underachieved a bit. That's not to be taken offensively, but instead in consideration of observation. He's 3-2 overall against Trent Hidlay of North Carolina State. He's 1-1 with Jonathan Loew of Cornell. He took Parker Keckeisen of Northern Iowa into sudden victory. He'll be looking for his fourth ACC finals appearance as well as his second All American honor, which mind you has the potential to be an NCAA finals appearance itself.
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| 197 lbs Dakota Howard |
A gritty wrestler who missed out on NCAA qualification last season after earning a trip to the NCAA's in 2021. I think he'll once again qualify this season & will most likely garner victories over opponents ranked higher than him.
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| HWT Hunter Catka |
A 2021 NCAA qualifier, by eligibility standards, Hunter Catka is still a freshman. He should look forward to a rewarding season, which will including duking it out with whoever wins the wrestle-off at North Carolina State for an ACC title.
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