No. 22 Pitt Wrestling Hosts ACC Rival No. 13 Virginia Tech

No. 22 Pitt wrestling hosts rival No. 13 Virginia Tech Friday night at Fitzgerald Field House, looking to get a big dual win for the home fans.

The Panthers come into this dual 8-7 and 1-2 in the ACC, with a disappointing loss on the road to North Carolina, 22-12, last Friday. The Hokies are 8-3 overall, 3-0 in the ACC and have won their past five consecutive duals, shutting out Duke last week, 45-0.

Pitt wrestling coverage on Pittsburgh Sports Now is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Wrestling Club.

The defeat for Pitt wrestling makes it four out of five dual losses to start 2024, and six out of eight since the National Collegiate Duals on Dec. 18. The loss also most likely ended Pitt’s attempt to win at least a share of the ACC dual team title for the second straight season.

The Hokies defeated the Tar Heels 33-3 at home on Jan. 26 and their match against the NC State Wolfpack will most likely decide the ACC dual regular season title next Friday in Raleigh, N.C.

Pitt and Virginia Tech share two common opponents in Ohio State and Cornell. Both teams lost to Cornell, but Pitt upset Ohio State in Columbus on Dec. 10, while Virginia Tech lost to then ranked No. 12 Ohio State on Nov. 10.

The Panthers lead the Hokies in the all-time series, 13-7, but 3-7 since joining the ACC prior to the 2013-14 season, including 2-3 at home. They won in Blacksburg, Va. last season, 26-12, with two important pins giving the Panthers an important victory on the road.

This dual against Virginia Tech marks a final three dual homestand to end the regular season for Pitt wrestling. They host Rider next Thursday and Virginia in the season finale next Friday.

No. 22 Pitt Wrestling vs. No. 13 Virginia Tech Probables

125 Pounds: Redshirt senior Colton Camacho (7-10 overall, 0-3 ACC) vs. No. 4 redshirt sophomore Cooper Flynn (12-2 overall, 3-0 ACC)
133 Pounds No. 23 Redshirt first-year Vinnie Santaniello (13-11 overall, 1-2 ACC) vs. No. 13 redshirt senior Sam Latona (16-5 overall, 3-0 ACC)
141 Pounds: No. 15 redshirt senior Cole Matthews (12-9 overall, 3-0 ACC) vs. No. 13 sophomore Tom Crook (16-4 overall, 2-0 ACC)
149 Pounds: No. 29 redshirt first-year Finn Solomon (13-8 overall, 1-2 ACC) vs. No. 2 sophomore Caleb Henson (22-1 overall, 2-0 ACC)
157 Pounds: Redshirt first-year Jared Keslar (13-13 overall, 1-2 ACC) vs. junior Clayton Ulrey (3-0 ACC)
165 Pounds: No. 13 redshirt senior Holden Heller (9-5 overall, 2-1 ACC) vs. No. 21 redshirt junior Connor Brady (11-6 overall, 3-0 ACC)
174 Pounds: No. 18 redshirt sophomore Luca Augustine (11-4 overall, 1-2 ACC) vs. No. 2 redshirt fifth year Mekhi Lewis (11-0 overall, 3-0 ACC)
184 Pounds: No. 9 redshirt senior Reece Heller (16-4 overall, 3-0 ACC) vs. redshirt fifth year No. 21 Dakota Howard OR redshirt first-year Thomas Stewart Jr. (TJ) (1-1 ACC)
197 Pounds: No. 16 redshirt first-year Mac Stout (15-5 overall, 1-2 ACC) vs. No. 26 redshirt junior Andy Smith (15-6 overall, 3-0 ACC)
285 Pounds: Redshirt junior Geoff Magin (0-3 overall, 0-3 ACC) vs. No. 20 redshirt junior Hunter Catka (12-6 overall, 3-0 ACC)

Panthers No. 15 redshirt senior Cole Matthews started off the season far below his standards, but he’s excelled since starting ACC duals, with wins over Tar Heels No. 5 redshirt sophomore Lachlan McNeil and Wolfpack No. 4 junior Ryan Jack. 

He’ll face another great wrestler on Friday in Hokies No. 13 sophomore Tom Crook at 141 pounds. Matthews won both of their matches last season, 6-2 in the dual and 6-3 in the ACC semifinals, en route to his second straight ACC Title.

The two wrestlers defeated McNeil this season, so this will serve as not just a likely preview for the ACC Championships, but for who gets the No. 1 seed at 141 pounds.

Virginia Tech brings in two No. 2 ranked wrestlers in redshirt fifth year Mekhi Lewis and sophomore Caleb Henson.

No. 18 redshirt sophomore Luca Augustine will battle Lewis at 174 pounds and No. 29 redshirt first-year Finn Solomon will wrestle Henson at 149 pounds for Pitt, respectively.

Lewis has won the past two ACC titles at 174 pounds and won the National Title in his first year of collegiate wrestling at 165 pounds in 2019. He also defeated Augustine 14-4 in a major decision in last year’s dual.

Henson both won the ACC title and finished in fifth place at 149 pounds last season, earning himself ACC Freshman of the Year honors. He is also 3-0 against wrestlers that Solomon has faced, who he is 0-4 against himself. This includes Arizona State No. 4 redshirt junior Kyle Parco, Ohio State No. 10 redshirt senior Dylan D’Emilio and Cornell No. 20 junior Ethan Fernandez.

No. 9 redshirt senior Reece Heller, along with Matthews, is the only wrestlers on the Panthers still undefeated in ACC duals. He’ll either face No. 21 redshirt fifth year Dakota Howard or redshirt first-year TJ Stewart at 184 pounds, as both have wrestled in ACC duals this season.

Pitt Wrestling No. 16 redshirt first-year Mac Stout will try to hand Virginia Tech No. 26 redshirt junior Andy Smith his first loss in ACC duals at 197 pounds. The biggest difference between the two is that Smith defeated UNC No. 23 redshirt junior Max Shaw, while Stout lost to him last Friday.

Panthers No. 13 redshirt senior Holden Heller won his last two matches, getting him back on track after losing his previous five. Hokies No. 21 redshirt junior Connor Brady awaits Friday night, as the two split the series last season. Holden Heller won 2-0 in the dual, but Brady won 7-5 in the ACC semifinals.

Pitt No. 23 redshirt first-year Vinnie Santaniello takes on Virginia Tech No. 13 redshirt senior Sam Latona at 133 pounds. Latona made it to the past three NCAA Championships and is in his second year wrestling at 133 pounds. The two wrestlers defeated Ohio State No. 10 redshirt first-year Nic Bouzakis for a common opponent this season.

Redshirt senior Colton Camacho has struggled for the Panthers recently, losing all five of his duals to start the season, and faces one of the best in the country in Hokies No. 4 sophomore Cooper Flynn at 125 pounds. Camacho pinned Flynn last season in the dual, putting the Panthers on track for victory that night, but Flynn has won all three ACC matches in 2024 and is looking for revenge.

Pitt redshirt first-year Jared Keslar battles with Virginia Tech junior Clayton Ulrey at 157 pounds. No. 9 senior Bryce Andonian usually wrestles for Virginia Tech at 157 pounds, but is out with injury, last wrestling in early January. Ulrey is victorious in all three ACC matches, including a 4-1 win over North Carolina No. 32 redshirt sophomore Sonny Santiago, who Keslar lost to last Friday, 11-4.

Redshirt junior Geoff Magin is filling in for No. 13 redshirt first-year Dayton Pitzer at 285 pounds. Pitzer dislocated his shoulder against Arizona State No. 4 redshirt junior Cohlton Schultz on Jan 26 and is out for the rest of the regular season.

His Virginia Tech opponent is No. 20 redshirt junior Hunter Catka, who had no trouble defeating his first three ACC opponents this season.