Hokies feature seven home duals for upcoming season
Wrestling 9/5/2023 9:30:00 AM
BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech wrestling head coach Tony Robie announced the 2023-2024 schedule on Monday, featuring two marquee match-ups for the Hokies at home this season. Techslated to face eight ranked teams according to preseason rankings and host seven duals at home this upcoming season.
"Our goal when we put our schedule together is to make sure that we are ready and wrestling our best at the NCAA Championships. This season's schedule will allow us to see some of the best teams and individuals in Division 1 wrestling," Robie said. "We will truly be tested as we face four top-ten teams in Ohio State, Missouri, Cornell, and NC State and travel to Las Vegas for the top in-season tournament. In addition, we have added another Big 10 opponent in Rutgers and are heading back to the Keystone Classic. We are looking forward to the challenges this season presents."
— Virginia Tech Wrestling (@HokiesWrestling) September 5, 2023𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲. 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐎𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧. 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲. ⚔
The official schedule drop for the timeline. Might wanna save this one for safe-keeping 🗃️
🔗 » https://t.co/4ki7CU2oae#ALLINALLTHETIME #Hokies 🦃 pic.twitter.com/2PbthGdjdb
Ranked second in tournament team placement and fourth in the dual rankings, Tech enters the upcoming season with five returning All-Americans, ten NCAA qualifiers, and all ten projected starters ranked by both Intermat and Flowrestling. The Hokies welcome a few newcomers and return nine starters from the 2022-2023 campaign including NCAA champion, two-time finalist, and three-time All-American Mekhi Lewis, two-time All-Americans Sam Latona and Bryce Andonian, and All-Americans Caleb Henson and Eddie Ventresca.
After a ninth-place performance at the 2023 NCAA Championships – the eighth time in the last decade the Hokies have finished in the top-10 – Tech is ready for another formidable season starting with the Southeast Open on November 4 beginning at 10 a.m. at Roanoke College.
The following weekend offers two chances to see the Hokies at home as they open the dual season in a marquee match, non-conference battle on November 10 against powerhouse #7 Ohio State – a team that took fourth at the NCAA Championships a season ago. It'll be Friday night under the lights slugfest at 7 p.m. as the Buckeyes feature nine wrestlers ranked across the top-33 in the preseason polls. It's a quick turnaround to November 12 with Tech welcoming the American University Eagles for a Sunday matinee at 4 p.m.
Hitting the road to the Garden State for another Big Ten match-up, it's Garden State Hokie legend Mekhi Lewis making his farewell tour in his home state when he and the Hokies take on the #14 Scarlett Knights in Jersey Mike's Arena on November 17 at 7 p.m. This will be the first meeting between Tech and Rutgers.
The Hokies will then travel to Philadelphia for the Keystone Classic hosted by University of Pennsylvania on Sunday, November 19. Tech secured five first-place finishes to bring home five individual champions to bring the team title back to Blacksburg last season.
Following a one-week break, Tech will travel cross-country to the prestigious Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on December 1-2. Arguably the most competitive tournament of the season, the field consistently features a number of the nation's top programs and among the country's best individual wrestlers.
The Hokies will host west coast foe #23 Stanford Cardinals on December 17 at 1 p.m. to close out the first half of the season's competition.
Ringing in the New Year with another formidable foe, Tech travels to face national contender #5 Mizzou on January 2 at 7 p.m. in Columbia, Missouri to continue the series between the Hokies and the Tigers. The Tigers also boasts ten ranked wrestlers to match the Hokies lineup according to early rankings.
Another monumental test awaits the Hokies in returning third-place team, #2 Cornell on January 7 in Ithaca, New York. Set to be another dual classic filled with eerily similar individual accoladed match-ups, Cornell returns one national champion and four All-Americans.
Tech will then return home to host Appalachian State on Friday, January 12 at 7 p.m. before beginning conference competition the following weekend.
Tech welcomes #26 North Carolina to Blacksburg on January 26 in the first conference dual of the season at 7 p.m. to kick off ACC Network's Friday Night Duals. The Hokies will then hit the road to Charlottesville for a Commonwealth Clash and look to extend their win streak to 12-straight over Virginia at 7 p.m. on February 2.
The most unique experience in NCAA wrestling takes the stage once again as Tech hosts Duke on February 9 in the Moss Arts Center at 7 p.m. The Hokies will then go back to work on February 11 against George Mason in the final home dual of the season at 3 p.m. which is slated as Senior Day for graduating Hokies.
The Hokies travel to #15 Pittsburgh for a Friday night battle at 7 p.m. on February 16 looking to avenge a regular season loss a year ago – the only conference loss on Tech's record.
Another electric dual is on deck for the regular season finale on February 23 – Virginia Tech versus #6 North Carolina State. The Hokies will travel to Raleigh against conference rival Wolfpack to close out dual competition. The past six conference championships have come down to the two programs with the upcoming season looking to live up to the billing.
Post-season will feature the 2024 ACC Championships in Chapel Hill, NC on March 10. The 2024 NCAA Championships will follow just under two weeks later in Kansas City, Missouri from March 21-23.
Follow Virginia Tech Wrestling on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for all the latest Hokies wrestling news, information, and updates.
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