March 9, 2003

The Duke University wrestling team wrapped up its season on Saturday in Boone, N.C. at the ACC Championship. The Blue Devils finished fifth overall with 17.5 points as North Carolina won the championship with 104.5 team points. N.C. State (82.0) finished second, with Virginia (68.0) placing third and Maryland (36.0) in fourth place.

Senior Tommy Hoang (Cushing, Okla.) and junior Michael Mitchell (Midwest City, Okla.) were third place finishers for the Blue Devils. Hoang, who was selected as a wild card NCAA qualifier at 125-pounds, opened the tournament with a pin of Matt Pandulla (Maryland) in 2:26. The three-time NCAA qualifier then lost a close 4-3 decision to N.C. State George Cintron before rebounding to top Pandulla again for third place.

Hoang is just the third three-time NCAA qualifier in Duke history and the first three-time qualifier since Chris Heckel (1995, 1997, 1998).

Mitchell dropped a 7-5 decision to North Carolina's Jimmy Conner in the opening round, but came back to topple Maryland's John Antonelli, 6-1, for his 31st win of the season. Despite an outstanding record of 32-11, Mitchell was not chosen to represent the ACC at the NCAA Championships March 20-22. Mitchell's third place finish came despite a cartiledge tear in the his rib cage.

Tom Cass (Las Vegas, Nev.) also saw his season and career come to a close at the ACC Championship. The senior 184-pounder dropped his opening match 7-1 to North Carolina's Dusty Heist, who went on to win the championship. Cass, who topped Heist handily earlier this season, suffered a torn MCL in the match and closed his career with 91 wins, tied for third highest total in Duke history.