Virginia Tech Set to Host ACC Wrestling Championship on Saturday
ACC crown and 27 individual NCAA qualifiers on the line.



March 4, 2009

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- After dominating the conversation during the regular season, Virginia Tech is set to play host to the 55th annual Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestling Championship on Saturday.

The ACC’s five other competing institutions will travel to Blacksburg, Va., in hope of writing a different postseason story.

Live coverage of the ACC Wrestling Championship will be available FREE on ACC Select beginning at 1 p.m.

The 15th-ranked Hokies, who compiled a 20-2 overall dual record and were 5-0 against fellow conference teams, enter this year’s championship meet looking to claim their first ACC title since joining the conference prior to the 2004-05 season.

North Carolina (13-9 overall) placed second in the final ACC standings at 4-1, dropping only a hard-fought 19-15 decision to Virginia Tech. Defending team champion Maryland (10-8-1)) placed third at 3-2, with the losses coming in competitive matches with Virginia Tech and UNC.

Doors at Cassell Coliseum will open for Saturday’s events at 10:00 a.m. First-round matches will start at 11:00 a.m., with semifinals set to begin at 1:00 p.m. and the championship finals at 7:00 p.m. For ticket information, contact the Virginia Tech Ticket Office at 1-800-828-3244.

The Championship will feature a number of wrestlers who posted unbeaten ACC records in their respective weight classes, including Virginia Tech’s Jarrod Garnett (5-0 at 125 pounds), Pete Yates (4-0 at 149) and Tommy Spellman (4-0 at 184); North Carolina’s Keegan Mueller (4-0 at 165) and Justin Dobies (5-0 at heavyweight); Maryland’s Steve Bell (5-0 at 133), Alex Krom (5-0 at 141) and Hudson Taylor (5-0 at 197); Virginia’s Chris Henrich (5-0 at 174); Duke’s John Barone (4-0 at 184), and NC State’s Darrion Caldwell (3-0 at 149).

Returning individual champions include Maryland’s Bell at 133, NC State’s Caldwell at 149, Virginia Tech’s Matt Epperly (the 2008 Championship’s Outstanding Wrestler) at 165, Virginia’s Rocco Caponi (two-time defending champ) at 184, Maryland’s Taylor at 197 and North Carolina’s Dobies at heavyweight. Maryland’s Brian Letters, the defending champion at 157, also returns but is competing in the 165 weight class this season.

NC State’s Caldwell enters the meet as the ACC’s highest nationally-ranked wrestler in his weight class at No. 3. Caldwell, who owns an 86-12 career record and is 30-1 overall this season, was sidelined for several matches late in the regular season due to back spasms.

Other ACC wrestlers listed in the latest InterMat/NWCA/NWMA national rankings include Virginia Tech’s Garnett (12th at 125), Maryland’s Bell (11th at 133), Maryland’s Krom (ninth at 141), Virginia’s Nick Nelson (16th at 141), Virginia Tech’s Chris Diaz (17th at 141) and North Carolina’s Victor Ramirez (18th at 141).

North Carolina’s Nick Stabile is ranked 15th at 149, while Virginia Tech’s Yates holds the 20th spot. Virginia Tech’s Jesse Dong is ranked 19th at 157, while North Carolina’s Mueller holds a No. 17 ranking at 165.

Virginia’s Henrich is the nation’s seventh-ranked wrestler at 174 pounds, and Maryland’s Taylor is ranked No. 9 at 174. The 197-pound weight class has two other representatives among the top 20 in North Carolina’s Dennis Drury (18th) and Virginia’s Brent Jones (19th). Duke’s Konrad Dudziak is the fifth-ranked heavyweight.

The ACC will be allotted 27 automatic berths in NCAA competition in 2009, nearly double the 14 it received last season. For more information, see release from February 27.