Hokie ClubManheim, Pa. – Joining two teammates, Nick Brascetta will take on Isaiah Martinez of Illinois at the 50th annual Hire Heroes NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network on November 1 in Atlanta, Ga. The All-Star Classic will be held at Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion at 5 p.m.
“We are thrilled to have three Hokies competing in the NWCA All-Star match,” said associate head coach Tony Robie. “Outside of the NCAA Championships, this is the premier wrestling event of the college season. It is pretty impressive to have representation in three of the 10 weight classes. Being selected to participate is an indication that you have the ability to contend for an NCAA title.”
This will be both wrestlers’ first appearance at the NWCA All-Star Classic, giving Brascetta a chance to avenge his loss to Martinez in the quarterfinals of last season’s NCAA Championship.
Brascetta earned his second All-America honors in 2015, helping lead Virginia Tech to a 10th-place finish as a team in St. Louis. The redshirt senior took home the ACC title in his weight class and was a first team All-State, as voted on by the VaSID, after limited action due to injury. After being unseeded at the NCAA Championship, Brascetta took down the nine-, eight- and five-seeds to reach the podium in his fourth place finish.
“Of the three guys representing Virginia Tech in this event, Nick faces the biggest challenge with his opponent,” said Robie. “After finishing his freshman year as an undefeated NCAA champion, Martinez is already being compared to some of the greatest wrestlers of all time. I think we will come into this match much more prepared in terms of mat time and having a better understanding what to expect from him. Nick's going to have to stay in there and battle every second to match the physicality that Martinez wrestles with in order to win this one. This a guy that Nick will likely need to beat in order to achieve his goal of winning an NCAA Championship, so seeing him early is a positive. He's been able to train consistently for the last several months and is in a much different place than he was last March.”
Brascetta will be Virginia Tech’s eighth entrant into the event, joinging Ty Walz and Zach Epperly aat the 2015 event. This marks the first time in program history that three Hokies have been selected for the NWCA All-Star Classic.
“The NWCA All-Star Classic is one of the premier events of the season, it showcases many of the best athletes in our sport,” said Robie. “Having representation from Virginia Tech three years running says a lot about how far we have come in recent years and is a testament to the individuals selected. If you're wrestling in this event, it means you're among the best our sport has to offer.”
Announced #NWCAClassic50 Matchups
125-
133-
141-
149-
157- Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) vs Nick Brascetta (Virginia Tech)
174- Kyle Crutchmer (Oklahoma State) vs Zach Epperly (Virginia Tech)
184- Vic Avery vs Nate Brown
197- Conner Hartmann
285- Adam Coon, Jr. (Michigan) vs. Ty Walz, Jr. (Virginia Tech)
WHAT: 50th Annual Hire Heroes NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network Atlanta Chapter
WHEN: Sunday, November 1, 2015, 5 p.m. Eastern
WHERE: Hank McCamish Pavilion, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Ga.
TICKETS: VIP/Social $125, Premium Floor $100, Premium $50, Reserved $25-$35; General Admission $10-$20; Student Rate $15
PURCHASE ONLINE: Click here
TV/LIVE STREAMING: ESPNU (Find ESPNU on your cable or satellite provider)
EVENT WEBSITE: http://www.theallstarclassic.com
About the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA)
The NWCA brings the wrestling coaching community together to advance the sport and ensure that current and future generations have the opportunity to engage in a safe and educationally based wrestling experience. This is primarily done by strengthening existing programs, creating new programs, and providing coaches with progressive educational opportunities.
About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN)
The Group Wrestlers in Business is a non-profit organization that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have retired from the sport and are now in their respective careers. It started as a networking group on LinkedIn. Since then, the group has evolved into a more prominent, member-focused organization that cares about supporting current & former wrestlers and the sport. Their mission is to establish a community of wrestlers who commonly share in the interest of helping each other in business and in life, while supporting and strengthening the sport that made us who we are today. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org
About ESPNU
The 24-hour college sports television network airs more than 650 live events annually. ESPNU is available nationwide in approximately 73 million households.