Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech looks to defend their ACC title this weekend in Chapel Hill, N.C., as the Hokies open the postseason at the 2018 ACC Championship, held all day in Carmichael Arena on Saturday, March 3.
All bouts of the championship will be streamed live by ACC Network Extra and will be available through the ESPN app. A veteran announce team composed of Dean Linke, Shawn Kenney, Tim Foley and Rock Harrison and will handle the play-by-play and analysis. Tickets for the championship are on sale now and will be available at Carmichael Arena. Tickets are priced $10 for adults and free for youth 18 and under. ACC students with valid IDs are also admitted free.
The 10th-ranked Hokies concluded the regular season with a tough 19-15 defeat to No. 6 NC State in Raleigh in the ACC dual meet title match. The dual went down to the final bout and needed a sudden victory overtime period to decide the winner but Tech couldn't extend its 19-ACC dual meet win streak.
The Hokies now set their sights on capturing the fourth ACC championship in program history. Tech won its first ACC title in 2013 and went to repeat as champions in 2014. After a two-year drought, Tech returned to the top of the conference last season by claiming both the ACC tournament and the dual meet championship in the same season.
Virginia Tech has the most No. 1 seeds in the field with four – David McFadden at 165 pounds, Hunter Bolen at 174, Zack Zavatsky at 184 and Jared Haught at 197.
ACC CHAMPIONSHIP LINEUP
(weight: coaches panel ranking, wrestler, (ACC seed))
125: #31 Kyle Norstrem (3)
133: #14 Dennis Gustafson (2)
141: #25 Brent Moore (2)
149: #15 Ryan Blees (3)
157: #31 B.C. LaPrade (5)
165: #3 David McFadden (1)
174: #23 Hunter Bolen (1)
184: #6 Zack Zavatsky (1)
197: #1 Jared Haught (1)
285: #20 Andrew Dunn (5)
McFADDEN'S UNDEFEATED SEASON
- With a 6-2 decision over NC State's Brian Hamann, redshirt sophomore David McFadden finished the 2017-18 regular season with a flawless 29-0 record.
- He's the first Virginia Tech wrestler since Scott Justus in 2001-02 to finish the regular season undefeated.
- Justus also went 29-0 and concluded that season with 30-2 record and a .938 winning percentage, the best in program history.
- McFadden is currently ranked second in the RPI, third in the coaches panel rankings and enters this weekend as the top seed at 165 pounds in search of his first ACC championship.
ROBIE'S FIRST SEASON SUCCESS
- Head coach Tony Robie concluded his first regular season with 14-3 overall record and a 4-1 mark in ACC duals.
- His total wins ranks second and his winning percentage (.824) ranked third in ACC history for a head coach in his debut season.
- Robie's .824 winning percentage is the highest for a rookie head coach in Virginia Tech's history, surpassing Tom Brands' .800 first season winning percentage in 2004-05.
- Robie's 14 victories ranks second in program history behind Brands' 16 wins in the 2004-05.
ZZ LOOKS TO JOIN EXCLUSIVE COMPANY
- Redshirt junior Zack Zavatsky looks to become only the sixth Hokie wrestler to win three or more ACC championships in school history this weekend.
- Against the 184 pound field this season, Zavatsky is 5-0 with three bonus point victories – two major decisions and one win by fall.
- He enters the tournament as the top seed and the two-time defending champion.
- Only 28 other ACC wrestlers have won three or more conference titles.
Hokies' 3+ ACC Champions
Jesse Dong (157): 2010-11, 2013
Devin Carter: 2011-12 (133); 2014-15 (141)
Jarrod Garnet (125): 2010-11, 2013
Nick Brascetta: 2012-13 (149), 2015 (157)
Joey Dance (125): 2015-17
Schedule of Events
10 a.m.--Doors Open
11 a.m.--First Round Matches
1 p.m.--Semifinals
3:30 p.m.--Consolation Semifinals
5 p.m.--Consolation Finals
7 p.m.--Finals
Awards Presentation