Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Head coach Tony Robie announced Wednesday that Jake Hart of Fort Mill High School in Fort Mill, S.C., has signed his National Letter of Intent to wrestle for Virginia Tech this fall.
Hart won more than 200 matches in his high school career at Fort Mill and Keller Central High School in Texas. At Fort Mill, he was a 2018 state champion and the No. 1 ranked wrestler in the state at 152 pounds. Hart, a two-time South Carolina state finalist, was also named class 5A's Most Outstanding Wrestler for his performance in the state tournament.
Hart finished his senior season with a record of 54-1. His lone loss was to David Carr in the semifinals of the prestigious Beast of the East tournament in Delware. Hart wrestled back for third place after the loss to Carr.
Most recently, Hart placed second in the 152-pound bracket at the NHSCA Senior National tournament in Virginia Beach. Hart dropped a tough 3-1 decision in the championship match to the No. 1 seed Jacori Teemer, a five-time New York state champion and an Arizona State signee.
Hart joins a group of four signees that inked letters of intent during the fall signing period:
Mitch Moore – Urbana, Ohio (St. Paris Graham)
Four-time Ohio state champion … No. 17 overall recruit in the class of 2018 by FloWrestling … Ranked No. 4 by FloWrestling at 138 pounds and No. 2 by Intermat at 145 pounds … Competed at FloWrestling's 2017 "Who's No. 1?" showcase … 2014 Ironman champion.
Dakota Howard – Berea, Ohio (St. Edward)
2018 195-pound Ohio state finalist … Ranked No. 10 by FloWrestling and No. 11 by Intermat nationally at 195 pounds … 2017 Ohio freestyle state champion … 2017 Ohio high school state runner-up at 195 pounds … Placed second at the 2016 Ohio state freestyle championship.
Collin Gerardi – Powhatan, Va. (Powhatan)
Four-time Virginia state champion … 132-pound NHSCA National Champion … 2018 Wrestler of the Year by the Richmond Times-Dispatch … Finished his career with a record of 172-12 … Placed first at the 2017 Front Royal Rumble … Men's junior VAWA freestyle state champion … 2017 All-Metro selection by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Hunter Graf – Flemington, N.J. (Hunterdon Central)
Went 3-2 at the New Jersey state tournament … Two-time New Jersey District 17 champion and two-time Region 5 finalist … Four-time New Jersey state qualifier … 2016 New Jersey state eight place finisher at 113 pounds.