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Wrestling

Virginia Tech Wrestling 2022-2023 Weight Preview: 157 and 165

2022-2023 Wrestling Roster

BLACKSBURG - With the 2022-2023 season right around the corner, let's take a look at the 157 and 165 pound wrestlers suiting up for the Hokies.

157: 
 
            The first Hokie looking to fill in his new weight class is the always electric, fan-favorite senior, Bryce Andonian. Wrestling for the legendary St. Edwards High School in Cleveland, Ohio, Andonian placed at the Ohio State Tournament four times and claimed the title twice. He was a two-time Ironman placer and won the 2018 Fargo Junior freestyle national title at 145 pounds. At the end of his high school career, Andonian finished as No. 20 on Flowrestling's Class of 2019 Big Board and No.4 in the country at 145 pounds. 
 
            Andonian posted an 18-6 record at 149 pounds in his true freshman year, placing second at the Wolfpack Wrestling Club Open, and fifth at the ARMS Software/GMU Patriots Open. Andonian made his dual debut with a 5-3 decision over Chattanooga's top-15 ranked Tanner Smith and continued his dual meet success going 8-3 on the season. On top of posting the team-best ACC record of 4-1, Andonian recorded a team-high six falls, one coming in 58 seconds. Andonian finished the season with a second-place finish at the ACC Championships, automatically qualifying him for the 2020 NCAA Championships, but was canceled due to COVID.
 
            In his sophomore campaign, Andonian posted a 10-4 record with only one regular season loss coming to North Carolina's eventual National Champion, Austin O'Connor. He also earned a pin over NCAA qualifier Josh Finesilver of Duke and claimed an important decision over NC State's Ed Scott in the dual that clinched Tech's 2021 ACC Dual Meet Title. Andonian finished as runner-up for the second straight year behind Austin O'Connor in a 11-7 barn burner. At his first NCAA Championships, Andonian went 2-2, falling to Fresno State's Kyle Parco in the round of 12. 
 
            In the summer of 2021, Andonian qualified for the Junior World Championships in Ufa, Russia, defeating ACC foe Ed Scott of NC State in the best of three finals series. Andonian went on to earn bronze at 70kg for Team USA.



In his junior year, the nation saw Andonian continue to dominate his competition. He finished the season with a record of 13-4, picking up five falls, the fastest being in 39 seconds over Northern Iowa's Colin Realbuto, a major decision over four-time NCAA qualifier Zach Sherman of UNC, and a fall and technical fall over four-time NCAA qualifier Josh Finesliver of Duke. Andonian made his third straight ACC finals appearance where he fell to three-time NCAA All-American Tariq Wilson of NC State by decision. Andonian went on to place third at the NCAA Championships - knocking off NCAA All-American Jon Jon Millner of App State twice, and defeating Big 10 champion, Wisconsin's Austin Gomez, for the second time in the tournament by a score of 10-6 for bronze in one of the most exciting matches of the weekend to cap off a spectacular season. 
 



            The next Tech wrestler at 157 pounds is another Pennsylvania hammer in redshirt sophomore Clayton Ulrey. Wrestling for Lower Dauphin High School in Grantville, Pennsylvania, Ulrey was a four-time district champion, four-time state qualifier, and three-time place winner claiming fifth in 2018 and finishing as a finalist in 2019 and 2020. 
 


 
            Ulrey also made his name known on the national scene, finishing third at 2019 Super 32 and was a runner-up at the 2019 Beast of the East. In addition to his folkstyle accolades, Ulrey has proven himself as a threat in freestyle as well, placing fifth at Fargo in 2018 and winning the 2019 Cadet World Team Trials to make the United States Cadet World Team.
 
            As a true freshman, Ulrey accrued a record of 6-1 at 157 pounds. After falling in the first match of his collegiate career, Ulrey went on a six-match win streak, four of them coming by major decision. Ulrey's season was highlighted by an 18-2 technical fall in his first and only dual match of the year against Ohio.
 
            In his first year in the starting lineup for the Hokies, Ulrey made his way up to 165 pounds. Going 16-14 on the season, Ulrey showed that he can compete with some of the best in the country, falling by decision to multiple top-25 competitors. Most notably, Ulrey fell to Pitt's returning NCAA finalist, Jake Wentzel by a score of 3-0. Ulrey finished fourth at the 2022 ACC Championships where he beat Duke's Gabe Dinette who had beaten him by major decision in the dual a month prior.
 
The final Hokie gunning for an opportunity to don the maroon and orange for Tech is redshirt freshman Jackson Spires. Coming out of Erie, Pennsylvania, Spires wrestled for General McLane High School where he was a three-time district champion, a two-time PIAA state qualifier, placing seventh in 2020. In addition, he was a Journeyman tournament runner-up in 2020.
 
            In his freshman campaign, Spires finished the season with a 9-7 record, picking up three technical falls and one pin along the way. The highlight of his season was a finals appearance in the freshman/sophomore division of the 2021 Southeast Open.
 
165: 

            Another Hokie looking to make his way back into the lineup moving up from 157 is Powell, Ohio native Connor Brady. Wrestling for Liberty High School, Brady was a three-time placer at the Ohio State tournament. He also won titles at both Super 32 and Ironman and was a Fargo All-American in 2018. In addition, Brady was ranked second in the nation at 152 pounds by Intermat, third by Flowrestling, and was the No. 9 overall recruit in the nation by Flowrestling.
 



            In his redshirt year, Brady posted a 9-2 record unattached. He placed fifth at both the Wolfpack Wrestling Club Open and Southeast Open at 157 pounds.
 
            In his first year competing in the starting lineup, Brady posted a 7-7 record. His season was highlighted by a third-place finish at the ACC Championships after falling in the first round to Virginia's Justin McCoy by an 8-6 decision. Brady's ACC bronze qualified him for the NCAA Championships where he went 0-2.
 
            As a redshirt sophomore, Brady went 13-11. Along the way, Brady finished second at the Southeast Open, falling by decision to eventual NCAA runner-up Quincy Monday of Princeton in the finals. Brady finished fourth at the ACC Championships, qualifying him for the NCAA Tournament where he went 1-2. His lone win came over Chase Saldate of Michigan State by a score of 3-2.
 
            Tech sees a new face looking to earn a spot in the lineup is a graduate transfer out of Chattanooga, Drew Nicholson. Nicholson wrestled for Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tennessee where he was a state finalist as a junior. He posted a 42-1 record his senior year but missed the state tournament due to injury. 
 


 
            In his first season competing at the collegiate level, Nicholson went 6-8 on the year. He went 3-2 at the Franklin & Marshall Open and 2-2 at the Edinboro Open.
 
In his redshirt freshman season, Nicholson made Chattanooga's starting lineup and posted a 10-12 record for the Mocs. During that season, he was 4-2 in league duals, placed third at the Wolfpack Open, and made the SoCon All-Freshman Team.
 
            As a redshirt sophomore, Nicholson went 16-16 on the season. He finished sixth at the Southeast Open and his season was highlighted with a third-place finish at the Appalachian State Open.
 
            During his redshirt junior campaign, Nicholson went 13-5, going 9-3 in duals and 6-2 in SoCon matches. Nicholson went on to claim the 165-pound title at the SoCon championships and was named the SoCon Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler after claiming the title as the third seed. His championship performance earned him a spot at the NCAA Tournament where he went 1-2. His lone win came over Penn State's Joe Lee.
 
            In his final season with the Mocs, Nicholson posted an 18-9 overall record with a perfect 7-0 record in SoCon competition in the regular season. He finished as a runner-up in the SoCon Championships and qualified for the NCAA Tournament where he went 0-2.

          The youngest Hokie looking to wrestle under the Cassel lights this season is redshirt freshman, Ty Finn. Coming out of Simsbury, Connecticut, Finn won three Connecticut state titles for Simsbury High School and was a 2021 New England runner-up. In addition, Finn was an NHSCA All-American.
 


 
            In his freshman year, Finn posted a 14-4 record at 157 pounds. Along the way, Finn picked up three technical falls and three pins, the fastest coming in 39 seconds over Chattanooga's Jackson Hurst. During the season, went 6-1 at the Southeast Open in the freshman and sophomore division, finished fifth at the Wolfpack Open and went 4-2 at the ARMS Software/GMU Patriot Open.