Hokies Wrestling 2012-2013 Preview

The Hokies wrestling team enters the 2012-2013 season as the #10 ranked team in the country. This year looks very promising for the Hokies if they can stay healthy. Nine out of the team's ten projected starters have started in the past and are ranked in the top 25.

The biggest news so far this year is that Devin Carter, last year's 133 pound wrestler, who was ranked #1 in the country for a few weeks, will take a redshirt. He will use this year grow into his new 141 pound weight class and work on improving as an all around wrestler.

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r-Sr. - #7 Jarrod Garnett

Garnett is coming off of a redshirt year, where he compiled an impressive amount of accomplishments while wrestling unattached. He won the Harris Open, placed fifth at the Nittany Lion open, and placed second at the Midlands Championship, all while wrestling at the 125 pound weight class. Jarrod then moved up to the 133 pound weight class where he championed the Appalachain State Open and the National Collegiate Open. Look for Jarrod to have an extremely successful season and be a leader for the team.

133

r-Jr. - #23 Erik Spjut

Spjut, a 2011-2012 NCAA qualifier, looks to continue on a successful 2011-2012 campaign. Spjut, who placed 4th at the ACC tournament last year, received a wild card spot to the NCAA tournament, where he went 1-2, capping off a 28-15 season. Spjut is stepping into the role left void by Devin Carter, who will redshirt this year.

141

r-Jr. - #11 Zach Neibert

Zach Neibert came on strong at the end of last season and suprised a lot of people. He placed 3rd at the ACC Championships last season, and qualified for the NCAA Tournament, where he made the round of 12. Neibert finished his 2011-2012 season with a record of 22-12.

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So. - #19 Nick Brascetta

Nick finished his 2011-2012 season as the ACC Champion at the 149 pound weight class as well as claiming the title of ACC Rookie of the Year. Nick went 1-2 at the NCAA Tournament, but upset the tournament's #9 seed in the first round. Brascetta finished his 2011-2012 season with an official record of 10-5, but overall he was 22-6 when combining his unattached results.

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r-Sr. - #7 Jesse Dong

Jesse Dong is back for his fifth season in a Hokie singlet due to a medical redshirt that was granted to him after beginning his 2011-2012 season 7-0, only to have it cut short. Jesse injured his shoulder and had surgery to repair the injury in December of last year. Dong is considered one of the team's leaders and will be a pivotal athlete for the team this year. Jesse has a career record of 86-18 and is a two-time ACC Champion.

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r-Sr. - #4 Peter Yates

Yates enters the 2012-2013 season as an All-American, following a 5th place finish at the NCAA Championships last season. Yates lost his first match of the tournament, then completed one of the toughest feats in the sport when he battled back to finish 5th. During the ACC Championship last year, Yates upset top seeded and #2 ranked wrestler in the country, John Asper, from the University of Maryland. Yates and Asper went to overtime where Yates prevailed, winning his first ACC title and the ACC tournament's most outstanding wrestler. Yates will be a wrestler that this team looks to for leadership this season.
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Jr. - #20 Chris Moon

A 2011-2012 All-ACC Academic Team member, Moon is coming off of a solid 2011-2012 season. Chris finished 2nd at the ACC Championships last year qualifying him for the NCAA tournament, where he went 0-2. Moon finished his season with an overall record of 19-15, and a record of 3-2 in the ACC.

184

r-Jr. - Nick Vetterlein

Vetterlein was a solid starter for the Hokies during the 2011-2012 season. This season, he has moved down a weight class from 197 to 184. Last year, he compiled an overall record of 24-11, while going 3-1 in ACC competition. Vetterlein comes into the season unranked, but can easily make some noise and crack the top-25.

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r-Jr. - #23 Derrick Borlie

Borlie, a University of Wisconson transfer, is no stranger to the state of Virginia. He completed his high school career at Millbrook High School. Derrick is coming off of a knee injury that ended his 2011-2012 season on the same weekend that it started, while wrestling unattached at the Hokie Open. Once Derrick gets on the mat for the Hokies, have no doubt that he will play a huge role for the team this year.

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r-Sr. - #14 David Marone

A sixth year senior, David Marone is back for what will be his final year in a Hokie singlet. David's 2011-2012 season got off to a roaring start when he began his season 5-0. During his sixth match, a dual versus Ohio State, Marone tore his ACL and was forced to petition for a sixth year of eligibility, which was granted to him. Marone has twice finished 2nd in the ACC tournament, and finished 3rd once. He is a two-time NCAA tournament qualifier with a career record of 74-37.

The Virginia Tech Hokies wrestling team begins their 2012-2013 season with the Hokie Open on Sunday November 4, 2012. The tournament is held annually at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Virginia and is an all day event. The team's first home match promises to be a good one, as the #5 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes come to Blacksburg to take on the Hokies in Cassell Coliseum on November 16, 2012 at 7 p.m.

All rankings taken from D1 College Wrestling.

DISCLAIMER: Blog posts may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.

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