Virginia Tech Wrestling: Hokies' day one results

The Virginia Tech Hokies sent nine participants to the NCAA Tournament, at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. There were many storylines to address over the first of three days of action, the two biggest revolving around Sam Latona and Caleb Henson, both, with storied careers Hokie careers.

Coming in at the 125-pound weight class for the Hokies was the third-seeded ACC Champion Eddie Ventresca. Ventresca marched through to the quarterfinals where he will take on sixth-seed West Virginia Mountaineer Jett Strickenberger Friday morning.

In at the 133-pound class was Hokie No. 6 Connor McGonagle, McGonagle finished the season 17-1 and like Ventresca, McGonagle will be fighting in the quarterfinals early Friday.

One of the consistent forces for the last five years for the Hokies has been No. 12 Sam Latona. Latona is a four-time ACC Championship finalist, including winning the ACC in 2021. Latona took on the 141-pound weight class, however his career came to an end thanks to two Thursday morning losses.

Last year's NCAA Champion No.1 Caleb Henson continued his impressive 23-dual winning streak and built it up to 25 with two one-sided decisions sending him to the 149-pound quarterfinal.

157-pound No.4 seed Rafael Hipolito fell to Trevor Chumbley of West Virginia Thursday night and will be competing in the consolation bracket and will take on San Diego State's Cobe Siebrecht Friday morning.

Redshirt freshman No.28 Mac Church lost his opening dual to Cornell's Julian Ramirez, however, he bounced back in the consolation bracket and is pushed up against Braden Scoles from Illinois tomorrow in the 165-pound class.

No. 24 dent Lennox Wolak reinvigorated the Hokies' winning spirit thanks to a quarterfinals push in the 174-pound class which saw him push to take on No. 1 Keegan O'Toole in an attempt to shock the world, tomorrow morning.

In the 197-pound class, No. 19 Andy Smith was dropped to the consolation bracket after a second round loss to California State University, Bakersfield's AJ Ferrari. Smith will take on Nebraska's Camden McDanel Friday morning.

To wrap things up, Hokie Jimmy Mullen from the 285-pound class took place in two duals. The first, he lost against Lock Haven's Gavin Hoffman. However, a consolation win moves the No.11 Mullen up against Nick Feldman from Ohio State.

The action continues tomorrow morning at noon, on ESPNU, then at eight p.m. on ESPN.