No. 7 Virginia Tech Wrestling Defeats No. 8 NC State 21-12

In a battle of top-10 rivals, No. 7 Virginia Tech (8-2, 3-0 ACC) picked up a crucial 21-12 ACC dual victory over No. 8 NC State (12-4, 3-1) on Friday night in Raleigh, handing the Wolfpack its first home ACC dual loss since 2019. It's also the first time in the series since 2019 that the visiting side claimed a dual win.

Coming into the matchup, both sides were riding win streaks and featured lineups with ranked wrestlers at nearly every weight class. Friday night's dual was a rematch from last November, when the Hokies defeated the Wolfpack 25-9 in the National Duals Invitational in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Virginia Tech's ability to score from the top position that was the deciding factor, leading to two bonus-point victories and multiple ride-outs at critical points throughout the night that ultimately secured the dual in the Hokies' favor.

Virginia Tech claimed six of 10 bouts on the night. Here's how each bout finished:

• 125: No. 3 Eddie Ventresca (VT) dec. No. 5 Vincent Robinson (NCSU), 2-1 in tiebreakers
• 133: No. 7 Aaron Seidel (VT) tech fall No. 33 Zach Redding (NCSU), 16-0
• 141: No. 13 Ryan Jack (NCSU) dec. No. 22 Tom Crook (VT), 7-2
• 149: No. 9 Collin Gaj (VT) dec. No. 5 Koy Buesgens (NCSU), 6-0
• 157: No. 16 Ethen Miller (VT) maj. dec. Luca Felix (NCSU), 12-1
• 165: No. 13 Will Denny (NCSU) dec. No. 12 Ryan Burton (VT), 8-5
• 174: No. 4 Matthew Singleton (NCSU) dec. No. 31 Sergio Desiante (VT), 5-4 on riding time
• 184: No. 32 Jaden Bullock (VT) dec. Donald Cates (NCSU), 2-0
• 197: No. 17 Sonny Sasso (VT) dec. No. 25 Patrick Brophy (NCSU), 11-10
• 285: No. 2 Isaac Trumble (NCSU) dec. No. 16 Jimmy Mullen (VT), 7-0

The Hokies came out of the gates swinging, winning four of the first five bouts, two of them by way of bonus-points.

The dual got underway at 125 pounds, pitting familiar foes No. 3 Eddie Ventresca against 2025 National Campion No. 5 Vincent Robinson. Ventresca was 3-0 against Robinson entering the bout, and defended his win streak with a 3-2 tiebreaker victory over the Wolfpack wrestler.

Seventh-ranked Aaron Seidel continued his phenomenal freshman campaign with a dominant 16-0 technical fall over early in the second period over No. 33 Zach Redding. Seidel is now 13-0 on the season, with 10 technical falls and three major decisions.

True freshman No. 9 Collin Gaj likewise built on his impressive inaugural college season with his best performance to date against No. 5 Koy Buesgens. Gaj was tough on top, and rode Buesgens for the majority of the back half of the bout to secure the 6-0 decision.

No. 16 Ethen Miller put on a clinic against Luca Felix, earning a 12-1 major decision that ended the first half of the dual with the Hokies leading 15-3, and silenced what was a rowdy Reynolds Coliseum.

After intermission, NC State's No. 13 Will Denny came up with a late takedown on the edge of the mat to drop No. 12 Ryan Burton and get the Wolfpack on the board. NC State later picked up a closely contested bout at 174, in which No. 6 Matt Singleton ended No. 31 Sergio Desiante's upset bid after the Chattanooga transfer led the bout 3-0 at the end of the first period.

With Virginia Tech's lead cut down to just six, No. 32 Jaden Bullock displayed plenty of veteran poise, riding out the entire second period on top to secure a critical 2-0 decision that extended Virginia Tech's lead.

The 197-pound bout featured the most offensive fireworks of the night. After going down 5-10 against NC State's No. 25 Patrick Brophy, No. 16 Sonny Sasso landed two takedowns of his own, and secured a riding time point to take the bout 11-10 and ice the dual for the Hokies.

Friday's victory marked the first time since 2015-17 that Virginia Tech won three consecutive dual meets against NC State. It also was the fourth victory in the last five series meetings for the Hokies. Virginia Tech now sits atop the ACC standings entering the home stretch of the conference schedule.

The Hokies return to action on Friday, February 6th at 7 PM against Virginia in Charlottesville.