After being a regular starter for the past four years at Virginia Tech, starting 165 wrestler Connor Brady has decided to enter the transfer portal instead of using his extra COVID year in Blacksburg, according to Pete Nakos of On3.
Virginia Tech 4x NCAA qualifier Connor Brady (165) and Logan Frazier (133) have entered the transfer portal, @On3sports and @PeteNakos_ confirm. @TransferPortal_ 🤼♂️
— Nick Kosko (@nickkosko59) April 8, 2024
Brady leaves Virginia Tech after being a four-time NCAA Championship qualifier who went 54-41 during the five years he spent in Blacksburg including the first two seasons where he wasn't a starter, one of which was his redshirt and one of which gifted him the extra COVID year he has now. As mentioned above, he will have one year of eligibility remaining.
Brady was a solid starter for the Hokies during his time in Blacksburg and showed flashes of promises to climb beyond just qualifying for NCAA Championships. However, Brady was never able to find the consistency needed to take that next step from just qualifying for NCAAs to winning ACC titles and pushing to become an All-American.
It is fair to see this as slightly surprising given the starting job he could have had in Blacksburg, but it also did seem likely that the Hokies could bring in some additional competition along with having Hipolito back to push Brady to step up or be replaced as we saw with Eddie Ventresca at 125 this season.
The Hokies now have a couple holes in their lineup now with the 165 opening joining the 157 opening given Bryce Andonian's career wrapping up and veteran backup Clayton Ulrey entering the transfer portal as well. Promising redshirt freshman Rafael Hipolito seems likely to start in one of those two spots with the possibility to wrestle at either weight after wrestling at both this past season at various times.
A transfer addition seems likely to pair with Hipolito to fill the starting spots at 157 and 165 heading into the summer. One name that would make sense for Tech to pursue is Appalachian State grad transfer Tommy Askey who came one win short of becoming an All-American this past year, and projects to be a top 10-15 guy at 157 next season.
Tech also had a hole to address at 174 after Mekhi Lewis wrapped up his tremendous career. However, that hole has already been addressed with one of the best additions of the transfer portal cycle this year in Columbia's 174 All-American Lennox Wolak who was out of eligibility per Ivy League rules, but not out of eligibility per NCAA rules thanks to the free COVID year.
The focus is certainly set to be on the middle weights for the Hokies in the transfer portal following the departure of veteran 165 starter Connor Brady.
