Last week, after No. 6 Virginia Tech won its second consecutive ACC championship, the NCAA released seeds and brackets for its wrestling National Championship in Cleveland, Ohio, on March 18-21. Virginia Tech qualified its entire lineup, becoming one of just four programs nationally to do so; the Hokies were joined by Penn State, Ohio State, and Oklahoma State in this accomplishment. It’s the third time in four seasons that Virginia Tech will send 10 wrestlers to NCAAs, and the fourth straight season that the Hokies have sent nine or more to the national tournament.
The Hokies received a record four top-5 seeds as well as seven top-20 seeds. Here’s how each weight class looks heading into this week’s tournament.
(All rankings and seeds from NCAA brackets)
125 pounds
Luke Lilledahl, Penn State
Eddie Ventresca, Virginia Tech
Nic Bouzakis, Ohio State
Sheldon Seymour, Lehigh
Troy Spratley, Oklahoma State
The leader of the Hokies ‘ lineup this season, Eddie Ventresca, received a No. 2 seed in his third trip to the NCAAs. A two-time All-American, Ventresca is no stranger to big performances on the national stage. In 2025, he lost to Oklahoma State’s Troy Spratley in the semi-finals in tiebreakers, ending what was his best season to date. This year, he’s been impeccable, amassing a record of 19-2 and riding a 14-match win streak dating back to November. He defended his ACC title in Blacksburg against Stanford’s No. 7 Nico Provo in tiebreakers.
His road in Cleveland, like that of almost every other wrestler in this tournament, will almost certainly require a metaphorical detour to Happy Valley, as Lilledahl (20-0) appears to be the head and shoulders favorite at 125. The Nittany Lion is 20-0 this year and breezed through the Big Ten tournament. Other contenders include Spratley (16-3), whom Ventresca beat 2-1 in Blacksburg last month, as well as the rest of the division’s top-5. Iowa’s No. 7 Dean Peterson (14-6) and defending champion NC State’s No. 12 Vincent Robinson (15-4) are in good shape to make deep runs of their own, as well. The only wrestler to defeat Ventresca this season, Minnesota’s No. 6 Jore Volk (22-5), is on the same side of the bracket, meaning that for the Hokies’ lightweight to make it to the finals, he’d have to face Volk in the semi-final round. Alternatively, Ventresca could face Bouzakis, who handled himself well all year, including in a sudden victory loss to Lilledahl and an extra time win over Volk, in the penultimate round.
133 pounds
Jax Forrest, Oklahoma State
Ben Davino, Ohio State
Marcus Blaze, Penn State
Aaron Seidel, Virginia Tech
Kyler Larkin, Arizona State
The ACC’s Wrestler of the Year, true freshman Aaron Seidel burst onto the scene early this season, dominating opponents during early-season tournaments, but truly made his presence felt in January when he burned his redshirt in a dominating major decision over Stanford's All-American No. 15 Tyler Knox. Since then, he’s been on a tear, stacking a 15-1 record with bonus point wins in all but two bouts. He glided through the ACC tournament with two technical falls, including over Knox in the finals.
In what may be the deepest division this season, Seidel will face a loaded field of title contenders. The top five seeds are all freshmen who share a combined record of 92-4 this season. Outside of this group, Iowa’s No. 6 Drake Ayala (13-8) is a seasoned veteran who has wrestled on the biggest stage before. Defending champion, Illinois’ No. 7 Lucas Byrd (20-2), has been stellar this season despite faltering at the Big Ten tournament. A potential matchup to watch is a Seidel against Jax Forrest (15-0) rematch in the semi-finals, if the bracket goes chalk. The pair clashed in Blacksburg last month during the Hokies’ dual with the ‘Pokes in Blacksburg, with Forrest coming out on top 10-9. Seidel tallied three takedowns against the Cowboys’ sensational freshman and gave him his most competitive match this year by far. Seidel likely is a dark horse title contender and a favorite to pick up All-American honors.
141 pounds
Jesse Mendez, Ohio State
Sergio Vega, Oklahoma State
Brocky Hardy, Nebraska
Anthony Echemendia, Iowa State
Luke Stanich, Lehigh
25. Tom Crook, Virginia Tech
Crook is 17-11 on the year and looks to bounce back from his early exit at the ACC tournament. His road won’t be easy, as he opens his bracket in Cleveland against Minnesota’s No. 8 Vance Vombaur (21-8). From there, he’d likely face Rutgers No. 9 Joey Olivieri (19-2) in the second round, and defending champion Mendez (22-0) in the quarterfinals on Friday morning.
149 pounds
Shayne Van Ness, Penn State
Jaxon Joy, Cornell,
Cross Wasilewski, Penn
Collin Gaj, Virginia Tech
Koy Buesgens, NC State
Another member of the Hokies’ standout freshman class, Collin Gaj, has been a stalwart this season. Despite suffering an ankle injury during the Virginia dual, he has a record of 20-8 and won his first ACC title in Blacksburg. He has shown particular promise wrestling late into matches and riding out opponents, a tactic that was key in downing NC State’s No. 5 Koy Buesgens in the pair’s two meetings. He also defeated Stanford’s No. 10 Aden Valencia in Blacksburg and tallied a major decision over Michigan’s three-time All-American No. 11 Lachlan McNeil during the Cliff King Las Vegas Invitational. At the Keystone Classic in November, he pushed Penn's Wasilewski to the brink in a 2-1 decision.
Gaj could face Buesgens for a third time this season if they both reach the quarterfinals on Thursday night. He shares the same side of the bracket as the top seed in the division, Penn State’s Van Ness, however, who poses the biggest obstacle to a deep run by the Hokies’ freshman; Van Ness is currently 21-0 on the year and has looked very strong recently. Gaj looked fresh during the conference tournament, but wore a significant amount of tape on his right ankle. If he can remain healthy, the odds are in his favor to make a run at All-American honors in his first collegiate season.
157 pounds
PJ Duke, Penn State
Antrell Taylor, Nebraska
Meyer Shapiro, Cornell
Kaleb Larkin, Arizona State
Landon Robideau, Oklahoma State
14. Ethen Miller, Virginia Tech
Miller (16-6) enters the national tournament coming off an ACC runner-up finish. He’s been consistent all season long and has displayed a veteran prowess that only a graduate student can have, which has often been just what the Hokies have needed in dual meets. He’s wrestled well in nearly every match this season, including in close ranked losses to Robiedeau (16-2) and Illinois’ No. 25 Michael Gioffre (16-10).
His journey in Cleveland begins with a first-round matchup with Columbia’s No. 19 Kai Owen (18-7), whom Virginia Tech associate head coach Zach Tanelli coached while leading the Lions before coming to Blacksburg. A win against Owen means he’d face Cornell’s No. 3 Shapiro (15-1), one of the title contenders of the division, in the second round. His path becomes a little easier from there, should he pull off the upset. In the quarterfinals, he could face UVA’s No. 30 Colton Washleski (20-10), whom Miller handled in the dual season 4-3 in tiebreakers. Alternatively, he could see Pitt’s No. 27 Dyan Evans (21-8), whom Miller downed in the conference tournament, 4-3. Some of his other opponents may include Penn’s No. 6 Jude Swisher (20-3), Lehigh’s No. 10 Logan Rozynaski (13-3), George Mason's No. 18 DJ McGee (24-4), and defending champion Nebraska’s No. 2 Antrell Taylor (22-3), another title contender. His road is tough, but he remains a dark horse candidate to claim All-American honors for the first time.
165 pounds
Mitchell Messenbrink, Penn State
Joey Blaze, Purdue
Mikey Caliendo, Iowa
Nicco Ruiz,
Ladarion Lockett, Oklahoma State
25. Mac Church, Virginia Tech
Church enters the national tournament wrestling as well as he has all season, despite coming up short in the ACC finals. He’s 24-10 on the year and has looked strong over the last several months in dual meets. His road in Cleveland begins with a first-round matchup with Little Rock’s No. 8 Matty Bianchi (19-2). An upset there could ensure a rematch of the ACC final against North Carolina’s No. 9 Bryce Hepner (15-4) in the second round; this year, Church is 1-1 against the Tar Heel, including a 3-2 decision in the dual last month and a 2-0 loss in the conference final. Alternatively, he could square off against Penn’s No. 24 Sean Seefeldt (20-7). From there, he’d in all likelihood face Messenbrink (22-0), who’s as sure a lock to win the division as any wrestler in the entire field, on Friday morning in the quarterfinal
174 pounds
Levi Haines, Penn State
Simon Ruiz, Cornell
Christopher Minto, Nebraska
Carson Kharchla, Ohio State
Patrick Kennedy, Iowa
25. Sergio Desiante, Virginia Tech
After a stellar performance in the conference tournament, in which he knocked off the top seed in Pitt’s No. 23 Luca Augustine (12-6) to advance to the finals and a runner-up finish, Desiante (16-6) hopes to make some noise in his second national tournament appearance. His path in Cleveland is identical to that of Church and Crook. In the first round, he’s due to compete against Oklahoma State’s No. 8 Alex Facundo (16-6), who defeated Desiante 4-1 after a late takedown in the teams' dual in Blacksburg last month. From there, he’d see either Michigan’s No. 9 Beau Mantonona (21-7) or Ohio’s No. 24 Garrett Thompson (16-3) in the second round on Thursday evening. A win there almost certainly earns Desiante a meeting with Haines (21-0), who figures to have a title in his future, barring disaster.
184 pounds
Rocco Welsh, Penn State
Aeoden Sinclair, Missouri
Max McNelly, Minnesota
James Conway, Franklin and Marshall
Brock Mantanona, Michigan
14. Jaden Bullock, Virginia Tech
Coming off an ACC title of his own, Bullock (20-10) has quietly had a superb season for the Hokies. He’s been competitive throughout the year. Like Ventresca, he's shown a tendency to shut down opponents late in close matches with his defense. He’ll likely need to generate more offense this week if he wants to make a deep run against a stout division, however.
In the first round, he’s due to face Edinboro’s No. 19 Jared McGill (17-3). An opening win likely earns Bullock a meeting with Minnesota’s No. 3 Max McEnelly (19-2), who teched Bullock twice in the National Duals Invitational last November. If he’s able to finally get over the hump against the Golden Gopher, Bullock’s path likely requires that he beat Wyoming's No. 6 Eddie Neitenbach (20-6), who defeated Bullock 5-3 in the National Duals Invitational, in the quarterfinals and Missouri’s No. 2 Aeoden Sinclair (30-1) in the semifinals. To earn his first All-American honors, Bullock will likely need to battle back through consolations against top-tier talent, but if he can find some more offense while keeping his defense sharp, he could be in good shape to do so, depending on how the bracket shapes out.
197 pounds
Josh Barr, Penn State
Rocky Elam, Iowa State
Stephen Little, Little Rock
Sonny Sasso, Virginia Tech
Joey Novak, Wyoming
Perhaps no other wrestler on the Hokies’ roster is wrestling as well as Sasso (25-5) is right now. Fresh off his first ACC title, the 197-pounder is white hot and has amassed an impressive record coming into the national tournament, with ranked wins against Oklahoma State’s No. 7 Cody Merrill (17-4), Stanford’s No. 8 Angelo Posada (16-5), Pitt’s No. 10 Mac Stout, and Wyoming’s Novak (17-3).
Sasso will face Arizona State’s No. 29 Colton Hawks (7-9) in the first round. On Thursday evening, he could see either San Diego State’s No. 13 Bennett Berge (16-5) or Wisconsin’s No. 20 Wyatt Ingham (17-8). If the bracket chalks, Sasso could advance to the quarterfinals relatively unscathed before a rematch with Novak, whom Sasso defeated by a 12-2 major decision last fall. Another win against the Cowboys’ wrestler would, in all likelihood, mean Sasso would face off against the overwhelming favorite to win the title in Penn State's Barr (21-0) in the semifinals on Friday night. Other contenders in the divisions include Oregon State’s No. 6 Justun Rademacher (23-3), Oklahoma’s No. 8 DJ Parker (19-8), and Oklahoma State's Merrill. If the Hokies’ redshirt sophomore continues doing what he does best--push the pace offensively and smother opponents with action–then he could be in a prime position for a podium finish. He’d need his best stuff to stop Barr’s quest for another Nittany Lion title, but he’s shown that he can wrestle with the nation’s best all season long.
285 pounds
Yonger Bastida, Iowa State
Isaac Trumble, NC State
Taye Ghadiali, Michigan
AJ Ferrari, Nebraska
Nick Feldman, Ohio State
16. Jimmy Mullen, Virginia Tech
Coming off a disappointing third-place finish in the conference tournament, Mullen (22-7) looks to be a landmine in the heavyweight divisions. He’s put together a relatively consistent season, anchoring the top of the Hokies’ lineup and handling matches he’s favored in, while oftentimes struggling to get over the hump against elite talent. He’ll need to rewrite that narrative in Cleveland.
To open his NCAA tournament, Mullen takes the mat against Colorado’s No. 17 Vincent Mueller (25-6). A first-round victory would earn the Hokies’ heavyweight a match against the dominant Bastida (25-0), who has looked to be in cruise control all season long. Mullen’s side of the bracket also includes probable All-Americans in Nebraska’s No. 4 AJ Ferrari (15-3), Ohio State’s No. 5 Nick Feldman (23-5), Penn State’s No. 9 Cole Mirasola (17-9), and Iowa’s No. 8 Ben Kueter (9-7).
