No. 6 Virginia Tech (9-2, 4-0 ACC) hosts the first of two top 15 duals this weekend on Friday night against No. 13 North Carolina (9-3, 2-2 ACC) at 8:00 PM.
The Hokies enter this matchup after winning five consecutive duals. As head coach Tony Robie told FloWrestling on Wednesday, he believed his team’s success since the start of the new year was a testament to the consistency with which they approach each opponent.
“I think our guys are going out and wrestling the same every time they step on the mat, regardless of the opponent, regardless of the venue or the crowd, whether it's good or bad,” Robie said. “So I think we've just been focusing on ourselves and improvement and wrestling in the areas where we're good and trying to score points…I’ve been pleased with that.”
Robie’s squad is looking for revenge in this particular meeting, however, after Tech unexpectedly dropped its dual against the Tar Heels last season in Chapel Hill, 20-17. That loss proved to be the Hokies’ lone blemish on the ACC schedule, and it cost them an outright conference regular season dual meet championship; Tech shared the title with NC State and North Carolina in 2025.
A win against the Tar Heels on Friday night would clinch at least a share of the ACC regular season dual meet title for the second straight season.
Featured Matchups
Friday’s dual is projected to feature six ranked bouts, per InterMat:
125: #3 Eddie Ventresca (VT) vs. #13 Kysen Terukina (UNC)
Ventresca enters this matchup with a 16-2 record on the season. He’s looked extremely comfortable in nearly every match he’s been in so far, racking up numerous bonus point victories in conference play. Terukina, a two-time NCAA qualifier at Iowa State, boasts a record of 11-2 on the year. He was also named the ACC Wrestler of the Week in December 2025 after leading the Tar Heels’ to a win over then-No. 12 Northern Iowa.
133: #6 Aaron Seidel (VT) vs. #27 Ethan Oakley (UNC)
Seidel has been on a tear in his first college season, standing at 14-0 with 12 technical falls, one major decision, and a pin. Oakley was a 3rd place winner at the ACC Championships last year in Durham, earning the No. 12 seed at NCAAs. He’s currently 11-6 on the year after starting every dual match but two for the Tar Heels.
141: #22 Tom Crook (VT) vs. #10 Luke Simcox (UNC)
Both wrestlers are having solid campaigns. Crook is 16-7, including a win over Pitt’s #29 Anthony Santaniello. Simcox is 11-4 in his first collegiate season, with a first place finish at the Soldier Salute and a second place finish at the Southeast Open. Notably, Simcox knocked off NC State’s #12 Ryan Jack during the Tar Heels’ dual against the Wolfpack in January.
157: #16 Ethen Miller (VT) vs. #25 Laird Root (UNC)
Miller brings a 10-3 record into this matchup, with clutch wins during the Pitt and NC State and duals, notching a crucial 4-2 decision over the latter’s #18 Dylan Evans. Root continues to stack wins this season, boasting a 14-7 record that includes nine bonus point wins.
165: #33 Mac Church (VT) vs. #13 Bryce Hepner (UNC)
Church likely re-enters the lineup on Friday to preserve the redshirt of true freshman Ryan Burton, who started at 165 over the last few weeks. Church is 15-7 on the year. Hepner is having a strong season, standing at 12-2 in his first campaign in Chapel Hill since transferring from Ohio State. So far this season, he’s racked up four pins and two major decisions.
184: #28 Jaden Bullock (VT) vs. #13 Jake Dailey (UNC)
The Hokies’ 184-pounder has had a somewhat shaky season, posting a 14-10 record so far, but lately he’s notched gritty wins during both the NC State and Virginia duals. He faces Jake Dailey, who is 16-2 this season, including a perfect 10-0 in duals, with nine wins coming by bonus points.
Things to look for:
The Hokies’ 149-pounder, #7 Collin Gaj, probably will not be in Friday’s lineup after suffering an ankle injury during the Virginia dual last week. Look for Drew Gorman to get the nod in Gaj’s place.
Although Virginia Tech will be favored in the majority of matches, bonus points will be crucial in determining the team score. Watch for guys like Ventresca, Seidel, Sergio Desiante, Sonny Sasso, and Jimmy Miller to look to score early and often for bonus point wins, if their bouts go according to plan.
Coming down the stretch of the conference dual schedule, every bout carries significant weight in determining seeding for the ACC Championships in Blacksburg on March 8. As important as the team score is in this one, pay close attention to individual results at each weight class to gauge how the Hokies’ grapplers’ stocks could change heading toward the postseason.
Outlook
As stated previously, Virginia Tech should be favored in all but a few of the night’s bouts. The Tar Heels should likely have the upper hand at 141, 165, and 184, and bonus point victories at any of these spots could swing the team score in North Carolina’s direction somewhat.
Tech should be able to separate itself at 174, 197 and 285, however. At 149, Gorman is projected to square off against Nate Askew, who Gorman defeated in high school via a 15-0 major decision. Overall, look for Virginia Tech to take care of business in the matchups that it is favored in, and to drop a handful of bouts to some of North Carolina’s talented middleweights.
Prediction: 22-12, Virginia Tech
