Takedown Report

No. 6 Hokies handle No. 13 North Carolina for seventh top 25 win of the season

BLACKSBURG – The No. 6 Virginia Tech wrestling team (10-2, 5-0 ACC) continues to roll – dispatching a chippy No. 13 North Carolina Tar Heel (9-4, 2-3 ACC) squad 29-9 in Cassell Coliseum on Friday night. With the win, Tech notched its seventh top 25 win this year as well as secured a share of the 2026 ACC regular season title. The Hokies won eight of ten bouts with three via bonus and two upset wins by No. 33 Mac Church and No. 32 Jaden Bullock.

Rankings Don’t Mean Everything

Since re-entering the starting lineup at 165-pounds, No. 33 Mac Church (16-7) has claimed back-to-back wins with an exclamation point on Friday night over No. 12 Bryce Hepner. In a stalwart first period, it was Church who would strike and secure the only takedown of the match in the second period. With a 3-1 lead, the redshirt sophomore would hold on to secure a 3-2 decision victory for his biggest victory this season.

Home state native, No. 32 Jaden Bullock (15-10) added another credible win to his resume – taking out No. 13 Jake Dailey at 184-pounds once again. The two met earlier this season at the Southeast Open which saw Bullock make a surging comeback for the victory, an eerily similar situation to Friday night. Trailing in the third, Bullock would secure a reversal into two nearfall points then add a takedown at the end of the bout with an upset 8-3 decision for the Hokies to kill any momentum the Tar Heels had to make a comeback.

Freshmen Phenomenal Once Again

Continuing his sensational debut campaign, No. 6 Aaron Seidel (12-0) had another tech fall shutout on opening day against UNC’s true freshman Matthew Botello at 133-pounds. Seidel was offensive early as he’s been all season and jumped out to a 14-0 lead to end the first two periods courtesy of two takedowns and 11 nearfall. The Hokie would then garner a reversal in the third for the 16-0 tech fall, keeping his 100% bonus rate of 10 techs, one pin, and one major rolling.

With No. 6 Collin Gaj out with injury, it was fellow freshman Drew Gorman (15-6) bumping up and filling in at 149-pounds for Tech. Gorman opened up scoring with a crucial four-point nearfall sequence in the second period then added an escape, takedown, and riding time point to take a 10-4 decision over Nate Askew to further separate the team score in favor of the Hokies.

Ventresca and Miller Show Veteran Poise, Sasso and Mullen Bonus to Seal Business

No. 3 Eddie Ventresca (16-2) continues to steer the Hokies in his national title campaign season. Ventresca displayed his blinding speed and veteran savviness against yet another top 15 ranked opponent in No. 13 Kysen Terukina. Terukina a multiple time NCAA qualifier at Iowa State before transferring to the Tar Heels this offseason never threatened the reigning 125-pound ACC champion as Ventresca secured two takedowns and an escape for the 7-2 decision to start the dual.

At 157-pounds, No. 16 Ethen Miller (11-3) has an attraction to the theatrics with his second straight weekend of extra time wrestling. It was a chippy bout against UNC’s No. 25 Laird Root for the Hokie, unnecessary roughness points finding its way to both wrestlers early in the bout. Tied at 2 via said points and escapes by both competitors, it was Miller converting on a sprawl to go-behind for the 5-2 winning takedown in sudden victory.

New look No. 14 Sonny Sasso (18-5) continues to find his form with a controlling 12-4 major decision over Robert Platt at 197-pounds. Sasso tallied three takedowns – two coming in the opening period – plus two escapes and a riding time point for this third straight victory. His win secured the dual for the Hokies and secured a share of the regular season conference title, making it back-to-back titles for Tech.

Fan favorite No. 17 Jimmy Mullen (19-5) put an exclamation point on the dual with a 19-3 4:52 tech fall … nore at … https://hokiesports.com/news/2026/02/14/no-6-hokies-handle-no-13-north-carolina-for-seventh-top-25-win-on-the-season

February 19, 2026 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | ncaa, sports