Virginia Tech finished seventh in the 2024 NCAA Tournament and will have a strong team back next season. The Hokies have a unique combination of veterans returning to the lineup and newcomers who can make an immediate impact. To learn more about his 2024-25 team at Virginia Tech and find out what to expect from the Hokies in his 2025 NCAA Tournament, check out the article below.
2024-25 Virginia Tech wrestling projected lineup:
125: Eddie Ventresca
133: #13 Connor McGonagle
141: #18 Sam Latona
149: #1 Caleb Henson
157: Rafael Hipolito
165: #15 Connor Brady
174: #7 Lennox Wallach
184: #7 TJ Stewart
197: #11 Andy Smith/Sonny Sasso
285: #12 Hunter Catka/Jimmy Mullen
125: Eddie Ventresca
Ventresca finished seventh in the 2023 NCAA Tournament and entered last year ranked No. 4 nationally at 125 pounds. However, Ventresca did not have the season he had hoped for, losing his first three games of 2023 and going 2-6, before his season ended with an injury in early December. Despite a disappointing year, Ventresca is a dangerous wrestler when he’s at his best, most notably against Kylian Cardinale, Eric Barnett, Patrick McKee, Stevo Poulin, Cooper Flynn, and Greg Diakomihalis. He has achieved great career victories. 125 is wide open again this year, and if Ventresca gets back to 100%, he will be an All-American contender.
Listen to Eddie Ventresca after earning All-American honors in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
133: #13 Connor McGonagle
Like Ventresca, McGonagle entered last season with high expectations, but ultimately had a disappointing season. McGonagle was forced to transfer from Lehigh after losing the starting spot to Ryan Crookham, who ended up being No. 3 in the nation. McGonagle and Crookham faced off earlier in the season in the Journeymen Classic, with Crookham winning a close game in overtime 6-3. Shortly after, Crookham defeated national champion Vito Aljau, solidifying his place as a starter and forcing McGongale to look for a new team.
Even if McGonagle didn’t start last season, the Hokies can expect big things from him next year. McGonagle entered last season ranked No. 6 nationally and has career wins over Kai Olin, Mickey Filippi, Michael Colaiocco, Angelo Rini and Wyatt Henson. McGonagle has all the skills to reach the NCAA podium this year and score important team points at Virginia Tech.
Connor McGonagle narrowly loses to Ryan Crookham
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141: #18 Sam Latona
Latona earned All-American honors at 125 pounds (6th place in 2021) and 133 pounds (7th place in 2023) and will move up to 141 pounds to finish his college career as a three-time All-American. That’s what I’m aiming for. Latona should have the length to successfully transition up to 141 pounds, but it’s hard to predict how he’ll fare against a whole new group of competitors. 141 pounds will be a competitive weight class next year with the potential return of two NCAA champions (Jesse Mendez and Andrew Alires) and a total of five All-Americans. Latona is capable of reaching the podium again, but it will not be an easy task.
149: #1 Caleb Henson
Caleb Henson is the national champion again at 149 pounds and will look to repeat his great performance in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Henson, who finished fifth as a true freshman in 2023, clearly raised the bar last season en route to his NCAA championship. However, Henson will be challenged by a number of strong candidates, including Ridge Lovett, Shayne Van Ness, and Jackson Arrington, all of whom have defeated Henson in the past. If the Hokies, now juniors, hope to take home the team trophy, it will depend on Henson’s leadership and key points in the NCAA Tournament.
Caleb Henson’s victory over Austin Gomez in the 2024 NCAA Finals:
157: Rafael Hipolito
Rafael Hipolito is a redshirt freshman that Hokie fans will be excited to watch for the next four years. Hipolito will be replacing three-time All-American and highlight-reel standout Bryce Andonian in the 157-pound class, and there are high expectations for him. According to Blacksburg, Hipolito has a similar exciting style of wrestling as Andonian, and there are high expectations for the freshman next season. Last year as a redshirt, Hipolito went 12-4 at 157 and 165, but went 6-1 at 157, losing only to All-American Ed Scott (12-7). The 157 division is a deep division this season, with a total of six former All-Americans competing. While Hipolito is unlikely to be an All-American, he is an intriguing prospect in the 157-pound division.
Rafael Hipolito defeats NCAA qualifier Will Miller at 2023 Keystone Classic:
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165: #15 Connor Brady
Connor Brady, a four-time NCAA qualifier, is currently in the transfer portal, but if he returns to Blacksburg, he will likely retain his spot in the Hokies’ starting lineup at 165 pounds next year. Brady has been a consistently quality starter at Virginia Tech, but he has never reached the stage where he could challenge for All-American honors. For Brady to score significant points against Virginia Tech in the NCAA Tournament, he will need to put in more effort than he has shown so far.
174: #7 Lennox Wallach
Lennox Wallach, a transfer from Columbia, earned sixth place national honors last season and will spend his final year of eligibility in Blacksburg. While some wrestling fans may have been surprised by that finish, Wallach has been great all year, wrestling in an incredibly entertaining style. Wallach’s inside trip and upper body skills are among the best in the country, and he is poised to earn All-American honors again in 2025.
Check out Lennox Wallach’s signature inside trip at the 2024 EIWA Championships.
184: #7 TJ Stewart
Stewart had a great freshman season, finishing seventh in the NCAA Tournament while recording notable wins over Chris Foka and Dylan Fishbach. Other than those wins, Stewart’s only losses were close fights against Bernie Tuax and Isaiah Salazar. Stewart is one of the best offensive players in the country at 184 pounds and has the potential to be on the podium this year. Hokie fans should be excited for Stewart’s second season, and if he steps up, he has a chance to challenge for a national title.
Watch TJ Stewart’s outrageous rat drop in the 2024 NCAA Tournament first round:
197: #11 Andy Smith/Sonny Sasso
Virginia Tech’s final two weights could provide some interesting roster battles. 6-foot-7 Andy Smith has been a starter for Virginia Tech the past two years, reaching the Round of 12 last season with some impressive wins over Zach Glazier, Nick Stemmett and Cole Irbus. Smith fell one win shy of All-American honors but would be a threat for All-American status if he were to start.
Andy Smith is a quality starter, while Sonny Sasso is the No. 26 overall recruit in the class of 2023 and had a solid redshirt season last year. Sasso recorded ranked wins over Nick Stemmett, Levi Hopkins, Evan Bates, and Bobby Strigoe. However, Sasso also suffered losses to Cole Arbus, Evan Bockman, Tanner Sloan, Silas Allred, Jacob Cardenas, JT Davis, Michael Beard, and Christian Knopp. With these losses in mind, Sasso will need to jump a level at 197 to prove himself as a clear starter.
285: #12 Hunter Catka/Jimmy Mullen
The Hokies will have another roster battle at heavyweight between third-year starter Hunter Katka and top recruit redshirt freshman Jimmy Mullen. Katka had the best year of his career last season, falling one win short of All-American honors in the Round of 12 of the NCAA Tournament. It’s also worth noting that Katka defeated Mullen in a close 4-1 match at the Keystone Classic.
Despite Katka’s experience and head-to-head results, Mullen should not be underestimated. I expect him to be given every opportunity to be a starter at 285 and believe he has the potential to earn All-American honors if he does. Mullen was the No. 11 overall recruit in the 2023 class and a 2021 U17 world silver medalist. Additionally, Mullen had an incredible performance at the U.S. Open in April, earning him a bonus by breaking through a bracket that included top rookie Coy Hopke of Minnesota. Nikolas Sahakian (Arizona State) and Aden Atao (Oregon State).
Katka’s win over Mullen at the 2023 Keystone Classic:
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Mullen defeats Nikolas Sahakian in 2024 US Open U20 Freestyle Final:
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How will Virginia Tech fare in the NCAA Tournament in 2025?
Hokie fans should have high expectations for the 2024-25 season considering the number of All-American threats. Virginia Tech will be a tough dual-meet team and has the ability to challenge for the team trophy (top three) if all goes well in the NCAA Tournament. Although the Hokies have a high ceiling, many of their top wrestlers aren’t “guaranteed” to make the All-American team, and if guys like Ventresca, McGonagle, Latona, and Wallach don’t make it to the podium, the Hokies will be in the top 10 or so. There is a possibility that it will fall. Their finish makes Virginia Tech an exciting team to watch next year, and in 2025 he has the potential to take home a lot of hardware in the NCAA Tournament.
