Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
For the eighth time in program history and for the third-straight season, Virginia Tech wrestling is sending nine student-athletes to the NCAA Championships. The Hokies recorded a program record three top-four seeds and four top-six seeds led by No. 1 Caleb Henson (149-pounds), No. 3 Eddie Ventresca (125-pounds), No. 4 Rafael Hipolito, Jr. (157-pounds) , and No. 6 Connor McGonagle (133-pounds).
The Hokies’ second-ever national champion, Henson joins Mekhi Lewis (174-pounds, 2024) and Scott Justus (184-pounds, 2002) as the only three Hokies in program history to claim the top-seed entering the season’s final event. The two-time All-American, two-time ACC champion, and defending national champion travels to Philadelphia with an unblemished 18-0 record and a 23-match win streak looking to repeat his national title performance at 149-pounds.
The resurgent season of Eddie Ventresca continues to Philadelphia. After an injury cut his season short last year, the 2023 All-American has attacked the 2024-2025 season with a vengeance – sporting an 18-3 record and adding ACC champion to his resume. A Cinderella run in 2023 that saw Ventresca enter as the No. 27 seed battle to a seventh-place finish, the Roxbury, NJ native takes to his second NCAA Championships as the three seed at 125-pounds.
By way of Manaus, Brazil, the freshman phenom Rafael Hipolito, Jr. has taken the weight division by storm – 17-3 record, three wins over two All-Americans, and an ACC title – en route to the four seed entering next week’s national tournament. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu prodigy and four-time world champion who started wrestling five years ago is no stranger to the big stage and will look to make his mark on the national stage in his debut season for the Hokies.
Spring game includes Appy alum
Eighteen Appalachian League alumni were selected for Major League Baseball’s second annual “Spring Breakout” prospect games from March 13-16.
Spring Breakout returns for a second year with the games serving as a showcase of baseball’s future stars. Each Major League Club will field a team of prospects from their farm system to play a team of top prospects from another organization in a nine-inning exhibition game.
The 18 Appy League representatives is up from nine in 2024. Nine of the 10 Appy League teams will have a former player in this year’s showcase, with Tri-State (established in 2024) being the lone exception. Of the 18 prospects named to this year’s showcase, 12 of them are in their respective team’s Top 30 prospects list as named by MLB Pipeline, with three in the Top 10.
The group includes outfielder Rodney Green Jr. who played in Pulaski in 2022 and is now a part of the Oakland Athletics farm system.
15 All-American Hokies
Virginia Tech sent 14 Hokies to the 2025 NCAA Indoor Championships over the course of March 14-15. All 14 individuals were garnered All-Americans in their events with seven earning first team honors and eight collecting second team.
First team All-Americans:
Julia Fixsen, pole vault, 4.40m
Sara Killinen, weight throw, 22.31m
Maddox Hamm, pole vault, 5.61m
Viktor Idhammar (2:54.68), men’s DMR, 9:21.69
Tomas Kersulis (47.82), men’s DMR, 9:21.69
Christian Jackson (1:45.75), men’s DMR, 9:21.69
Nick Plant (3:53.45), men’s DMR, 9:21.69
Second t eam All-Amers:
Star Price, 800m, 2:07.40
Judson Lincoln IV, 400m, 47.01
Nate Paris, heptathlon, 5,617 pts
George Couttie, 3,000m, 7:57.77
Kahleje Tillmon (47.01), 4x400m, 3:07.95
Sam Herenton (47.69), 4x400m, 3:07.95
Tomas Kersulis (46.27), 4x400m, 3:07.95
Ali Diaby (47.00), 4x400m, 3:07.95
Hokie Way auction
The Hokie Way Auction is back for its second edition, taking place from April 1-14, allowing Hokie fans from around the world to bid on exclusive items and experiences. Proceeds will support The Hokie Way’s mission of creating opportunities for Virginia Tech student-athletes to leverage their name, image, and likeness on behalf of charitable organizations.
The online auction will run from noon on Tuesday, April 1 until noon on Monday, April 14.
This year’s exclusive items and experiences up for bid include but are not limited to: unique experiences with each athletic program, autographed football helmets, private dinners with coaches, golf outings at top-tier courses, concert tickets for A-list acts, courtside tables at basketball games, signed memorabilia from Liz Kitley and more.
Former CHS coach
Brandon Buchner who served as assistant coach at Christiansburg High School is headed to his third collegiate stop. Buchner is the new special teams analyst at Arkansas State after stops at the University of Tennessee Martin and Florida International.
Before UT Martin, Buchner served as an assistant coach at Christiansburg High School from 2017-20.
The hire comes as a major overhaul of the ASU staff. This past fall, head football coach Butch Jones, one of just three FBS coaches in the history of college football to lead four different programs to multiple bowl game appearances, signed a new agreement that extends his contract to Dec. 31, 2029.
