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Hokies hit the mats across the country
Tech to send athletes to three different tournaments this weekend
November 20, 2009

BLACKSBURG - The Virginia Tech wrestling program will have its athletes scattered across the country this weekend, competing in three different tournaments. Most of the team will head to the U.S. Naval Academy for the annual Navy Classic. Tech will be one of several top-notch teams competing, including Bloomsburg, Bucknell, Campbell, Duquesne, Franklin & Marshall, George Mason, Navy and West Virginia. Tech will also have competitors at the Kaufman-Brand Open in Nebraska and the Wolfpack Open in North Carolina.

The Hokies moved up one spot as a team in the latest InterMat team rankings to No. 23 in the country. Tech is 4-1 on the young season and have yet to wrestle a meet with its entire lineup due to injury, suspension or illness.

In the individual poll, Tech has five wrestlers ranked at their respective weight class. They are: Jarrod Garnett (ninth at 125 pounds), Chris Diaz (12th at 141 pounds), Pete Yates (20th at 149 pounds), Jesse Dong (19th at 157 pounds) and Tommy Spellman (18th at 184 pounds).

A majority of the team will wrestle in the Navy Classic Saturday in Annapolis, Md. All action takes place in the Halsey Field House and updates are expected to be posted throughout the day at navysports.com. Below is a list of the probable wrestlers for this event. Tickets are $6 for adults, $3 for students 18 years and under. As a reminder, only those cars that have a Department of Defense sticker will be allowed to drive onto the Naval Academy grounds. Fans are encouraged to park at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium ($5 charge) and take the free shuttle to Halsey Field House. Visitors are also permitted to walk onto the grounds with a valid photo ID.

Everyone competing for the Hokies will be wrestling as attached wrestlers, meaning their results count toward their season results.

125: Schuyler Swanton (2-1)
133: Erik Spjut (3-2)
133: Jared Jones (0-0)
141: #12 Chris Diaz (4-1)
141: Nick Murray (0-0)
149: #20 Pete Yates (3-2)
157: #19 Jesse Dong (2-1)
157: Taylor Knapp (0-2)
165: Matt Epperly (3-2)
165: Daniel Fissmer (0-0)
174: Anthony Trongone (4-1)
174: John Dickson (0-0)
184: #18 Tommy Spellman (3-2)
197: Tim Miller (1-3)
285: D.J. Bruce (2-0)

Three other wrestlers will head out west to the Kaufman-Brand Open, hosted by the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Action will take place Saturday at the Sapp Fieldhouse. Results are expected to be posted at omavs.com. All three competing will wrestle unattached.

149: Brian Stephens (0-0)
149: Matt Rosen (0-0)
285: David Marone (0-0)

Finally, three wrestlers will head to Raleigh, N.C., for the NC State Wolfpack Open. That will take place Saturday at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh. Results will be updated at trackwrestling.com. All three will compete unattached.

157: Hayden Countryman (0-0)
141: Cole Louks (0-0)
141: Cameron Hurd (0-0)

Additionally, heavyweight Andrew Miller will have shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum on Friday. Miller hurt the shoulder in football practice several weeks ago, but wrestled through the pain last weekend at the ACC Challenge, winning his only match 10-4. He had an MRI on Tuesday and will miss the remainder of football and wrestling season.

Following this weekend, the Hokies will host a tri-meet next week in a post-Thanksgiving treat. On Friday, Tech, Campbell and Newberry will face off in Cassell Coliseum. Campbell and Newberry will kick things off at 3 o’clock, followed by the Hokies and Newberry at 5 p.m., and Tech and Campbell concluding things at 7 p.m.