No. 7 Virginia Tech Flexes Depth in 22–14 Win Over Stanford

Aaron Seidel of Virginia Tech, working a spiral ride claw on his Stanford opponent

Blacksburg, Va— No. 7 Virginia Tech didn’t just edge No. 24 Stanford on Friday night in Cassell Coliseum—the Hokies delivered a 22–14 performance that blended veteran leadership, freshman firepower, and unrelenting room depth. Virginia Tech claimed six of ten bouts to improve to 7–2 overall and 2–0 in ACC duals, showing the balance and mentality that make them a top-10 threat through the second half of the season.

From the opening bout, the Hokies attacked with the kind of freedom that has defined their early ACC run. At 125 pounds, All-American contender Eddie Ventresca set the tone early, controlling No. 12 Nico Provo for a 6–2 decision that included a dominant feet-to-back sequence in the third period. Asked three duals into conference play how the team is looking at this point in the season, Eddie Ventresca captured the vibe perfectly: “I mean, looking good, you know. I mean, wrestling, wrestling, nice and easy, you know, having some fun out there. Everyone’s letting it fly and it’s been a good, good little start right now, you know. We got first half’s done, now we’re kind of towards the second half of the ACC duels and yeah, we’re just all letting it fly out there.” That relaxed confidence—attack without hesitation, enjoy the process—has been the through line for a team blending experience with explosive youth.

Eddie Ventresca has fully embraced his role as the veteran anchor amid a lineup brimming with freshmen ready to contribute. When conversation turned to the dynamic between him and the younger guys on the roster, he leaned into it with humor and honesty: “Yeah, yeah. I’m like, kind of like their daddy, you know, like these two, you know, maybe grandpa, but yeah, no, man, I mean, these guys push us, push me every day, you know, young blood pushing old blood. So, it’s definitely good.” Those words cut to the heart of Virginia Tech’s edge: the upperclassmen provide stability, but the influx of elite newcomers is elevating daily practices and dual performances across the board.

Even in a night full of ranked matchups and redemption opportunities, Eddie Ventresca kept his focus narrow and process-driven. Asked about recent big wins and the path toward bigger ACC and national goals, he brushed aside the external hype: “Oh, yeah, it’s good. I mean, I just really focus on myself, man. I don’t really worry about what everyone else is doing in the country. Just Eddie Ventresca, that’s really about it.” He pointed to the foundation making it possible: “My whole coaching staff and the team, practice, you know, making sure everything’s in line, attention to detail, you know.” For a squad expecting quality results, that mindset turns potential upsets into standard Friday nights.

The true freshman class put an exclamation point on the team’s depth, going a perfect 3–0 on the night as Aaron Seidel confirmed. He laid out the group’s no-fear approach: “Collin lost to that guy (Aden Valencia) at Vegas, and, you know, he bounced back and beat him. My guy (Tyler Knox) was seventh in the country. It’s just, you know, we’ve been in these scenarios before and wrestled these big-time matches, so it’s just kind of going out and, you know, taking a deep breath and just going out and wrestling like you know how to.” That perspective—rankings and history don’t dictate outcomes, preparation does—defined each freshman’s night.

At 149 pounds, true freshman Collin Gaj embodied that resilience in a high-stakes rematch. After dropping a decision to Stanford’s Aden Valencia earlier in the season in Las Vegas, Gaj flipped the result with a gritty 2–1 riding-time win, staying composed through stalemated scrambles and dominating the final period from top. Asked later if his Midlands tournament title had boosted his confidence heading into dual season, Gaj kept the long view in focus: “Yeah, it did. It’s just another tournament for me. You know, it’s a long way. Everything I do right now is really getting ready for nationals, and we’ve got a long time until March, but it’s coming up quickly, so I’m really excited and just grateful.” Gaj credited his seamless transition to the elite room around him: “Well, honestly, Aaron and my teammates. I’ve known Aaron for a pretty long time now, since we were kids, and him being my roommate, it’s pretty cool that we get to train together and go out there and compete, and seeing how he approaches it, seeing how Eddie Ventresca approaches it, and all these guys who have won national titles or have been super close, being able to see how they train and compete and, you know, they go out and practice, being able to follow in their footsteps, it makes it pretty easy.”

Virginia Tech’s, Collin Gaj gets his hand raised after avenging a loss earlier in the season in Las Vegas against Aden Valencia.

At 133 pounds, true freshman Aaron Seidel stepped into the lineup after redshirt freshman Dillon Campbell’s injury and surgery sidelined him, facing No. 7-ranked returning All-American Tyler Knox in his Cassell dual debut. Seidel dominated with two takedowns, four nearfalls, a reversal, and over four minutes of riding time for a 13–0 major, treating a top-10 wrestler like standard preparation. He broke down his approach without blinking: “Yeah, it was the same as what I was saying, not caring what the rank is, knowing how good I am. I was trying to go out there and obviously win, but I always try to go out and score as many points as possible.” Even in victory, he was chasing more: “towards the end of the period, I was trying to get that extra couple of points to get a tech.” Seidel admitted the butterflies hit before stepping on the mat—“No, I still got butterflies, I always get nervous before my matches”—but once the whistle blew, it was business: “It’s awesome, it’s electric. You get a takedown or back points or any little score, they’re screaming and cheering you on.”

Rounding out the freshman sweep at 165 pounds, true freshman Ryan Burton impressed in his Cassell debut, with takedowns and strong riding to secure an 8–2 decision over a quality opponent. Burton’s composure through positions and commitment to wrestling all seven minutes showed the mindset shift his coach later praised.

The internal competition fueling these results spilled over in post-dual talk, with Eddie Ventresca pointing straight to the room’s talent as the X-factor: “The talent in our room, like Aaron said. This dude beat me up on Tuesday and then I go wrestle Friday. I was kind of feeling sorry for myself a little bit, but then I realized how good Aaron is so it makes me feel a little better.”

That level of daily intensity—where even All-American veterans get tested by true freshmen—explains why Virginia Tech can absorb injuries like Campbell’s as heartbreaking as it is without missing a beat.

Head coach Tony Robie offered a balanced take afterward, thrilled by the highs but clear-eyed about the work ahead. He called the true freshman sweep “great” proof of a “special” recruiting class, praising Gaj’s mentality and versatility, Seidel’s elite readiness against a top opponent, and Burton’s developing grit in wrestling through every position regardless of score. Robie noted the tough film sessions coming for wrestlers who underperformed their potential, emphasizing honest talks about preparation and mindset before a pivotal ACC matchup with NC State. Eddie Ventresca summed up the team’s wired-in approach: “I mean, we just keep doing the same thing. We just keep going day by day and it ain’t Friday yet. We’re going to go celebrate tonight and tomorrow we’re going to forget about it and get back to work.” It’s a mantra that fits a program where veterans lead, freshmen deliver, and the practice room breeds national contenders—a group that chopped down Stanford not as a signature win, but as one more step in a season built for March

No. 7 Virginia Tech - 22 | No. 24 Stanford - 14

125 | No. 3 Eddie Ventresca (VT) DEC No. 12 Nico Provo (STAN), 6-2

133 | Aaron Seidel (VT) MAJ DEC No. 7 Tyler Knox (STAN), 13-0

141 | No. 22 Tom Crook (VT) loss via dec No. 18 Jack Consiglio (STAN), 5-6

149 | No. 10 Collin Gaj (VT) DEC No. 9 Aden Valencia (STAN), 2-1

157 | No. 16 Ethen Miller (VT) loss via maj dec No. 10 Daniel Cardenas (STAN), 2-11

165 | No. 14 Ryan Burton (VT) DEC EJ Parco (STAN), 8-2

174 | No. 33 Sergio Desiante (VT) DEC Collin Guffey (STAN), 8-6

184 | No. 31 Jaden Bullock (VT) loss via dec No. 33 Abraham Wojcikiewicz (STAN), 5-6

197 | No. 15 Sonny Sasso (VT) loss via maj dec No. 17 Angelo Posada (STAN), 4-13

285 | No. 16 Jimmy Mullen (VT) FALL Luke Duthie (STAN), 7-1 2:58