Virginia Tech Edges Bucknell in Season Debut

Blacksburg, VA— Virginia Tech’s No. 10-ranked wrestling team started their season strong with a 19-12 victory over Bucknell at Cassell Coliseum, blending exciting debuts and key victories. True freshman Noah Nininger, wrestling at 149 lbs, called his first collegiate match “a dream come true” and emphasized the importance of getting to his offense earlier. He said, “I just got to get to my offense earlier. I got to attack more. The one time I truly committed to attack, I scored. So that tells me I just keep going.” Noah trusted his conditioning to sustain pressure throughout his matches and reflected on his debut mindset: “Honestly, not a lot of nerves. I just went out to wrestle my best of my abilities. And tonight, that wasn’t very good. But we’re going to make a lot of improvements. I’ll be a lot better next time I get on the mat.”

Newcomer Sergio Desiante made an immediate impact with a 4-2 upset over No. 20 Myles Takats. Sergio credited his coaches and training while embracing the mindset of resilience: “Not every match is going to be perfect. You just got to get back up and keep moving on.” He also spoke about the privilege of competing and the team atmosphere, saying, “Just to enjoy it, you know? Not everyone gets to be in the shoes that we’re in. So it was really cool.” Sergio highlighted the excitement around the program’s growth, mentioning the impact of high-profile commitments: “We’re in a smaller conference, so it’s really cool that they’re bringing those big names in,” referring to Bo Bassett and Melvin Miller. He added, “I think it’s awesome. But you know, right now, we just got to focus on this year. You can’t look too far ahead.”

Veteran wrestler Tom Crook, ranked No. 20, won a close 8-6 decision over No. 14 Dylan Chappell in his season and dual debut.

Tom credited his composure and trust in his training for the win and acknowledged the strength of Bucknell’s squad. He said, “Just keeping my composure throughout the whole match… It’s still early, so still a lot to work on.” Tom emphasized the significance of the early test against a Pennsylvania team known for its wrestling pedigree: “Bucknell’s a great team… Pennsylvania’s a hotbed for wrestling, so it’s good to test this early. We knew they were a legit team, and they came in here to wrestle hard.” He also noted areas for growth after missing two scoring opportunities, stating, “I think I got in two times and wasn’t able to convert those. So just trying to get my percentage rate back up and, you know, riding at the end of periods, you know, stuff like that.”

The dual meet results included wins from No. 4 Eddie Ventresca, No. 18 Dillon Campbell, Tom Crook, Noah Nininger, No. 23 Sergio Desiante, and No. 24 Sonny Sasso, with losses from Frank Dibella, No. 28 Mac Church, No. 21 Jaden Bullock, and No. 16 Jimmy Mullen, culminating in the 19-12 team victory.