The Virginia wrestling team will be hoping to emulate the recent success of their swimming counterparts when the ACC championships get underway in University Hall Saturday. Virginia (10-7, 3-1 ACC) will look to improve on last week's performance, which saw the team lose to Cornell and the Citadel in the U.Va. Quad meet. The main threats to the Cavaliers' title ambitions are likely to come from either N.C. State or Duke, the latter being the only ACC team to foil Virginia's bid for a perfect conference record.
"It's kind of a tie," Virginia coach Lenny Bernstein said. "N.C. State and Duke are two of the teams that are kind of tied for first with us. You've got to be worried about both of them. But if I had to pick one, I mean N.C. State."
Bernstein mentioned several N.C. State wrestlers by name, including 157-pound Scott Garren, who may challenge Virginia's Bjorlo for the top seed in that weight class. N.C. State also boasts a returning ACC Champion in the 165-pound class, Dustin Kawa, as well as a returning champion in the 149-pound class, Jake Giamoni.
All eyes will be turned to Virginia senior Scott Moore, who was recently named ACC wrestler of the week for the fourth time this season. The undefeated Moore, ranked first in the nation in his weight category, believes his toughest competition will come from Giamoni.
"Right now the toughest guy is the guy from N.C. State," Moore said. He's been giving guys some tough matches, and seems to be turning it on at the end of the year. He's probably got the best shot."
With the start of the ACC championships there is also renewed debate about the NCAA championships. Bernstein said he believes a few Cavaliers can sneak into the NCAA tournament.
"There's so many guys, so many possibilities to make it," Bernstein said. "If I said one guy, I feel like it would be shortchanging them. We could qualify at 125 with Brian Sticca. We could qualify at 130. But Brian, because of the way things have worked out, is going to be the fifth seed at this tournament, but he could win the ACC ... They know about him because he beat an All-American last year from UNC. But they think he kind of disappeared this year. Sticca could be right in the mix of things come Saturday, so maybe that's your dark horse."
In addition to hosting the ACC tournament this weekend, University Hall will be home to the Southern Conference Tournament. The double championship is being billed as "Mat Jam 2004."
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