Jack Brizendine

TechSideline.com • 23rd February 2025

Virginia Tech Wrestling Outwills NC State, Clinches Share Of ACC Dual Meet Title

Technique and conditioning are paramount in the sport of wrestling, but at the highest level — where the nation’s best wrestlers square off — there’s one variable that often determines whose hand gets raised after the final buzzer: the will to win.
In a dual that featured seven matches decided by three points or fewer, the determination to fight through the end proved key. 
On Friday night, No. 10 Virginia Tech outwilled No. 7 NC State 21-10, taking seven of the 10 matches and stealing a portion...

TechSideline.com • 12th January 2025

No. 7 Virginia Tech Wrestling Falls To No. 22 North Carolina In ACC Opener

No. 8 Virginia Tech wrestling dropped its ACC opener to No. 22 North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Friday night, 20-17.
It was the Hokies’ (3-2, 0-1 ACC) first loss to the Tar Heels (5-4, 1-0) since 2020.
Despite splitting the match with five wins and five losses against UNC, Tech gave up five bonus points in the dual while only earning two — the ultimate difference-maker.
The Hokies began the night with an emphatic 14-2 major decision victory from No. 25 Mac Church (165) over North Carolina’s Coll...

TechSideline.com • 24th November 2024

No. 7 Virginia Tech Wrestling Subdues No. 17 Rutgers At Moss Arts Center

No. 7 Virginia Tech subdued No. 17 Rutgers 26-11 on Friday night at the Moss Arts Center. The Hokies took seven of 10 matches against the Scarlet Knights, including three bonus-point wins.
Tech (3-0) earned four ranked victories against Rutgers (3-2) in the rout.
No. 4 Lennox Wolak (174) earned the most emphatic win of the night for Hokies, pinning Rutgers’ No. 18 Jackson Turley in the middle of the second period. Ending the first period with a 3-1 advantage, the Columbia transfer began the seco...

TechSideline.com • 18th November 2024

No. 7 Virginia Tech Wrestling Clocks No. 8 Missouri In Home Opener

As the saying goes: “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
While the mantra worked against its original author Mike Tyson on Friday night, it was a common theme for No. 7 Virginia Tech in its dominant 23-10 home-opening win over No. 8 Missouri. The Hokies (2-0) took seven of 10 bouts versus the Tigers (1-1), overwhelming their opponents with a myriad of quick and powerful shots off the first whistle.
Tech was led by a pair of major decisions from No. 1 Caleb Henson (149) and...

TechSideline.com • 22nd April 2024

Virginia Tech Wrestling Names Zach Tanelli Associate Head Coach

Virginia Tech wrestling named Zach Tanelli as an associate head coach on Monday. He’ll replace departing coach Cody Brewer, who joined Princeton’s program this offseason.

“We could not be more excited to have Zach and his family join the Virginia Tech wrestling family,” Hokies head coach Tony Robie said in the program’s release. “You can’t overstate how great of a job Zach did building a winning culture at Columbia. Getting another coach on staff that has the experience and skill set to excel i

TechSideline.com • 15th April 2024

Connor McGonagle Commits To Virginia Tech Wrestling

Tony Robie and Virginia Tech wrestling earned their second commitment of the offseason on Monday in Lehigh’s Connor McGonagle.

He joins Columbia’s Lennox Wolak as the second transfer portal addition in Blacksburg. Lennox replaces Hokies national champion Mekhi Lewis at 174 pounds.

McGonagle, a Danville, N.H., native, adds another talented lightweight to Tech’s wrestling room and is expected to start at 133 next season.

A three-time NCAA qualifier, McGonagle began his career at 141 before drop

TechSideline.com • 9th April 2024

Caleb Henson's Rise To A National Title: ‘I’m Going To Put The Nation On Notice’

The day is November 7, 2022. Woodland High School’s Adrian Tramutola’s phone lights up with a text from one of his former wrestlers.

It’s Caleb Henson. The Virginia Tech freshman just wrapped up a dominant showing at the Southeast Open, earning a fall and technical fall in his 5-0 outing a week ahead of the regular season.

His message is a simple, yet powerful one: “On Friday, I’m going to put the nation on notice.”

Four days later, he notched his first career dual victory over Ohio State’s t

TechSideline.com • 24th March 2024

Caleb Henson Wins Title, Hokies Wrestling Finishes Seventh At NCAAs

Caleb Henson won Virginia Tech wrestling’s second-ever national title on Saturday night as the Hokies finished seventh at the NCAA Tournament in Kansas City. Tech recorded a cumulative team score of 64 points — its highest point-total since 2016 and third straight top-10 finish.

In addition to Henson, Mekhi Lewis, TJ Stewart and Bryce Andonian achieved All-American status at the tournament. Lewis became the program’s first four-time All-American over the weekend.

Although the Hokies fell just

TechSideline.com • 23rd March 2024

Caleb Henson Wins Virginia Tech Wrestling's Second-Ever National Championship

Caleb Henson won Virginia Tech wrestling’s second individual national championship on Saturday night, defeating Michigan’s No. 6 seed Austin Gomez 15-7 in the 149-pound title match. The win comes five years to the day after Mekhi Lewis won the program’s first national title at 165 pounds.

After an initial takedown from Gomez, Henson countered with two takedowns and six back points to lead 13-4 at the end of the first period. He staved off the former All-American over the final two periods, only