The Cavalier grapplers are hitting their stride at the right time of the season, as Virginia placed second at the ACC Championships this weekend.
Virginia fell to Maryland 70-68 for the second straight year by an identical two-point margin. The “death row trio” of sophomore Chris Henrich, senior Rocco Caponi and junior Brent Jones won ACC titles at the 175-, the 184-, and the 197-pound weight classes, respectively. The three titles for the Cavaliers are the most Virginia has won since the 2002 season.
Jones was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler for his performance, which included a pin in just 38 seconds of Maryland’s No. 9 junior Hudson Taylor, the third-place finisher at the NCAA Championships last year. Caponi, meanwhile, became just the sixth wrestler in Virginia history to win three straight ACC titles.
Virginia as a team earned six automatic bids to the NCAA Championships in St. Louis March 19-21: sophomore Nick Nelson (141 pounds), junior Kellon Balum (149), freshman Jedd Moore (157), Henrich (174), Caponi (184) and Jones (197). Caponi will be making his school-record fourth appearance at NCAAs.
—compiled by Ben Gomez
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