Virginia Tech next year

[Antitroll2828]

8 hours ago, HokieDave87 said:

He's the favorite, him and Ridge are a level above SVN/Valencia.

 

A level above SVN? You realize they’ve wrestled in college at the ncaa tournament and SVN won right? Even the year Henson won the title SVN was #1 and the favorite until he tore up his knee and RSed . He has never been a level above Van Ness and he shouldn’t even be favored against him head to head going into next season 

Edited April 9 by Antitroll2828

[creek chub]

36 minutes ago, Antitroll2828 said:

A level above SVN? You realize they’ve wrestled in college at the ncaa tournament and SVN won right? Even the year Henson won the title SVN was #1 and the favorite until he tore up his knee and RSed . He has never been a level above Van Ness and he shouldn’t even be favored against him head to head going into next season 

I’m a VT fan but objective too. I’d say it’d be a toss up match. SVN does have the head to head win but that was in 2023.

Henson is a better wrestler than he was in 2023. Is it enough to win? Hopefully we get to see that match

[TNwrestling]

2 hours ago, WrestlingRash said:

Bassett has all the upside of any prospect wrestling has ever seen. That said, there is a longer list of prospects who didn't pan out vs. those who did. Despite the joy I get from trolling TNWrestling on here, I concede Bassett appears to be special. Like I said, I hope VTech crashes the party and scores max points at NCAAs. 

Smartest 7 words you've ever said on this forum

[HokieDave87]

50 minutes ago, Antitroll2828 said:

A level above SVN? You realize they’ve wrestled in college at the ncaa tournament and SVN won right? Even the year Henson won the title SVN was #1 and the favorite until he tore up his knee and RSed . He has never been a level above Van Ness and he shouldn’t even be favored against him head to head going into next season 

Henson is a lot better now than he was back then. I don't think SVN has made the same strides. Hopefully we see it on the mat. 

[Antitroll2828]

1 hour ago, HokieDave87 said:

Henson is a lot better now than he was back then. I don't think SVN has made the same strides. Hopefully we see it on the mat. 

The year Van Ness beat Henson he had 7 losses including losing to max murin 3 times. In the 2 plus seasons since then he’s 54-4 with a 75 percent bonus rate in the Big 10. In that same span Henson is 52-3 with a 55 percent bonus rate in a lesser conference. In that same time frame Henson has 3 bonus wins at ncaas in 3 trips (1 tech,2 majors) Van ness has 9 bonus wins at ncaas (4 pins,2 techs,3 majors) 

saying Van ness hasn’t jumped levels like Henson is just not accurate. The past head to head results and all the data favors SVN. If you want to call it a toss up that’s fair but Henson is not a level above Van ness 

[scourge165]

12 hours ago, HokieDave87 said:

Seidel is absolutely a contender if he's in a weight class w/o Jax. Slightly agree on tempering the Bo hype but he's at minimum a high AA contender with multiple wins over a current national champ, and those aren't one-off great performances he does it all the time. Henson puts Valencia in his morning smoothie along with protein powder, a banana, a scoop of peanut butter, milk, and blends him up in about 90 seconds. He's the favorite, him and Ridge are a level above SVN/Valencia.

5 AA's is very realistic, best case is more like 7-8 assuming everything breaks the right way. We can't cap the best case scenario at 5 when we are 9 days into the portal season. Even with no additions a good run from Burton, Desiante, or Sasso could put them at 6. All 3 and you're looking at 8. 

Yeah, I don't know how you come away saying Seidel isn't a contender. That's just silly(particularly in a different weight from Jax). 
I don't know how Henson isn't a contender or the favorite having been a 2X Finalist and a NC. I think it depends on which weight we're talking about. I think Va Tech has a contender at '49... if one goes '49 and one goes '57, the '57 probably wouldn't be a contender(still a point scorer). They also just have a '57 who was a True Freshmen who was an AA. Sasso should be one, they should get one at HWT. 

Va Tech is the 3rd team that has... a CHANCE to jump into the group with OSU and PSU in the next 2-3 years. 

[HokieDave87]

21 hours ago, Antitroll2828 said:

The year Van Ness beat Henson he had 7 losses including losing to max murin 3 times. In the 2 plus seasons since then he’s 54-4 with a 75 percent bonus rate in the Big 10. In that same span Henson is 52-3 with a 55 percent bonus rate in a lesser conference. In that same time frame Henson has 3 bonus wins at ncaas in 3 trips (1 tech,2 majors) Van ness has 9 bonus wins at ncaas (4 pins,2 techs,3 majors) 

saying Van ness hasn’t jumped levels like Henson is just not accurate. The past head to head results and all the data favors SVN. If you want to call it a toss up that’s fair but Henson is not a level above Van ness 

Fair point. I'm basing my analysis on Henson on what I've heard coming from the room combined with his best freestyle performance ever beating some of the top guys in the world. This is improvement after Henson's national title run. While Van Ness has definitely improved I don't think it's to the same level. Again, hope we see it on the mat. 

[Hokiefan13]

On 4/8/2026 at 10:36 PM, WrestlingRash said:

rather than ad hominem attacks, tell me what you disagree with. Nobody is coming close to Jax. SVN and Valencia both back at 149. VTech will always be good not great. Its not in their genetic makeup to be champions at scale. 

I think you and him have different definitions of “contender.” Seidel is by no means a NC favorite but I would 100% call him a contender, he placed 3rd this year and there are only maybe 4 guys in his class that he can’t at least major. To call him a contender is different from saying he actually has a chance to win it (I don’t see him beating Jax) but I could see him making finals. 
 

i agree Bo Bassett hasn’t wrestled a match in college yet but look at the guys he has beat already, he is a contender.

Caleb Henson was #1 in his class until announcing his redshirt, how do you not say the #1 guy is the favorite to win a title?

[Hokiefan13]

On 4/9/2026 at 8:04 AM, HokieDave87 said:

Seidel is absolutely a contender if he's in a weight class w/o Jax. Slightly agree on tempering the Bo hype but he's at minimum a high AA contender with multiple wins over a current national champ, and those aren't one-off great performances he does it all the time. Henson puts Valencia in his morning smoothie along with protein powder, a banana, a scoop of peanut butter, milk, and blends him up in about 90 seconds. He's the favorite, him and Ridge are a level above SVN/Valencia.

5 AA's is very realistic, best case is more like 7-8 assuming everything breaks the right way. We can't cap the best case scenario at 5 when we are 9 days into the portal season. Even with no additions a good run from Burton, Desiante, or Sasso could put them at 6. All 3 and you're looking at 8. 

I think to say 7-8 AA as an absolute best case is fair but realistically (aside from unknown transfers rn) I think our only locked AA guys next year are Seidel, Bo, Caleb. I’m not sure what to think of Eddie, he has shown he can hang with the best but I just don’t see the offense from him that I want. This year could very well happen again for him. Sonny SHOULD be an AA but he has never seemed to be able to stay consistent, looks great for a stretch then drops some bad ones. 
 

depending on how weights works out, who redshirts, moves weights, etc. I think it’s realistic to say Eddie V, Seidel, Bo, Caleb, Gaj, Sergio, and Sonny all have realistic AA potential. Nininger and Burton I think could have a shot too. Of that group it’s just going to depend who ends up with a starting spot. Would love to pick up 1 or 2 heavier end guys from the portal to boost our heavy weights.
 

as of right now I would say I’m expecting 5 AA. Less I would be a bit disappointed. Anything more and I would be very happy. If tech could have 8 guys AA I think that would be absolutely incredible. To be fair the only guys I truly just don’t think have AA potential in them are Jimmy Mullen and Bullock. Love those guys but I just don’t see it from them.

[Hokiefan13]

8 hours ago, scourge165 said:

Yeah, I don't know how you come away saying Seidel isn't a contender. That's just silly(particularly in a different weight from Jax). 
I don't know how Henson isn't a contender or the favorite having been a 2X Finalist and a NC. I think it depends on which weight we're talking about. I think Va Tech has a contender at '49... if one goes '49 and one goes '57, the '57 probably wouldn't be a contender(still a point scorer). They also just have a '57 who was a True Freshmen who was an AA. Sasso should be one, they should get one at HWT. 

Va Tech is the 3rd team that has... a CHANCE to jump into the group with OSU and PSU in the next 2-3 years. 

“Into the group with Penn state” is crazy. Nobody is in ther league. Penn state is still solidly on top, the goal is to get into the group right behind Penn state of Ohio State, OK State, and Nebraska 

[scourge165]

1 hour ago, Hokiefan13 said:

“Into the group with Penn state” is crazy. Nobody is in ther league. Penn state is still solidly on top, the goal is to get into the group right behind Penn state of Ohio State, OK State, and Nebraska 

I'm certainly not talking about next year, I'm talking about a couple years from now. And it'd... really be silly if that WASN'T the goal with the talent they have coming into that program. 

If "the goal," down the road with Seidel, Melvin Miller, Bo Bassett... is to be in the group behind PSU, OSU... they'll probably miss that goal. 

 

I'm not predicting Va Tech to knock off Penn State... or Oklahoma State to do so.... but you should be at least looking forward and hoping you can if you're from either program.

[AlderPeak]

On 4/8/2026 at 11:29 PM, Tyler Perry said:

If Garcia leaves Illinois I’ll be very upset 

Garcia committed to VT per his Instagram.

Guessing he takes a RS behind Seidel, then competes for 133 against Campbell the following year. VT in two years:
125 - Alex Rozas
133 - Garcia/Campbell
141 - Seidel
149 - Bassett
157 - Gaj/Nininger
165 - Melvin
174 - Burton/Mario Carini
184 - Jonathan Rocha/Transfer
197 - Sasso
HWT - Mullen/Max Konopka

[Antitroll2828]

5 hours ago, AlderPeak said:

Garcia committed to VT per his Instagram.

Guessing he takes a RS behind Seidel, then competes for 133 against Campbell the following year. VT in two years:
125 - Alex Rozas
133 - Garcia/Campbell
141 - Seidel
149 - Bassett
157 - Gaj/Nininger
165 - Melvin
174 - Burton/Mario Carini
184 - Jonathan Rocha/Transfer
197 - Sasso
HWT - Mullen/Max Konopka

Collucio will be in the mix to start at 125 

[BruceyB]

On 4/9/2026 at 2:00 PM, creek chub said:

I’m a VT fan but objective too. I’d say it’d be a toss up match. SVN does have the head to head win but that was in 2023.

Henson is a better wrestler than he was in 2023. Is it enough to win? Hopefully we get to see that match

Henson is the favorite. Citing a match from 3 years ago when Henson was a TRFR is ridiculous. SVN just lost to the #10 seed in one of the weakest weights in recent memory. SVN is a high-AA caliber wrestler who could win the NCAA tournament if things went right, but after failing to win it this year, I would be shocked to see him win a title next year when the young guys will only be better and Henson/Bassett are added to the weight.

[Hammerlock3]

Tanelli is out...thats a bit of a shocker and problem

[Antitroll2828]

20 minutes ago, BruceyB said:

Henson is the favorite. Citing a match from 3 years ago when Henson was a TRFR is ridiculous. SVN just lost to the #10 seed in one of the weakest weights in recent memory. SVN is a high-AA caliber wrestler who could win the NCAA tournament if things went right, but after failing to win it this year, I would be shocked to see him win a title next year when the young guys will only be better and Henson/Bassett are added to the weight.

Citing a match 3 years ago is a small part of what’s been pointed out. What’s also been pointed out his they’ve both been 149 for 3 seasons and SVN has been much better against the field while wrestling better competition and he’s in the best room in the world since he last wrestled Henson. There is no data or evidence that’s Henson has passed SVN up and is the favorite over him other then your personal opinion 

 

so bc SVN lost in overtime in the ncaa finals he ll never win now? 

Edited April 13 by Antitroll2828

[HokieDave87]

1 minute ago, Hammerlock3 said:

Tanelli is out...thats a bit of a shocker and problem

Somehow the replacement is arguably better 

[Antitroll2828]

1 minute ago, Hammerlock3 said:

Tanelli is out...thats a bit of a shocker and problem

They are replacing him with James green so I’d say that’s a net positive overall 

[Hammerlock3]

Just now, Antitroll2828 said:

They are replacing him with James green so I’d say that’s a net positive overall 

Maybe. Tanelli was a proven D1 head coach though, Columbia was doing very well under his leadership, Green is better at wrestling, but I don't think that is enough for people to assume this is a net win for tech. 

[Antitroll2828]

20 minutes ago, Hammerlock3 said:

Maybe. Tanelli was a proven D1 head coach though, Columbia was doing very well under his leadership, Green is better at wrestling, but I don't think that is enough for people to assume this is a net win for tech. 

Green coached at the OTC and Nebraska and has been praised by damn near every guy he’s coached including Henson. And he’s a better freestyle coach then Tanelli which is important with Bassett coming in and Henson only having one year of folk left 

[HokieDave87]

12 minutes ago, Antitroll2828 said:

Green coached at the OTC and Nebraska and has been praised by damn near every guy he’s coached including Henson. And he’s a better freestyle coach then Tanelli which is important with Bassett coming in and Henson only having one year of folk left 

He gets a lot of credit from some of our best wrestlers of all time. Absolute stud wrestler but may even be better at teaching the sport. Oddly enough Andonian is known to be the same way which makes zero sense with his style. 

[BruceyB]

On 4/12/2026 at 7:12 PM, Antitroll2828 said:

Citing a match 3 years ago is a small part of what’s been pointed out. What’s also been pointed out his they’ve both been 149 for 3 seasons and  (1) SVN has been much better against the field while wrestling better competition and he’s in the best room in the world since he last wrestled Henson. (2) There is no data or evidence that’s Henson has passed SVN up and is the favorite over him other then your personal opinion (3) so bc SVN lost in overtime in the ncaa finals he ll never win now? 

1. SVN has not been much better against the field. He got majored and lost to Ridge Lovett 14-8 in the 24-25 season, as well as taking a loss to Webster. Henson was 1-1 with Lovett and maybe it's a moot point, but IMO I thought Henson should have had the takedown that they overturned with the review in the finals.

That is not to mention the extremely close calls that SVN had at B10s against lower competition.

2. I would say that Henson beat Ridge and (arguably) should have been up 3-0 going into the 3rd period in the finals while SVN got majored and lost 14-8 is evidence that Henson has passed up SVN. That good very well be a match-up thing and not all that relevant, but it's not "no data or evidence." I also think Henson is a terrible match-up for SVN. We've seen many guys keep it close or get leads on Shane early only to crack late where he is able to come back and win. Swiderski is like a poor man's Henson IMO and that match was extremely close. 

3. You're ignoring context with that statement. Shane was absolutely good enough, that's why he was the favorite, to win the title this year, and he didn't seal the deal. The difference between this year and next year is that I don't think he will be the favorite going into next years tournament, and given that he couldn't make the run this year, I think it's unlikely he does next year against an even tougher field. SVN is going into his 6th season, so I don't think he's going to be making any big jumps in performance. Meanwhile, you're going to have Valencia entering his second year of a full college schedule, Henson will be back, and Vega will likely be entering the picture at 149 as well. I'm not saying SVN can't win, but I think it's a hell of a lot more likely that he doesn't.

[VTDante]

There are rumors on the VT boards that TJ Stewart will return next season. 
 

His Dad confirmed on TSL a couple weeks ago that TJ is in school at VT. 
 

Desiante and TJ would compete for the starting spot. 
 

Rooting for the young man. 

[Hokie7PTMove]

1 hour ago, VTDante said:

There are rumors on the VT boards that TJ Stewart will return next season. 
 

His Dad confirmed on TSL a couple weeks ago that TJ is in school at VT. 
 

Desiante and TJ would compete for the starting spot. 
 

Rooting for the young man. 

Did he at all wrestle in the SERTC room last year while he was academically ineligible?   I know that Gage continued to wrestle in SERTC while he was working on his grades but I didn't remember seeing TJ in the room. 

[creek chub]

2 hours ago, VTDante said:

There are rumors on the VT boards that TJ Stewart will return next season. 
 

His Dad confirmed on TSL a couple weeks ago that TJ is in school at VT. 
 

Desiante and TJ would compete for the starting spot. 
 

Rooting for the young man. 

Wishing TJ all the best but wonder if he’d be a good fit for the program? His family health issues definitely impacted his ability to both wrestle and more importantly stay in good academic standing. Allegedly he was being escorted to classes in his last semester while on the team. Also his dad was a toxic poster regarding the team. 
 

I would say a lot would have to change before we see TJ back in a VT singlet. 
 

Good to hear his mom is on the mend.