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Updated: April 14, 2018

2018 NCAA Qualifier

2017-18: NCAA qualifier … VaSID All-State first team ... Earned the No. 12 seed at the NCAA Championships … Went 1-2 at nationals … Defeated American’s Michael Sprague, 4-3, in TB-1 in the first round … Went 20-6 during the regular season … Two-time ACC Wrestler of the Week (Jan. 30, Feb. 6) … Finished second at his first ACC tournament where he went 2-1 as the No. 3 seed … Registered a 16-4 major decision over Duke’s Brandon Laynaud in the quarterfinals and avenged a regular season loss to NC State’s Beau Donahue, the No. 2 seed, by claiming a 6-4 decision in the semis … Knocked off No. 6 Troy Heilmann of North Carolina, 3-1, in sudden victory overtime during the regular season … Picked up three straight bonus point wins in duals against Edinboro’s Peter Pappas, Lehigh’s Jonathan Mele and Duke’s Brandon Laynaud … Started the year at 157 pounds where he went 6-4 … Dropped down to 149 and went 14-2 the rest of the regular season … Won the 149 pound title at the Franklin & Marshall Open after going 6-0, his first outing in the weight class.

2016-17: Went 12-5 and 3-2 in duals in his first season with the Hokies … Tallied seven bonus point victories … Went 5-0 and won the 157-pound title at the Edinboro Open … First dual meet win came against West Virginia’s Dayton Garrett in an 11-2 major decision … First career ACC victory was a 6-5 decision over Joseph Moon of North Carolina … Started at 165 pounds against No. 6 Nebraska in the NWCA National Duals.

2015-16:​ Blees accumulated a 15-6 record and saw spot starting duties for the Cowboys.

2014-15 (Redshirt Year): Went 22-10 on the season, competing only in open tournaments … Wrestled most of the season at 165 pounds … Tallied six falls and seven major decisions … Fastest fall in 54 seconds … Faced one ranked opponent in No. 18 Harrison Hightower of Ohio at the Reno Tournament of Champions … Placed second at the Oklahoma, Joe Parisi and Missouri Valley opens … Produced third and fourth finishes at the Roger Denker Open and the OCU Open, respectively … Also competed in the Bob Smith Open and Reno Tournament Champions.

High school: Attended Bismarck High School … Put together a 250-25 record under coaches Jeff Schumacher and Scott Knowlen … Named a five-time Fargo National All-American … Won the 2013 Junior National freestyle championship at 152 pounds.

Personal: Born on July 9 in Bismarck, N.D. … Son of Jeff and Kris Blees ... Has two siblings, Adam and Megan ... Majoring in agribusiness