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BLACKSBURG - Five Virginia Tech wrestlers are ranked in the preseason Top 20 poll, as released by InterMat. The Hokies, despite being ranked around 15th most of last year and having all 10 starters back, are not ranked as a team. Maryland (#10), Virginia (#20) and Duke (#25) are the three ACC squads ranked.

Sophomore Jarrod Garnett is ranked 12th in the country at 125 pounds. He’ll have a tough opponent in the season opener as he’s scheduled to take on No. 7 Nic Bedelyon from Kent State, an opponent he had to get a late reversal with six seconds left in their first round match of the NCAA Tournament to come back and win, 4-3.

Junior Chris Diaz is Tech’s highest-ranked wrestler in the poll, coming in at No. 7 at 141 pounds. He will go against No. 20 Cody Cleveland of Chattanooga on the first day of competition. He beat Cleveland last year 8-6 in the dual when Cleveland was ranked fourth.

Sophomore Pete Yates is back from a knee injury that kept him from competing in the NCAA Tournament. He is ranked 15th in the country at 149 pounds and is scheduled take on No. 12 Matt Cathell of Kent State in the opener.

Sophomore Jesse Dong is 15th at 157 pounds and junior Tommy Spellman is 17th at 184 pounds. Spellman is scheduled to take on ninth-ranked Dustin Kilgore of Kent State in the opener.

Tech will open its season on Saturday, Nov. 7 with a pair of tough dual meets. The Hokies will face Kent State at 1 o’clock and then Chattanooga at 5 p.m. The Golden Flashes and Mocs will face each other at 3 o’clock. All action takes place in Cassell Coliseum and admission is free.

For updates on Virginia Tech wrestling, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Wrestling).