March 3, 2012
Three Hokies take home ACC wrestling titles
Yates named most outstanding wrestler

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Led by a big upset at 165 pounds, three Virginia Tech wrestlers took home individual titles from the ACC Wrestling Championships, held Saturday at UNC’s Carmichael Auditorium. Devin Carter, Nick Brascetta and Pete Yates all claimed titles and earned NCAA berths while Zach Neibert and Chris Moon qualified for the NCAA Championships by placing third and second, respectively, at their weight class.

Carter won both of his matches in repeating as the ACC champ at 133 pounds. Brascetta, a freshman from St. Paris, Ohio, beat the fourth-seed in the finals to claim a 149-pound title and at 165 pounds, Yates upset top-seeded and second-ranked John Asper, 6-4 in sudden victory, to capture his first ACC title. For the upset, Yates was named the tournament’s most outstanding wrestler.

Moon (174 pounds) and heavyweight Chris Penny both advanced to the finals of their weight class, but lost in the finals while Zeibert placed third at 141 pounds.

Five Hokies qualified for the NCAA Championships, to be held March 15-17 in St. Louis.

Tech finished third in the event as Maryland won its second-straight title. Virginia was second.

125: #6 seed Erik Spjut (2-2)
First Round: def. #3 Peter Terrezza (Duke), 4-3
Semifinals: lost to #2 seed Shane Gentry (MD), 2-0
Consolations: vs. #5 Brian Bokoski (UNC), 8-2
Third-Place Match: lost to #4 Coltin Fought (NCSU), 4-2

133: #1 seed Devin Carter (2-0; CHAMPION; NCAA QUALIFIER)
First Round: Bye
Semifinals: def. #5 Brandon Gambucci (Duke), 14-10
Finals: def. #3 Geoffrey Alexander (MD), 17-9 MD

141: #3 seed Zach Neibert (3-1; THIRD PLACE; NCAA QUALIFIER)
First Round: def. #6 Frank Goodwin (MD), 10-2 MD
Semifinals: lost to #2 seed Darrius Little (NCSU), 7-3
Consolations: def. #4 Evan Henderson (UNC), 9-6
Third-Place Match: def. #5 Tanner Hough (Duke), 3-0

149: #3 seed Nick Brascetta (3-0; CHAMPION; NCAA QUALIFIER)
First Round: def. #6 Nick Heilmann (UNC), 12-3 MD
Semifinals: def. #2 Ben Dorsay (MD), 4-3
Finals: def. #4 Matt Nereim (NCSU), 8-4

157: #4 seed Cameron Hurd (2-2)
First Round: def. #5 Colton Palmer (NCSU), 8-2
Semifinals: lost to #1 Corey Mock (UNC), 3-2
Consolations: def. #6 Immanuel Kerr-Brown (Duke), 11-9
Third-Place Match: lost to #5 Colton Palmer (NCSU), 7-5

165: #2 seed Pete Yates (2-0; CHAMPION; MOST OUTSTANDING WRESTLER; NCAA QUALIFIER)
First Round: Bye
Semifinals def. #3 Nick Sulzer (VA), 8-5
Finals: def. #1 John Asper (MD), 6-4 (SV)

174: #3 seed Chris Moon (2-1; SECOND PLACE; NCAA QUALIFIER)
First Round: def. #6 Randy Roden (Duke), 11-8
Semifinals: def. #2 seed Quinton Godley (NCSU), 3-1
Finals: lost to #1 Jimmy Sheptock (MD), 10-2 MD

184: #4 seed Angelo Malvestuto (0-2)
First Round: lost to #5 Robert O’Neill (NCSU), 10-6
Consolations: lost to #3 Diego Bencomo (Duke), Fall 0:55

197: #3 seed Nick Vetterlein (0-2)
First Round: lost to #6 Brian Self (Duke), Fall 2:06
Consolations: lost to #5 KaRonne Jones (NCSU), 11-8

285: #2 seed Chris Penny (1-1; SECOND PLACE)
First Round: Bye
Semifinals def. #3 Ethan Hayes (VA), 5-3
Finals: lost to #1 Spencer Myers (MD), 3-1

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

HokieSports Shop