Bolen named ACC Freshman of the Year

The Christiansburg, Va., native finished second at ACCs and qualified for nationals this season

March 28, 2018

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Virginia Tech's freshman 174-pounder Hunter Bolen has been named ACC Freshman of the Year, the conference office announced Wednesday.

Bolen went 21-12 in his first season at Virginia Tech, including a 4-0 mark in ACC duals. He was one of three true freshmen in the ACC and one of only 16 in the nation to qualify for the NCAA Championships.

“Hunter put a lot of effort and hard work in this past season and we’re happy to see him earn this award,” said head coach Tony Robie. “The best part about Hunter is that his best wrestling is still ahead of him and we’re all excited to see him progress on the mat.”

He earned All-ACC honors and punched his ticket to nationals after placing second at the ACC Championships. He was the No. 1 seed at ACCs after going undefeated in conference duals during the regular season. Bolen concluded the regular season ranked 16th in the nation at 174.

Bolen is the seventh ACC Freshman of the Year recipient in program history. He’s the first Hokie to win the award since David McFadden in 2016. Bolen was also named to the Open Mat’s NCAA Division I All-Freshman Team at 174 pounds. Joining him on the list was redshirt freshman Andrew Dunn, a third-team selection at heavyweight.

The award was voted on by the league’s six head coaches. Only true freshmen are eligible for the award.

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