Friday, November 22
Blacksburg, Va.
7 PM
Rutgers University
at
Virginia Tech
Wrestling Weekend Ahead: Virginia’s Turley Excited for Final Collegiate Season
Nov 20 | Wrestling
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – No. 17 Rutgers wrestling (3-1) hits the road for a matchup with No. 7 Virginia Tech (2-0) on Friday night in Blacksburg. The standalone dual is set for 7 p.m. at the Moss Art Center and will stream via ACCNX through the ESPN App.
Six Scarlet Knights will also compete attached at the Black Knight Invitational on Sunday in West Point, New York. Wrestling begins at 10 a.m. and will stream on FloWrestling.
RU's matchup with the Hokies marks its second consecutive dual against a top 10 opponent after it lost to No. 6 NC State, 24-13, on Sunday at the Journeymen Jersey Jostle in Toms River. It will be Rutgers second trip to Blacksburg in program history, last visiting during the 2008-09 season – head coach Scott Goodale's second season at the helm of the program.
Turley Reflects on Virginia Roots, Final Season Ahead
By Bradly Derechailo
A native of Chester, Virginia, Jackson Turley was introduced to wrestling as soon as he was able to lace up his shoes. Turley grew up attending the ACC Wrestling Championship with his dad and cheered on the Virginia Cavaliers whenever they faced off against rival Virginia Tech.
When Rutgers takes on the Hokies Friday night (7 p.m., ACCNX) in Blacksburg, it will be the first time Turley wrestles in his home state since he arrived "On the Banks" in the summer of 2019. The rare occurrence means Turley will have more than 15 family members in the stands at the Moss Art Center for the top 20 out-of-conference matchup.
"It's going to be awesome," Turley said. "The closest I have wrestled to home is when we wrestle at Maryland, so to get back to Virginia and wrestle is something I am really excited about. It's going to be fun, but I have to also treat it like any other dual on the schedule."
A four-time Virginia state champion at St. Christopher's in Richmond, Turley finished his scholastic career as a three-time National Prep finalist and a 2019 National Prep champion. The No. 43 overall prospect in the country at the time, Turley was recruited by the Hokies along with a host of other top programs before he committed to Rutgers in 2018.
Entering his final collegiate season, Turley is the longest-tenured athlete on the roster. Admittedly called 'Unc' by some of his younger teammates, Turley's veteran leadership is something head coach Scott Goodale does not take for granted.
"He brings a lot of consistency to our room," Goodale said. "He's wrestled in a ton of big matches and is one of the best overall wrestlers we have. He just brings a lot of stability. You can count on him."
Turley has produced more than 50 wins and has appeared in 48 dual matches during his collegiate career. During his redshirt freshman season, Turley ripped off four consecutive victories at the 2021 NCAA Championships in St. Louis en route to All-America honors at 174 pounds.
Last season, Turley finished with 16 wins, a fourth-place result at the Big Ten Championships and a trip to nationals for the third time. Turley delivered wins over three ranked foes, including back-to-back ranked victories at Big Tens to secure his highest finish at the tournament of his career.
Turley's tenure at Rutgers has not come without adversity, undergoing treatment for herniated disks in his back last summer. His 2022 season was cut short after he suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery. His injuries forced him to evaluate if he would return this year to use his final season of eligibility.
But after not placing in Kansas City this past March, something told Turley he needed to come back for one last ride.
"Last year I told myself that I would place [at nationals] and then I'll be done," Turley said. "But it just left a bad taste in my mouth not finishing on the podium. I don't want to look back on my career and have the last part of it not be so great. So, I wanted to come in this year, have some fun and just let it fly."
The country knows what he is capable of, as Turley is ranked as high as No. 16 in his weight class through the first three weeks of the season and has appeared as high as No. 12 this fall.
Turley gets an opportunity to add to his resume and improve his ranking this weekend, as the Hokies feature No. 4 Lennox Wolak in their projected lineup for Friday night's dual. A Columbia transfer, Wolak finished sixth at the 2024 NCAA Championships to become the sixth All-American in program history.
The ranked-vs.-ranked matchup is one of nine projected for the non-conference dual. A win would mark the second for RU over Virginia Tech in school history and the program's first top 10 victory since the 2019-20 season.
For Turley, a win in front of friends and family would also mean one over a school he has known almost all his life.
"It would mean a lot to beat Virginia Tech," Turley said. "I've wanted to beat them my whole life. If we are able to do it in my home state, that would be pretty cool."
No. 17 Rutgers (3-1)
125: 17/11 Dean Peterson (1-2) -OR- Ayden Smith (2-1)
133: 6/6 Dylan Shawver (4-0)
141: 22/29 Joseph Olivieri (3-1)
149: 33/Michael Cetta (2-1) -OR- NR/27 Andrew Clark (5-1) -OR- Alex Nini (1-2)
157: Conner Harer (3-1)
165: Andrew Barbosa (2-0) -OR- 32/NR Anthony White (3-1)
174: 18/19 Jackson Turley (2-1) -OR- Eric Freeman (3-2)
184: 21/19 Brian Soldano (2-3) -OR- Shane Cartagena-Walsh (5-1)
197: 12/17 John Poznanski (4-0) -OR- PJ Casale (3-4)
HWT: 9/6 Yaraslau Slavikouski (2-1) -OR- John O'Donnell (2-1)
Rankings Intermat/Flo
No. 7 Virginia Tech (2-0)
125: 12/13 Eddie Ventresca (5-0) -OR- Dillon Campbell (0-0)
133: 10/12 Connor McGonagle (3-1)
141: 16/16 Sam Latona (5-1)
149: 1/1 Caleb Henson (1-0)
157: 24/21 Rafael Hipolito, Jr. (5-0)
165: 19/17 Connor Brady (0-0) -OR- Mac Church (7-3)
174: 4/7 Lennox Wolak (2-1)
184: Sam Fisher (1-2) -OR- 12/9 TJ Stewart (0-1)
197: 13/11 Andy Smith (1-0)
285: 16/15 Jimmy Mullen (8-0) -OR- Hunter Catka (1-1)
Rankings Intermat/Flo
Black Knight Invitational Entries (All Attached) – Subject to Change
141: Joe Fongaro
149: Michael Cetta
149: Andrew Clark
165: Anthony White
184: Shane Cartagena-Walsh
184: Brian Soldano
Six Scarlet Knights will also compete attached at the Black Knight Invitational on Sunday in West Point, New York. Wrestling begins at 10 a.m. and will stream on FloWrestling.
RU's matchup with the Hokies marks its second consecutive dual against a top 10 opponent after it lost to No. 6 NC State, 24-13, on Sunday at the Journeymen Jersey Jostle in Toms River. It will be Rutgers second trip to Blacksburg in program history, last visiting during the 2008-09 season – head coach Scott Goodale's second season at the helm of the program.
| From the Wrestling Room |
By Bradly Derechailo
A native of Chester, Virginia, Jackson Turley was introduced to wrestling as soon as he was able to lace up his shoes. Turley grew up attending the ACC Wrestling Championship with his dad and cheered on the Virginia Cavaliers whenever they faced off against rival Virginia Tech.
When Rutgers takes on the Hokies Friday night (7 p.m., ACCNX) in Blacksburg, it will be the first time Turley wrestles in his home state since he arrived "On the Banks" in the summer of 2019. The rare occurrence means Turley will have more than 15 family members in the stands at the Moss Art Center for the top 20 out-of-conference matchup.
"It's going to be awesome," Turley said. "The closest I have wrestled to home is when we wrestle at Maryland, so to get back to Virginia and wrestle is something I am really excited about. It's going to be fun, but I have to also treat it like any other dual on the schedule."
A four-time Virginia state champion at St. Christopher's in Richmond, Turley finished his scholastic career as a three-time National Prep finalist and a 2019 National Prep champion. The No. 43 overall prospect in the country at the time, Turley was recruited by the Hokies along with a host of other top programs before he committed to Rutgers in 2018.
Entering his final collegiate season, Turley is the longest-tenured athlete on the roster. Admittedly called 'Unc' by some of his younger teammates, Turley's veteran leadership is something head coach Scott Goodale does not take for granted.
"He brings a lot of consistency to our room," Goodale said. "He's wrestled in a ton of big matches and is one of the best overall wrestlers we have. He just brings a lot of stability. You can count on him."
Turley has produced more than 50 wins and has appeared in 48 dual matches during his collegiate career. During his redshirt freshman season, Turley ripped off four consecutive victories at the 2021 NCAA Championships in St. Louis en route to All-America honors at 174 pounds.
Last season, Turley finished with 16 wins, a fourth-place result at the Big Ten Championships and a trip to nationals for the third time. Turley delivered wins over three ranked foes, including back-to-back ranked victories at Big Tens to secure his highest finish at the tournament of his career.
Turley's tenure at Rutgers has not come without adversity, undergoing treatment for herniated disks in his back last summer. His 2022 season was cut short after he suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery. His injuries forced him to evaluate if he would return this year to use his final season of eligibility.
But after not placing in Kansas City this past March, something told Turley he needed to come back for one last ride.
"Last year I told myself that I would place [at nationals] and then I'll be done," Turley said. "But it just left a bad taste in my mouth not finishing on the podium. I don't want to look back on my career and have the last part of it not be so great. So, I wanted to come in this year, have some fun and just let it fly."
The country knows what he is capable of, as Turley is ranked as high as No. 16 in his weight class through the first three weeks of the season and has appeared as high as No. 12 this fall.
Turley gets an opportunity to add to his resume and improve his ranking this weekend, as the Hokies feature No. 4 Lennox Wolak in their projected lineup for Friday night's dual. A Columbia transfer, Wolak finished sixth at the 2024 NCAA Championships to become the sixth All-American in program history.
The ranked-vs.-ranked matchup is one of nine projected for the non-conference dual. A win would mark the second for RU over Virginia Tech in school history and the program's first top 10 victory since the 2019-20 season.
For Turley, a win in front of friends and family would also mean one over a school he has known almost all his life.
"It would mean a lot to beat Virginia Tech," Turley said. "I've wanted to beat them my whole life. If we are able to do it in my home state, that would be pretty cool."
| Projected Lineups |
125: 17/11 Dean Peterson (1-2) -OR- Ayden Smith (2-1)
133: 6/6 Dylan Shawver (4-0)
141: 22/29 Joseph Olivieri (3-1)
149: 33/Michael Cetta (2-1) -OR- NR/27 Andrew Clark (5-1) -OR- Alex Nini (1-2)
157: Conner Harer (3-1)
165: Andrew Barbosa (2-0) -OR- 32/NR Anthony White (3-1)
174: 18/19 Jackson Turley (2-1) -OR- Eric Freeman (3-2)
184: 21/19 Brian Soldano (2-3) -OR- Shane Cartagena-Walsh (5-1)
197: 12/17 John Poznanski (4-0) -OR- PJ Casale (3-4)
HWT: 9/6 Yaraslau Slavikouski (2-1) -OR- John O'Donnell (2-1)
Rankings Intermat/Flo
No. 7 Virginia Tech (2-0)
125: 12/13 Eddie Ventresca (5-0) -OR- Dillon Campbell (0-0)
133: 10/12 Connor McGonagle (3-1)
141: 16/16 Sam Latona (5-1)
149: 1/1 Caleb Henson (1-0)
157: 24/21 Rafael Hipolito, Jr. (5-0)
165: 19/17 Connor Brady (0-0) -OR- Mac Church (7-3)
174: 4/7 Lennox Wolak (2-1)
184: Sam Fisher (1-2) -OR- 12/9 TJ Stewart (0-1)
197: 13/11 Andy Smith (1-0)
285: 16/15 Jimmy Mullen (8-0) -OR- Hunter Catka (1-1)
Rankings Intermat/Flo
Black Knight Invitational Entries (All Attached) – Subject to Change
141: Joe Fongaro
149: Michael Cetta
149: Andrew Clark
165: Anthony White
184: Shane Cartagena-Walsh
184: Brian Soldano
| Last Time Out |
- Rutgers split its matches at the Journeymen Jersey Jostle on Sunday in Toms River. The Scarlet Knights defeated LIU, 37-3, before losing to No. 6 NC State, 24-13, during the showcase event at the RWJBarnabas Health Arena.
- The Scarlet Knights won 13 out of 20 matches across their two duals, adding six wins by bonus (four tech falls, a pin and a major decision).
- Dylan Shawver (133), John Poznanski (197) and Andrew Barbosa (165) all won two matches on the day. Competing in his first collegiate matches, Barbosa added a ranked victory to his resume with an 8-6 decision over No. 20 Derek Fields from NC State.
| Quote of the Week |
- "It was pretty cool. They definitely got loud for me, which makes sense because I went here, but it was definitely nice to hear. As the match went on, I felt like the whole gym was clapping and cheering for me. It was a good feeling." – Heavyweight John O'Donnell on delivering a 15-0 tech fall at his old high school over the weekend.
| In the Rankings |
- Rutgers remained No. 17 in this week's NWCA Coaches poll, joining fellow Big Ten programs No. 1 Penn State, No. 2 Iowa, No. 4 Nebraska, No. 5 Ohio State, No. 8 Michigan, No. 10 Minnesota and No. 16 Illinois in the rankings.
- Ten Scarlet Knights appear in at least one poll during week three of the regular season. Poznanski, Shawver and Yaraslau Slavikouski (HWT) all appear in the top 10 of at least one poll, with Shawver ranked as high as No. 5 in his weight class by Amateur Wrestling News. Slavikouski is No. 6 by FloWrestling, while Poznanski is No. 9 by WIN Magazine thanks to his 4-0 record with four tech falls to open the season.
| Wrestler | Intermat | FloWrestling | The Open Mat | AWN | WIN |
| Dean Peterson (125) | 17 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 13 |
| Dylan Shawver (133) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
| Joseph Olivieri (141) | 22 | 29 | NR | 18 | NR |
| Michael Cetta (149) | 33 | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Andrew Clark (149) | NR | 27 | NR | NR | NR |
| Anthony White (165) | 32 | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Jackson Turley (174) | 18 | 19 | 16 | 20 | 18 |
| Brian Soldano (184) | 21 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 17 |
| John Poznanski (197) | 12 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 9 |
| Yaraslau Slavikouski (HWT) | 9 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 9 |
| Against Virginia Tech |
- Rutgers is 1-2 all-time against Virginia Tech. The Scarlet Knights hosted the Hokies last season, losing 19-12 on November 17, 2023 at Jersey Mike's Arena. Poznanski, Slavikouski and Dean Peterson (125) all secured wins over ranked opponents in the dual.
- The Scarlet Knights defeated the then-No. 3 Hokies, 24-7, on January 21, 2011, in Piscataway for one of their biggest wins in school history.
- This will be RU's first visit to Blacksburg since 2008, when it lost, 24-21.
| Up Next |
- Rutgers gets a week off before it hosts its first home match of the season on Friday, December 6 against Lock Haven. The dual is set for 7 p.m. and will stream on Big Ten Plus.
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