Not as high as Intermat's ranking, but still top 10.
Here's Flo's analysis, with some very positive comments about the job Robie and the admin did hiring assistants with Olympic credentials. Also, a nice shout out to the recruiting class of 2013:
#7 - Virginia Tech
5 year cycle: NR, #11, #15, #4, #23
Top 100 Recruits
No. 19 Mekhi Lewis, NJ (157/165)
No. 24 John Borst, VA (197)
No. 50 Hunter Bolen, VA (165)
Others: Cole Manley, PA (133/141); Jeff Allen, VA (197/285)
In Blacksburg: Despite not coming home with a trophy this year, the Hokies finished in the top 10 for the fifth consecutive year at the NCAA Tournament. Kevin Dresser may be gone to Iowa State, but the Hokies aren’t going anywhere. Tony Robie made waves when he announced the hirings of Olympians Frank Molinaro and Jared Frayer, and Virginia Tech returns four All-Americans.
Why They’re Here: John Borst and Mekhi Lewis are the two that standout in this class. Since last spring Borst has won NHSCA Nationals, was a runner-up in Fargo, Super 32 champ, Beast of the East champ, was an Escape the Rock runner-up, and won his third Virginia state title. Borst will slot in perfectly after Jared Haught graduates next year. Mekhi Lewis adds some serious firepower to the Tech middle weights after finishing his scholastic career on a 70 match win streak and picking up his second New Jersey state title. Virginia Tech has struggled the past few years at 133 and FloNationals champ Cole Manley will look to bring stabilization to that weight for the Hokies.
Needs For Next Year: The good news is that between McFadden, Lewis, and Bolen they have excellent talent. What they have to figure out is what weights they’ll wrestle. Is it possible one of them bulks up and takes over for the early departure of Zach Epperly? The line up is super young; you could potentially see as many as six Frosh in the line-up with three (Kyle Norstrem, Brent Moore, and Andrew Dunn) being certainties and Manley, Jerrett Degen, and Bolen/Lewis also possibilities. With Mitch Moore (OH/133) already in tow for 2018, the only real need for Tech is an 84 for the post ZZ Top era.
Flashback Stat: I dubbed Tech’s 2013 class #4 in the country and man, did they deliver. Three (Dance, Epperly, and Haught) became Top 5 guys and they got some good miles out of Gustafson and Kevin Norstrem.
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