Pitt
ACC Championships
Pitzer Wins Most Outstanding Wrestler, Pitt Crowns Three ACC Champions
3/10/2025 12:54:00 AM | Wrestling
Panthers Finish Second with a Total Score of 63.5 to Match Best ACC Championship Finish
DURHAM, N.C. – The Pitt wrestling team finished second overall in the team standings with 63.5 total points as the Panthers crowned three individual champions at the 2025 ACC Championships, hosted by Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium Sunday.
The Panthers sent four wrestlers to the finals with graduate student Reece Heller (184), redshirt-sophomore Mac Stout (197), and redshirt-sophomore Dayton Pitzer (285) each claiming ACC titles in their respective weight classes. Redshirt-junior Luca Augustine finished as the runner-up in the 174-pound match.
Pitzer was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Championship after defeating both the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds en route to his first title.
The Panthers matched their best team finish since joining the ACC, also finishing second at the 2015 and 2020 ACC Championships. The three individual champions also match a program best, with the Panthers having three wrestlers claim titles in 2022, 2017, and 2015.
In total, the Panthers had seven individuals automatically qualify for the 2025 NCAA Championships. Nick Babin (125) and Briar Priest (141) finished in fourth place in their weight classes and Jared Keslar (165) finished in fifth place to each earn automatic bids to Philadelphia.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Reece Heller made his first ACC final appearance and made his third matchup against Dylan Fishback of NC State this season. Heller came out victorious once again with a takedown in overtime to claim a 4-1 sudden victory.
- Dayton Pitzer defeated the top two seeded wrestlers en route to his first ACC title. Pitzer used a late takedown in the second period to earn a 4-1 victory over No. 1 Isaac Trumble of NC State in the semifinals.
- Pitzer continued that momentum into the finals to earn a 4-1 sudden victory over No. 2 Jimmy Mullen of Virginia Tech. The match went to sudden victory after a stalling call on Pitzer knotted the score at 1-1 at the end of regulation. Pitzer got the takedown less than a minute into overtime to claim his first ACC title.
- Mac Stout earned his 20th consecutive win with a 10-2 major decision over Nikolas Stemmet of Stanford in the final. Stout also defeated Cade Lautt of North Carolina, 17-4, in the semifinal to secure a spot in the final.
- Luca Augustine finished second in his first ACC final appearance. Augustine and Matty Singleton of NC State were scoreless halfway through the opening period before Singleton got a near fall to take a 4-0 lead. Luca got two escapes but was not enough to overcome Singleton, dropping the match 5-2.
UP NEXT
The Panthers travel across the state to Philadelphia, Pa. for the 2025 NCAA Championships at Wells Fargo Center, March 20-22. The NCAA Selection Show and at-large announcements will be made on March 11 with the seeding being announced March 12.
125 | Nick Babin (1-2), Fourth Place, NCAA Qualifier
Quarterfinal: Babin (PITT) maj. dec. Keyveon Roller (UVA), 10-2
Semifinal: Eddie Ventresca (VT) maj. dec. Babin (PITT), 19-5
Consolation Semifinal: Bye
Third-Place Match: Keyveon Roller (UVA) dec. Babin (PITT), 7-5
133 | Tyler Chappell (0-2)
Quarterfinal: Tyler Knox (STAN) maj. dec. Chappell (PITT), 14-3
Consolation Round: Raymond Adams (Duke) dec. Chappell, 4-2
141 | Briar Priest (2-2), Fourth Place, NCAA Qualifier
Quarterfinal: Priest (PITT) dec. Jason Miranda (STAN), 9-2 SV
Semifinal: Dylan Cedeno (UVA) dec. Priest (PITT), 4-3
Cons. Semifinal: Priest (PITT) dec. Troy Hohman (NCST), 9-6 SV
3rd Place Match: Jason Miranda (STAN) dec. Priest (PITT), 6-3
149 | Finn Solomon (1-3)
Quarterfinal: Jaden Abas (STAN) fall Solomon (PITT), 2:38
Consolation Round 1: Solomon (PITT) tech. fall SP O'Donnell (Duke), 20-3 (5:44)
Cons. Semifinal: Jack Gioffre (UVA) dec. Solomon (PITT), 8-5
5th Place Match: Jaden Abas (STAN) dec. Solomon (PITT), 8-6
157 | Dylan Evans (2-2)
Quarterfinal: Michael Gioffre (UVA) dec. Evans (PITT), 8-1 SV
Consolation Round 1: Evans (PITT) tech. fall Nick Tattini (DUKE), 20-5 (4:49)
Cons. Semifinals: Evans (PITT) maj. dec. Grigor Cholakyan (STAN), 8-1 SV
3rd Place Match: Sonny Santiago (UNC) dec. Evans (PITT), 4-1 SV
165 | Jared Keslar (2-2), Fifth Place, NCAA Qualifier
Quarterfinal: Mac Church (VT) dec. Keslar (PITT), 4-1 SV
Consolation Quarterfinal: Bye
Cons. Semi: Derek Fields (NCST) dec. Keslar (PITT), 4-2
5th Place Match: Keslar (PITT) maj. dec. Charlie Darracott (UNC), 13-5
174 | Luca Augustine (2-1), Second Place, NCAA Qualifier
Quarterfinal: Augustine (PITT) dec. Rocco Contino (UVA), 5-4
Semifinal: Augustine (PITT) dec. Lorenzo Norman (STAN), 4-1 SV
Final: Matty Singleton (NCST) dec. Augustine (PITT), 5-2
184 | Reece Heller (2-0), ACC Champion, NCAA Qualifier
Quarterfinal: Bye
Semifinal: Heller (PITT) dec. TJ Stewart (VT), 4-2
Final: Heller (PITT) dec. Dylan Fishback (NCST), 4-1 SV
197 | Mac Stout (2-0), ACC Champion, NCAA Qualifier
Quarterfinal: Bye
Semifinal: Stout (PITT) maj. dec. Cade Lautt (UNC), 17-4
Final: Stout (PITT) maj. dec. Nikolas Stemmet (STAN), 10-2
285 | Dayton Pitzer (3-0), ACC Champion, NCAA Qualifier
Quarterfinal: Pitzer (PITT) dec. Peter Ming (STAN), 8-2
Semifinal: Pitzer (PITT) dec. Isaac Trumble (NC State), 4-1
Final: Pitzer (PITT) dec. Jimmy Mullen (VT), 4-1 SV
Players Mentioned
