Sunday, March 6
Charlottesville, VA
All Day
Pitt
vs
2022 ACC Wrestling Championship
Pitt Wins Three Individual Titles, Finishes Third in ACC
3/6/2022 10:00:00 PM | Wrestling
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.—The University of Pittsburgh wrestling team won three individual titles at the 2022 ACC Wrestling Championship on Sunday at Virginia's John Paul Jones Arena.
Pitt finished the 2022 ACC Championship in third place as a team with 51.0 points, improving significantly on last season's fifth-place finish with 45.0 points.
Bringing home individual gold for the Panthers were Cole Matthews at 141 pounds, Jake Wentzel at 165 pounds and Nino Bonaccorsi at 197 pounds. Wentzel became Pitt's first three-time ACC champion, Bonaccorsi won his second consecutive and overall conference title and Matthews was stood on top of the ACC podium for the first time in his career.
Pitt's Micky Phillippi also advanced to the 133-pound final before falling to Virginia Tech's Korbin Myers. Phillippi became a four-time ACC finalist after winning his first two matches to earn silver.
The Panthers punched six tickets automatically to the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships, with super seniors Elijah Cleary at 157 pounds and Gregg Harvey at 184 pounds joining Pitt's ACC finalists in securing their trip to Detroit for nationals from March 17-19.
Head coach Keith Gavin has now coached 10 ACC champions and 27 NCAA qualifiers during his five years at the helm of his alma mater's wrestling program.
"This was a great tournament with tough competition that prepared us well for nationals," Gavin said. "We're very proud of our three champions and the six guys that qualified. I'm confident that we'll be ready to go at NCAAs again."
Gavin added about Pitt's three ACC champions: "Jake has been wrestling well the last few weeks. That final match was a complete performance by him to win his third conference title. Nino did well to beat a guy who had given him problems in the past and really dominated. And Cole just did what he's been doing. He's been on a roll for a long time now. We're extremely happy for all of those guys."
Pitt's full weight-by-weight results from the 2022 ACC Wrestling Championships are available below.
Gage Curry, 125 Pounds, Record: 1-2
First Round: No. 3 Gage Curry (Pitt) dec. No. 6 Logan Agin (Duke), 3-0
Semifinals: No. 2 Jakob Camacho (NC State) No. 3 Gage Curry (Pitt), 8-3
Consolation Semifinals: No. 5 Spencer Moore (North Carolina) dec. No. 3 Gage Curry (Pitt), 3-2 (TB2 RT)
Micky Phillippi, 133 Pounds, Record: 2-1, Runner-Up, NCAA Qualifier
First Round: No. 3 Micky Phillippi (Pitt) tech. fall No. 6 Drake Doolittle (Duke), 18-3 5:08
Semifinals: No. 3 Micky Phillippi (Pitt) dec. No. 2 Joe Heilmann (UNC), 3-1
Final: No. 1 Korbin Myers (Virginia Tech) dec. No. 3 Micky Phillippi, 4-2
Cole Matthews, 141 Pounds, Record: 2-0, Champion, NCAA Qualifier
Semifinals: No. 1 Cole Matthews (Pitt) dec. No. 4 Collin Gerardi (Virginia Tech), 2-0
Final: No. 1 Cole Matthews (Pitt) dec. No. 2 Ryan Jack (NC State), 3-2
Dan Mancini, 149 Pounds, Record: 0-2
First Round: No. 3 Josh Finesilver (Duke) dec. No. 6 Dan Mancini (Pitt), 11-10
Consolation Semifinals: No. 4 Zach Sherman (North Carolina) dec. No. 6 Dan Mancini (Pitt), 4-1
Elijah Cleary, 157 Pounds, Record: 1-2, NCAA Qualifier
First Round: No. 5 Wade Unger (Duke) dec. No. 4 Elijah Cleary (Pitt), 3-2
Consolation Semifinals: No. 2 Jake Keating (Virginia) dec. No. 4 Elijah Cleary (Pitt), 6-0
5th Place Match: No. 4 Elijah Cleary (Pitt) dec. No. 5 Wade Unger (Duke), 5-3
Jake Wentzel, 165 Pounds, Record: 2-0, Champion, NCAA Qualifier
Semifinals: No. 1 Jake Wentzel (Pitt) dec. No. 4 Clayton Ulrey (Virginia Tech), 3-0
Final: No. 1 Jake Wentzel (Pitt) dec. Justin McCoy (Virginia), 7-0
Hunter Kernan, 174 Pounds, Record: 0-2
First Round: No. 3 Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) maj. dec. No. 6 Hunter Kernan (Pitt), 16-4
Consolation Semifinals: No. 4 Matt Finesilver (Duke) pins No. 6 Hunter Kernan (Pitt), 2:46
Gregg Harvey, 184 Pounds, Record: 2-2, NCAA Qualifier
First Round: No. 5 Gregg Harvey (Pitt) dec. No. 4 Michael Battista (Virginia), 7-2
Semifinals: No. 1 Trent Hidlay (NC State) maj. dec. Gregg Harvey (Pitt), 19-5
Consolation Semifinals: No. 5 Gregg Harvey (Pitt) dec. No. 6 Vincent Baker (Duke), 5-3
Consolation Final: No. 3 Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech) pins No. 5 Gregg Harvey (Pitt), 1:42
Nino Bonaccorsi, 197 Pounds, Record: 2-0, Champion, NCAA Qualifier
Semifinals: No. 2 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt) dec. No. 3 Jay Aiello (Virginia), 5-2
Final: No. 2 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt) dec. No. 1 Isaac Trumble (NC State), 5-2
Jake Slinger, 285 Pounds, Record: 0-2
First Round: No. 6 Brandon Whitman (North Carolina) dec. No. 3 Jake Slinger (Pitt), 3-2
Consolation Semifinals: No. 4 Quinn Miller (Virginia) maj. dec. No. 3 Jake Slinger (Pitt), 12-4
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Pitt finished the 2022 ACC Championship in third place as a team with 51.0 points, improving significantly on last season's fifth-place finish with 45.0 points.
Bringing home individual gold for the Panthers were Cole Matthews at 141 pounds, Jake Wentzel at 165 pounds and Nino Bonaccorsi at 197 pounds. Wentzel became Pitt's first three-time ACC champion, Bonaccorsi won his second consecutive and overall conference title and Matthews was stood on top of the ACC podium for the first time in his career.
Pitt's Micky Phillippi also advanced to the 133-pound final before falling to Virginia Tech's Korbin Myers. Phillippi became a four-time ACC finalist after winning his first two matches to earn silver.
The Panthers punched six tickets automatically to the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships, with super seniors Elijah Cleary at 157 pounds and Gregg Harvey at 184 pounds joining Pitt's ACC finalists in securing their trip to Detroit for nationals from March 17-19.
Head coach Keith Gavin has now coached 10 ACC champions and 27 NCAA qualifiers during his five years at the helm of his alma mater's wrestling program.
"This was a great tournament with tough competition that prepared us well for nationals," Gavin said. "We're very proud of our three champions and the six guys that qualified. I'm confident that we'll be ready to go at NCAAs again."
Gavin added about Pitt's three ACC champions: "Jake has been wrestling well the last few weeks. That final match was a complete performance by him to win his third conference title. Nino did well to beat a guy who had given him problems in the past and really dominated. And Cole just did what he's been doing. He's been on a roll for a long time now. We're extremely happy for all of those guys."
Pitt's full weight-by-weight results from the 2022 ACC Wrestling Championships are available below.
Gage Curry, 125 Pounds, Record: 1-2
First Round: No. 3 Gage Curry (Pitt) dec. No. 6 Logan Agin (Duke), 3-0
Semifinals: No. 2 Jakob Camacho (NC State) No. 3 Gage Curry (Pitt), 8-3
Consolation Semifinals: No. 5 Spencer Moore (North Carolina) dec. No. 3 Gage Curry (Pitt), 3-2 (TB2 RT)
Micky Phillippi, 133 Pounds, Record: 2-1, Runner-Up, NCAA Qualifier
First Round: No. 3 Micky Phillippi (Pitt) tech. fall No. 6 Drake Doolittle (Duke), 18-3 5:08
Semifinals: No. 3 Micky Phillippi (Pitt) dec. No. 2 Joe Heilmann (UNC), 3-1
Final: No. 1 Korbin Myers (Virginia Tech) dec. No. 3 Micky Phillippi, 4-2
Cole Matthews, 141 Pounds, Record: 2-0, Champion, NCAA Qualifier
Semifinals: No. 1 Cole Matthews (Pitt) dec. No. 4 Collin Gerardi (Virginia Tech), 2-0
Final: No. 1 Cole Matthews (Pitt) dec. No. 2 Ryan Jack (NC State), 3-2
Dan Mancini, 149 Pounds, Record: 0-2
First Round: No. 3 Josh Finesilver (Duke) dec. No. 6 Dan Mancini (Pitt), 11-10
Consolation Semifinals: No. 4 Zach Sherman (North Carolina) dec. No. 6 Dan Mancini (Pitt), 4-1
Elijah Cleary, 157 Pounds, Record: 1-2, NCAA Qualifier
First Round: No. 5 Wade Unger (Duke) dec. No. 4 Elijah Cleary (Pitt), 3-2
Consolation Semifinals: No. 2 Jake Keating (Virginia) dec. No. 4 Elijah Cleary (Pitt), 6-0
5th Place Match: No. 4 Elijah Cleary (Pitt) dec. No. 5 Wade Unger (Duke), 5-3
Jake Wentzel, 165 Pounds, Record: 2-0, Champion, NCAA Qualifier
Semifinals: No. 1 Jake Wentzel (Pitt) dec. No. 4 Clayton Ulrey (Virginia Tech), 3-0
Final: No. 1 Jake Wentzel (Pitt) dec. Justin McCoy (Virginia), 7-0
Hunter Kernan, 174 Pounds, Record: 0-2
First Round: No. 3 Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) maj. dec. No. 6 Hunter Kernan (Pitt), 16-4
Consolation Semifinals: No. 4 Matt Finesilver (Duke) pins No. 6 Hunter Kernan (Pitt), 2:46
Gregg Harvey, 184 Pounds, Record: 2-2, NCAA Qualifier
First Round: No. 5 Gregg Harvey (Pitt) dec. No. 4 Michael Battista (Virginia), 7-2
Semifinals: No. 1 Trent Hidlay (NC State) maj. dec. Gregg Harvey (Pitt), 19-5
Consolation Semifinals: No. 5 Gregg Harvey (Pitt) dec. No. 6 Vincent Baker (Duke), 5-3
Consolation Final: No. 3 Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech) pins No. 5 Gregg Harvey (Pitt), 1:42
Nino Bonaccorsi, 197 Pounds, Record: 2-0, Champion, NCAA Qualifier
Semifinals: No. 2 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt) dec. No. 3 Jay Aiello (Virginia), 5-2
Final: No. 2 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt) dec. No. 1 Isaac Trumble (NC State), 5-2
Jake Slinger, 285 Pounds, Record: 0-2
First Round: No. 6 Brandon Whitman (North Carolina) dec. No. 3 Jake Slinger (Pitt), 3-2
Consolation Semifinals: No. 4 Quinn Miller (Virginia) maj. dec. No. 3 Jake Slinger (Pitt), 12-4
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