Pitt
NCAA Championships
Seven Pitt Wrestlers Learn NCAA Seeds, Matchups
3/13/2024 8:00:00 PM | Wrestling
PITTSBURGH—Seven members of the Pitt wrestling program learned their seeding and opening matchups for the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships on Wednesday evening with the full unveiling of brackets for next week's national tournament at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
Head coach Keith Gavin will take seven individuals to NCAAs for the first time in his seven-year stint as the leader of his alma mater's wrestling team after three qualified through the ACC Championship last Sunday and four more Panthers received at-large bids on Tuesday. Seven Pitt wrestlers also qualified for 2020 NCAAs before it was canceled due to COVID.
Super senior captain Cole Matthews automatically booked his trip to Kansas City by advancing to the ACC final at 141 pounds. He received the No. 18 seed for his fifth NCAA appearance and will meet No. 15 seed Mitch Moore of Rutgers in the first round next Thursday, with a potential second round matchup against No. 2 Beau Bartlett of Penn State looming for Pitt's former NCAA All-American.
Reece Heller is Pitt's highest seed at 184 pounds at No. 15, and the two-time NCAA qualifier will begin his quest for All-America honors against No. 18 Ryder Rogotzke of Ohio State in a match that fans who love exciting wrestling will have their eyes on for sure.
Three-time NCAA qualifier Holden Heller at 165 pounds will finish his college career with a repeat trip to nationals, and the veteran was given the No. 25 seed and a bout with No. 8 Antrell Taylor of Nebraska.
Sophomore Luca Augustine at 174 pounds made it two-for-two in his career with NCAA appearances and will compete as the No. 23 seed against No. 10 Nick Incontrera of Penn in the opening match.
Three freshmen Panthers, all of whom were ACC bronze medalists last Sunday in Chapel Hill, will make their debut at nationals next week at T-Mobile Center.
Mac Stout automatically booked his first NCAA appearance by placing third at ACCs at 197 pounds, while Finn Solomon at 149 pounds and the returning-from-injury Dayton Pitzer at heavyweight each rallied at the conference meet to place third and prove to the selection committee that they deserved at-large bids to Kansas City.
No. 31 Solomon will challenge No. 2 Kyle Parco of Arizona State, No. 21 Stout will face No. 12 Rocky Elam of Missouri and No. 21 Pitzer will meet No. 12 Konner Doucet of Oklahoma State in the opening session of the NCAA Championships.
Another Pitt freshman, Vinnie Santaniello, was made the first alternate at 133 pounds and could take to the mat in Kansas City if one of the 33 competitors in his weight class is unable to participate.
Here is a full rundown of seeds and matchups for Pitt's 2024 NCAA qualifiers:
141: No. 18 Cole Matthews (Pitt) vs. No. 15 Mitch Moore (Rutgers)
149: No. 31 Finn Solomon (Pitt) vs. No. 2 Kyle Parco (Arizona State)
165: No. 25 Holden Heller (Pitt) vs. No. 8 Antrell Taylor (Nebraska)
174: No. 23 Luca Augustine (Pitt) vs. No. 10 Nick Incontrera (Penn)
184: No. 15 Reece Heller (Pitt) vs. No. 18 Ryder Rogotzke (Ohio State)
197: No. 21 Mac Stout (Pitt) vs. No. 12 Rocky Elam (Missouri)
285: No. 21 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt) vs. No. 12 Konner Doucet (Oklahoma State)
133: Vinnie Santaniello, First Alternate
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