Sport: Wrestling (@UVaWrestling)

Contact: Andy Fledderjohann

Cavaliers win nine of 10 weight classes in regular-season finale

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The 12th-ranked Virginia wrestling team won nine of 10 weight classes in a dominating 34-3 dual victory over George Mason Sunday afternoon at GMUÂ’s Recreation and Athletic Complex. The Cavaliers (18-3) finished with the second-most dual wins in a season in program history, matching the 2007-08 squad in the UVa annals. 

“I kept telling the guys all week that we need to finish the race and today they finished well,” Virginia head coach Steve Garland said. “I’m really proud of this group. They put together one of the best seasons in the history of the school and they should be proud of that.”

Virginia recorded bonus points in four of its wins. No. 13 Gus Sako (R-Jr., Cleveland, Ohio) picked up a fall at 149 pounds, while second-ranked Nick Sulzer (R-Jr., Cleveland, Ohio) scored a technical fall at 165. Nick Herrmann (So., Amarillo, Texas) and 16th-ranked Stephen Doty (R-Sr., St. Louis, Mo.) each notched major decisions at 125 and 174, respectively. 

Virginia started fast with HerrmannÂ’s 13-4 major decision over Bill Prochniewski at 125, and a Joseph Martinez (R-So., Platteville, Colo.) 6-4 decision over Vince Rodriguez at 133. Herrmann moved to 15-8 on the season with his win.

George Mason (6-14) picked up its lone win of the day when Sahid Kargbo downed Emilio Martinez (Fr., Platteville, Colo.) 9-4 at 141.

The Cavaliers took the momentum back at 149, where Sako pinned Shohei Takagi in 2:46 as he improved to 16-2 on the year. Ranked 14th nationally, Blaise Butler (R-Jr., Belvidere, Ill.) earned a 4-2 decision over Greg Flournoy at 157 as he upped his season record to 18-6. 

Sulzer recorded his fifth technical fall of the season with a 20-5 victory over Matt Stull at 165. With his 22nd bonus-point win of the year, Sulzer is now 30-1.

Doty followed with a commanding 11-3 win over Zach Martinez at 174 pounds as he moved to 25-7 on the season and won his fifth straight bout. Jon Fausey (R-Sr., Dalmatia, Pa.), ranked No. 19 nationally by InterMat, returned to the lineup with an 8-3 decision over Robert Hernbury at 184 pounds.

Virginia won the final two matches in close fashion. At 197 pounds, Zach Nye (R-So., Enola, Pa.) picked up a 4-2 win over Matt Meadows to run his record to 18-8. Ethan Hayes (R-So., New Lebanon, Ohio) closed the dual with a 3-2 win over Jacob Kettler in the heavyweight bout.

VirginiaÂ’s postseason run begins March 8 with the ACC Championships in Blacksburg, Va., followed by the NCAA Championships March 20-22 in Oklahoma City.

125: Nick Herrmann (UVa) major dec. Bill Prochniewski (GMU), 13-4; UVa 4-0

133: Joseph Martinez (UVa) dec. Vince Rodriguez (GMU), 6-4; UVa 7-0

141: Sahid Kargbo (GMU) dec. Emilio Martinez (UVa), 9-4; UVa 7-3

149: No. 13/12 Gus Sako (UVa) pinned Shohei Takagi (GMU), 2:46; UVa 13-3

157: No. 14/15 Blaise Butler (UVa) dec. Greg Flournoy (GMU), 4-1; UVa 16-3

165: No. 2/2 Nick Sulzer (UVa) tech fall Matt Stull (GMU), 20-5; UVa 21-3

174: No. 16/10 Stephen Doty (UVa) major dec. Zach Martinez (GMU), 11-3; UVa 25-3

184: No. -/19 Jon Fausey (UVa) dec. Robert Hernbury (GMU), 8-3; UVa 28-3

197: Zach Nye (UVa) dec. Matt Meadows (GMU), 4-2; UVa 31-3

285: Ethan Hayes (UVa) dec. Jacob Kettler (GMU), 3-2; UVa 34-3

Rankings: AWN/InterMat