Wrestling: McCoy wins title at 165 pounds at ACC Championships

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Justin McCoy claimed the title at 165 pounds to lead the Virginia wrestling team in the ACC Championships on Sunday night at NC State’s Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh. McCoy was one of two placewinners on the night as Jarod Verkleeren took third at 149 pounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED

After receiving a first-round bye, McCoy battled his way through a semifinal match with NC State’s Matthew Singleton to take a 6-2 decision. It was his first time facing Singleton this season as the two did not face each other in the regular-season dual.

McCoy then faced off against Virginia Tech’s Connor Brady in the finals. Trailing by one heading into the third period after Brady earned an escape point, McCoy tied things as he earned his own escape with a minute remaining in the dual. After a wild scramble, McCoy got the takedown with 23 seconds remaining in the period to take a 3-1 lead and held on for the 3-2 victory.

In claiming his third-place finish, Verkleeren went 3-1 on the day. He started things grabbing a win by decision in his first match before dropping a tight battle to second-seeded Jack Arrington of NC State in his semifinal match. He then rattled off back-to-back one-point decisions to claim the third-place finish.

NOTES

• Justin McCoy became the 93rd individual ACC Champion for Virginia with his title on Sunday night.
• McCoy is a three-time All-ACC honoree after finishing as runner-up the previous two seasons.
• Virginia had six wrestlers advance to the semifinals and five wrestlers advance to the third-place match.
• The Cavaliers have four automatic qualifiers for the NCAA Championships – McCoy, Verkleeren, Neil Antrassian (184) and Michael Battista (197).

FROM 165-POUND ACC CHAMPION JUSTIN MCCOY

“I’m just so thankful for everything God has blessed me with. Not just with winning an ACC Championship, but being able to have the opportunity to compete so much. It feels amazing to finally break through in the finals and come out on top. It wasn’t the prettiest, but I’m just happy to find a way to win. One of my favorite parts was coming off the mat and being swarmed by teammates and coaches. I love these guys so much and I’m just so grateful.”

FROM HEAD COACH STEVE GARLAND

On McCoy winning the ACC title at 165 pounds

“I’m so happy for him. To see Juddy finally get that ACC title warms my heart. He’s put in a lot of work in this year, but the way he won was just flat out guts. He just found a way. That’s what it takes at this level.”

On the day of competition

“We don’t have as many guys heading to NCAAs as last year, but we have great guys going. We have guys that can be on the podium. It’s going to be a fun week of turning things up in preparation for the NCAA Championships. I’m excited.”

“The athleticism and patience of Justin McCoy! We said it before he can scramble!”

Here’s where he took the lead on the way to his ACC title.#GoHoos | #TheVirginiaWay pic.twitter.com/VOAmINSmF1

— Virginia Wrestling (@UVAWrestling) March 6, 2023

ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM SCORES
1. NC State – 101.5 pts
2. Virginia Tech – 78.0 pts
3. Pittsburgh – 60.0 pts
4. North Carolina – 37.0 pts
5. Virginia – 35.0 pts
6. Duke – 14.0 pts

125
No. 5 seed Patrick McCormick
R1: No. 4 seed Colton Camacho (Pitt) major dec. McCormick, 12-2
Conso. SF: No. 3 seed Jack Wagner (UNC) dec. McCormick, 5-4

133
No. 5 seed Marlon Yarbrough II
R1: Yarbrough dec. No. 4 seed Jace Palmer (UNC), 15-8
SF: No. 1 seed Micky Phillipi (Pitt) dec. Yarbrough, 6-2
Conso. SF: No. 6 seed Logan Agin (Duke) pinned Marlon Yarbrough, 0:42

141
No. 5 seed Dylan Cedeno
R1: No. 4 seed Tom Crook (VT) dec. Cedeno, 4-2
Conso. SF: No. 3 seed Lachlan McNeil (UNC) dec. Cedeno, 5-2

149
No. 3 seed Jarod Verkleeren – Third Place Finish
R1: Verkleeren vs. No. 6 seed Patrick Rowland (Duke), 6-2
SF: No. 2 seed Jack Arrington (NC State) dec. Verkleeren, 4-3
Conso. SF: Verkleeren dec. No. 4 seed Tyler Badgett (Pitt), 3-2
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Verkleeren dec. No. 5 seed Zach Sherman (UNC), 8-7

157
No. 5 seed Jake Keating
R1: Keating dec. No. 4 seed Dazjon Casto (Pitt), 5-4
SF: No. 1 seed Austin O’Connor (UNC) pinned Keating, 1:30
Conso. SF: Keating dec. No. 6 seed Logan Ferrero (Duke), 7-3
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: No.  3 seed Ed Scott (NC State) major dec. Keating, 15-6

165
No. 2 seed Justin McCoy – ACC CHAMPION
R1: Bye
SF: McCoy dec.  No. 3 seed Matthew Singleton (NC State), 6-2
FINAL: McCoy dec. No. 4 seed Connor Brady (VT), 3-2

174
No. 5 seed Vic Marcelli
R1: Marcelli dec. No. 4 seed Michael Goldfeder (UNC), 1-0
SF: No. 1 seed Mekhi Lewis (VT) major dec. Marcelli, 15-3
Conso. SF: Bye
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: No. 3 seed Luca Augustine (Pitt) dec. Marcelli, 3-1

184
No. 4 seed Neil Antrassian
R1: No. 5 seed Reece Heller (Pitt) major dec. Antrassian, 12-3
Conso. SF: No. 2 seed Hunter Bolen (VT) dec. Antrassian, 5-4
FIFTH-PLACE MATCH: Antrassian dec. No. 6 seed Jack Wimmer (Duke), 6-0

197
No. 4 seed Michael Battista
R1: Battista major dec. No. 5 Vincent Baker (Duke), 10-2
SF: No. 1 seed Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt) vs. Battista
Conso. SF: Battista vs. No. 6 seed Max Shaw (UNC)
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: No. 2 seed Andy Smith (VT) dec. Michael Battista, 3-1

285
No. 6 seed Ethan Weatherspoon
R1: No. 3 seed Hunter Catka (VT) tech fall Weatherspoon, 16-0 (6:34)
Conso. SF:  Weatherspoon vs. No. 4 seed Jake Slinger (Pitt)
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: No. 3 seed Hunter Catka (VT) dec. Weatherspoon, 3-0