Virginia Tech Wrestling Claims Five Open Titles at Southeast Open Season Opener
Virginia Tech officially kicked off its 2026-27 wrestling campaign in dominant fashion on Sunday, November 1, capturing five individual titles and twelve total podium finishes at the Southeast Open in Salem, Virginia. The Hokies put together a commanding opening weekend that featured four individual champions in the Open division alongside a freshman/sophomore division crown.
Leading the charge for Tech in the Open division were Aaron Seidel at 133 pounds, Mac Church at 165 pounds, Ryan Burton at 174 pounds, and Jim Mullen at the heavyweight 285-pound class. Meanwhile, freshman Alex Rozas secured the 125-pound title in the freshman/sophomore division, anchoring a deep lineup that generated four runner-up finishes across the board.
Dominant Runs and Bonus-Point Victories Highlight Opening Day
Aaron Seidel set the tone for the roster at 133 pounds, finishing his day with a flawless 4-0 record featuring bonus-point wins in every single match. Seidel collected three technical falls and one pin, opening the tournament with an 18-0 technical fall over Ohio’s Prestyn Parks before capping off his gold-medal run with a 15-0 technical fall against West Virginia’s Gunner Andrick.
In the freshman/sophomore division, Alex Rozas matched that relentless pace by going undefeated across five matches. Rozas racked up three consecutive technical falls to start his tournament bracket, edged out NC State’s Lander Bosh 6-3 in the semifinals, and secured the championship by pinning NC State’s Dom Deputy.
The 165-pound weight class showcased intra-squad depth as Mac Church and Noah Nininger collided in the championship bout, locking down both the first- and second-place spots for the Hokies. Church finished 4-0 on the afternoon with two major decisions before defeating Nininger 4-1 in the finals. Nininger posted a 3-1 record, collecting two technical falls en route to his runner-up standing.
Depth Shows Up Across Open and Freshman Brackets
Additional firepower came at 174 pounds, where Ryan Burton went 4-0 with two technical falls and a medical forfeit victory before dispatching Illinois competitor Colin Kelly 7-2 in the title match. Heavyweight Jim Mullen mirrored that undefeated 4-0 standard, earning one pin, two technical falls, and an 8-0 major decision over West Virginia’s Max Vanadia to claim the 285-pound crown.
The program's twelve total podium spots established an immediate benchmark for the squad as they prepare to start the early weeks of the 2026-27 slate. Freshman/sophomore competitors Mitchell Faglioni (157 pounds), Kyle Scott (184 pounds), and Jonathan Rocha (197 pounds) rounded out the team’s silver-medal performances.
In the 184-pound Open division, Jaden Bullock claimed third place by defeating teammate Sergio Desiante 6-3 in an all-Hokie consolation battle, while Desiante finished fourth after picking up three tournament victories. The team now turns its attention to the remainder of the schedule, looking to translate a strong opening showing in Salem into sustained momentum.
