Virginia Tech and Missouri are set to wrestle the first big dual of 2024 on Tuesday, January 2 at 6:30 pm (ET). Check out the below article for a full preview of the dual along with predictions for every match. 

Projected Lineups

125: #9 Noah Surtin, Missouri vs #11 Cooper Flynn, Virginia Tech

133: Kade Moore, Missouri vs #5 Sam Latona, Virginia Tech

141: #18 Josh Edmond, Missouri vs Hunter Mason, Virginia Tech

149: #20 Logan Gioffre, Missouri vs #2 Caleb Henson, Virginia Tech

157: #9 Brock Mauller, Missouri vs #7 Bryce Andonian, Virginia Tech

165: #1 Keegan O’Toole, Missouri vs #27 Connor Brady, Virginia Tech

174: #9 Peyton Mocco, Missouri vs #2 Mekhi Lewis, Virginia Tech

184: #9 Clayton Whiting, Missouri vs #17 Sam Fisher, Virginia Tech

197: #6 Rocky Elam, Missouri vs #21 Andy Smith, Virginia Tech

285: #6 Zach Elam, Missouri vs #20 Hunter Catka, Virginia Tech

125: #9 Noah Surtin, Missouri vs #11 Cooper Flynn, Virginia Tech

Assuming it starts at 125, this dual is going to start off with a bang. Two undefeated wrestlers with Noah Surtin at 9-0 and Cooper Flynn at 1-0. Somebody’s “o” has to go. Flynn is only 1-0, but don’t let that fool you. He started out this year in an Olympic redshirt but came out when All-American Eddie Ventresca went down with an injury. In his only match this year he handed Nico Provo, who was ranked #1 at the time, his only loss of the season. This was easily the best win of Flynn’s young career and a reverse result from last season when Provo won 3-1.

Surtin is in his fifth year at Missouri and is off to the best start of his career. So far, the marquee win of his season was a 7-4 sudden victory over #7 Jore Volk of Wyoming. 

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This match could set the tone for either team for the dual.

Match Prediction: Surtin by decision

Dual Prediction: Missouri 3, Virginia Tech 0

133: Kade Moore, Missouri vs #5 Sam Latona, Virginia Tech

Sam Latona will be a heavy favorite over Kade Moore at 133 lbs. Latona is a fifth-year junior and 2X All-American while Moore is a redshirt freshman with a career record of 10-5. However, Latona isn’t immune to odd losses. Already this year Latona has taken a loss to #26 Gabe Whisenhunt. If Latona is wrestling near his normal level, he should take care of business, however.

Match Prediction: Latona by major decision

Dual Prediction: Virginia Tech 4, Missouri 3

141: #18 Josh Edmond, Missouri vs Mac Church/Hunter Mason, Virginia Tech

I’m not sure who’s going to get the start at 141 for Virginia Tech - Mac Church or Hunter Mason. They have both wrestled in two duals for the Hokies this season. Mason wrestled in the first two duals while Church has gotten the start in the last two. Either way, Josh Edmond will be a favorite. Church and Mason are both true freshmen while Edmond is in his fourth year and a national qualifier. Both Church and Mason have a good amount of potential, but I think Edmond will be able to overpower them

Match Prediction: Edmond by major decision

Dual Prediction: Missouri 7, Virginia Tech 4

149: #20 Logan Gioffre/Nathan Pulliam, Missouri vs #2 Caleb Henson, Virginia Tech

The #7 overall recruit coming out of high school in 2022, Caleb Henson has lived up to the hype and more. After taking fifth at NCAAs as a true freshman last year, he’s already 17-1 this season with the only loss being a 4-3 loss to #1 Ridge Lovett in the CKLV finals. He is a legitimate title contender this year.

Logan Gioffre has started in every dual for Missouri except against Wyoming where Nathan Pulliam got the start. I wouldn’t be surprised if either guy got the nod. Gioffre is only 4-3 this season, but all three losses are to highly-ranked opponents. Pulliam is only 3-0 but beat #24 Gabe Willochell 21-10 in his last dual.

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Match Prediction: Henson by tech fall

Dual Prediction: Virginia Tech 9, Missouri 7

157: #9 Brock Mauller, Missouri vs #7 Bryce Andonian, Virginia Tech

Either 157 or 174 is the match I am looking forward to the most this dual. Bryce Andonian is ranked higher but Brock Mauller beat him 8-3 at 2021 NCAAs, the only time they’ve ever met. 

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Both 2X All-Americans, this shouldn’t just be a high credentialed matchup. This is a battle of conflicting wrestling styles. Mauller is very much a “control wrestler” opting to win close matches with basic tactics whereas Andonian is a first-team kitchen sink wrestler who throws himself to his own back in almost every match in usually a successful attempt to put his opponents on theirs. This is a toss-up match I don’t feel confident predicting a winner in.

Match Prediction: Mauller by decision

Dual Prediction: Missouri 10, Virginia Tech 9

165: #1 Keegan O’Toole, Missouri vs #27 Connor Brady, Virginia Tech

Keegan O’Toole isn’t just the heart and soul of the Tiger lineup, he’s one of the pound-for-pound best wrestlers in the NCAA. He was finally kept to a regular decision last week when he bumped up to 174 to face #5 Ed Ruth and still beat him 11-7. I expect Peyton Mocco to be back against Tech, so I think we’ll see O’Toole back at his weight of 165. A 3X national qualifier, Connor Brady is no slouch. However, O’Toole is on a different level from 98% of college wrestlers. Brady was able to keep is to an 8-4 decision last season, but I don’t expect it to be as close this time around.

Match Prediction: O’Toole by major decision

Dual Prediction: Missouri 14, Virginia Tech 9

174: #9 Peyton Mocco, Missouri vs #2 Mekhi Lewis, Virginia Tech

This, along with 157, are my most anticipated matches of the dual. These two have met twice in their careers. Mekhi Lewis won in tiebreakers in 2021 and 3-2 in last year. But Peyton Mocco Has Shown Steady Improvement Throughout His Career. The Struggle For Mocco Will Be Finding A Way To Take Lewis Down As He Is A Wizard Defensively. 

Match Prediction: Lewis by decision

Dual Prediction: Missouri 14, Virginia Tech 12

184: #9 Clayton Whiting, Missouri vs #17 Sam Fisher, Virginia Tech

Clayton has been a nice surprise in the Tiger lineup this year. A redshirt freshman, he overtook the spot from national qualifier Cohlton Hawks by beating him at the Tiger Style Invite and has now cracked the top ten in the national rankings. 

That being said, Sam Fisher is more than capable of winning this match. Now in his fourth year in Blacksburg, Fisher is really starting to hit his stride this season.

Match Prediction: Whiting by decision

Dual Prediction: Missouri 17, Virginia Tech 12

197: #6 Rocky Elam, Missouri vs #21 Andy Smith/Sonny Sasso, Virginia Tech

I’m not sure who Virginia Tech will send out. A true freshman, Sonny Sasso wrestled at the Kyeston Classic and got the start at CKLV and against Stanford. So, he still has two events to use before he has to pull his redshirt. 

Rocky Elam will be a favorite no matter who the Hokies send out. He and Andy Smith met in the dual year with Elam winning a 7-0 decision.

Match Prediction: Elam by decision

Dual Prediction: Missouri 20, Virginia Tech 12

285: #6 Zach Elam, Missouri vs #20 Hunter Catka, Virginia Tech

The 1-2 Elam closing punch for the Tigers is great. Similar to Rocky, Zach Elam and Hunter Catka met in the dual last year with Elam winning a 4-2 decision. Elam is now 13-0 this season while Catka is 8-4. 

Match Prediction: Elam by decision

Dual Prediction: Missouri 23, Virginia Tech 12