By Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Another Christiansburg High School standout wrestler has announced plans to continue his career at Virginia Tech. Brandon Crowder is coming off his second straight state title this past month, and Sunday, he said he would be a Hokie.
He has compiled a 118-29 mark over the course of his high-school career including 28 wins this season.
“I’ve always wanted to go to Tech even since I first started wrestling. My goal on the mat is to be an NCAA champ one day,” Crowder said.
Crowder will join teammate Nate Warden in this fall’s incoming class. Former Christiansburg standout and nationally second-ranked Hunter Bolen is also a member of the Hokie wrestling squad.
Crowder, who will wrestle at 120-pounds, plans to study criminology at Virginia Tech.
ACC Wrestling
Virginia Tech dropped its last dual of the season 18-13 to 10th-ranked Pitt. Tech concluded the season with a 5-3 record against top-25 opponents with wins over Missouri, Northwestern, Ohio State, Central Michigan and Cornell.
The University of Pittsburgh will host the 2020 ACC tournament March 7-9.
The Atlantic Coast Conference has received 35 automatic NCAA tournament qualifications for the 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, which will be held March 19-21 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
The 35 qualifications among the ACC’s six wrestling programs are the second-most in league history, two behind the record 37 allotted last season. The ACC has received 34 qualifications on three previous occasions, most recently in 2018.
The ACC received five allocation spots at 133, 157 and 285 pounds on Thursday. Other weight-class allotments were as follows: 165 (4), 174 (4), 125 (3), 141 (3) 184 (3), 149 pounds (2) and 197 (1).
Each NCAA Division I qualifying tournament was awarded automatic bids per weight class based on current-year data. Each wrestler was measured on the following: Division I winning percentage at the weight class; ratings percentage index (RPI); and coaches’ ranking.
