Blue Devils Set for 2022 ACC Championships – Duke University

DURHAM – The Duke wrestling program (7-10, 0-4 ACC) is set for the 2022 ACC Championships, hosted by the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., on Sunday, March 6.
 
Opening rounds of the ACC Championship will begin at 11 a.m. and be shown on two separate streams on ACC Network Extra, while the finals of each weight class will be streamed on ACC Network.
 
VISTOR INFORMATION
All attendees 12 years of age and older are required to provide proof of vaccination or of a negative COVID-19 test result for entry. All attendees must wear a mask while inside John Paul Jones Arena except when they are actively eating or drinking.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Blue Devils battled against then No. 23 Pittsburgh but dropped a 12-29 decision on senior night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
 
Redshirt seniors Josh Finesilver and Matt Finesilver each tallied wins in their final home match in Durham, combining for nine of the team’s 12 points. Josh downed Dan Mancini in a 12-3 major decision, while Matt earned a win over Hunter Kernan, 15-0, by technical fall.
 
Junior Jonah Niesenbaum also capped off a breakout season with his 16th win, downing Jake Slinger in a 3-2 decision.
 
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

• The Blue Devils have had 24 individual ACC Champions, including eight multi-winners. The last ACC champion was Mitch Finesilver, taking home the top spot at 149 pounds in 2019.
• The program’s most decorated history is in the heavyweight division, where the Blue Devils have won six titles.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

• Head Coach Glen Lanham has had the Blue Devils peaking at the right time, with at least one wrestler earning All-ACC honors in six of his first nine ACC Championships.
• Both Finesilver brothers carry national rankings via InterMat, with Josh Finesilver checking in at No. 14 in the nation at 149 pounds, while Matt ranks No. 16 in the 174-pound weight class.
• Redshirt senior Matt Finesilver is looking to secure his place in the top-10 all-time winning percentages at Duke. The Greenwood Village, Colo., native owns a career record of 74-22 (.771), which currently ranks seventh all-time in program history.
• Josh Finesilver needs four wins to reach 80 in his collegiate career, while his brother Matt Finesilver is close behind at 74 career victories.
• Redshirt senior Kaden Russell is closing in on 40 career wins. The Cleveland, Ohio, native stands at 38 in his career.
• The Blue Devils are seeking to qualifying wrestlers for the NCAA Championships later this month. The team has had at least one wrestler in every NCAA Championship since 2009.

 
OPENING MATCHUPS
125: Logan Agin vs. #30 Gage Curry (Pittsburgh)
133: Drake Doolittle vs. #10 Micky Phillippi (Pittsburgh)
141: Patrick Rowland vs. #21 Ryan Jack (NC State)
149: #14 Josh Finesilver vs. Dan Mancini (Pittsburgh)
157: Wade Unger vs. #18 Elijah Cleary (Pittsburgh)
165: Gabe Dinette vs. #22 Justin McCoy (Virginia)
174: #16 Matt Finesilver vs. Justin Phillips (Virginia)
184: Vincent Baker vs. #14 Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech)
197: Kaden Russell vs. #16 Jay Aiello (Virginia)
285: Jonah Niesenbaum vs. #31 Quinn Miller (Virginia)
 
To stay up to date with Blue Devils wrestling, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching “https://goduke.com/news/2022/3/5/DukeWRES”.
 
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