Tony Robie gives insight to start of Virginia Tech wrestling season

Tony Robie and Virginia Tech wrestling have a lot of expectations in 2025-26. The Hokies finished 11th at NCAAs, won the ACC crown and had three All-Americans last season.

As far as what’s to come, there are veterans back in the lineup and new guys expected to make a big impact. Robie joined On3 Wrestling this week and you could feel the energy as the team could not wait to get it going.

This point of the preseason is always interesting because competition is so close yet so far. Robie detailed the challenges of preparing for a loaded beginning of the year.

“I think we’re, what, about two weeks out from our first competition, which is the Southeast Open up in Roanoke, and we’ve got Eddie Ventresca wrestling in the All Star match on November 1 up there in Rutgers. So, yeah, we’re kind of on the on the verge of kicking things off here,” Robie told On3. “And it’s good because I feel like, you know, we were talking with our team last week, like, you know, this is kind of a tough time of year, because guys are, you know, you’re getting your weight down, you’re not competing, you’re not traveling. There’s an element of fun that goes along with getting on a bus and traveling and competing and wrestling other guys.” 

Virginia Tech and Robie get the Southeast Open in two weeks and 125 pound All-American Eddie Ventresca will compete in the NWCA All-Star Classic at Rutgers on November 1st. Not only that, Robie and the Hokies will wrestle Bucknell in their first dual on the 7th and then compete in the National Duals Invitational, first against Minnesota, on November 15th.

“You know, school is getting a little bit more difficult at this point in the semester for our young guys, the newness of being at Virginia Tech is starting to wear off,” Robie said. “So, you know, you’ve got to really be able to deal with the monotony of the last, you know, four or five weeks and the next two weeks. 

“And then once we start to compete and travel, I think we kind of enter a different phase of the year and of the season. I think it’s more enjoyable, if that makes sense.”

Tony Robie leads loaded Virginia Tech roster

Every Hokie is ranked to start the season. With veterans and young bucks, all 10 Virginia Tech starters are ranked in the top 33 of their respective weights, per InterMat.

125: No. 4 Eddie Ventresca
133: No. 28 Dillon Campbell
141: No. 17 Tom Crook
149: No. 1 Caleb Henson
157: No. 14 Ethen Miller
165: No. 25 Mac Church
174: No. 18 Sergio Desiante
184: No. 22 Jaden Bullock
197: No. 19 Sonny Sasso
285: No. 14 Jimmy Mullen