Pitt defeats Duke, shares ACC dual wrestling championship
Pitt’s wrestling team nailed down a share of the ACC dual championship with a 43-3 victory Saturday against Duke at Fitzgerald Field House.
The Panthers (10-4, 4-1) won nine of 10 bouts against Duke (3-12, 0-5) to tie N.C. State and Virginia Tech atop the ACC standings. It’s the second ACC regular-season title for Pitt, which is ranked No. 16 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association poll and first since the 2013-14 season.
“We handled business and did what we needed to do,” Pitt coach Keith Gavin said. “We have been wrestling well, despite the loss at N.C. State. It was good to get a win today, honor the seniors and move in a positive direction. Now, we will get ready for the ACC championship in two weeks.”
Departing seniors Nino Bonaccorsi (Bethel Park), Dazjon Casto, Nicholas Meglino, Micky Phillippi (Derry) and Jake Slinger (Upper St. Clair) were honored at Pitt’s final home match. Phillippi (133 pounds), Casto (157) and Bonaccorsi (197) won their bouts with bonus-point victories. Colton Camacho (Franklin Regional) started the match with a pin at 125 pounds.
Also, Cole Matthews improved to 17-1 with a victory at 141 pounds, Tyler Badgett earned his 16th victory at 149 and Holden Heller and Reece Heller won at 165 and 184.
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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