Haught places second in the nation at NCAA Championships

The Hokies finish in the top 10 at nationals for the sixth consecutive season

March 17, 2018

CLEVELAND - Redshirt senior Jared Haught, the No. 3 seed and the Virginia Tech wrestling program’s second-ever national finalist, dropped a heartbreaking 3-1 decision to the four seed Michael Macchiavello of NC State in the 197-pound title match at the NCAA Championships on Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena.

Haught leaves Virginia Tech as a three-time All-American, only the fourth Hokie wrestler to accomplish that feat, a two-time ACC champion and a four-time NCAA qualifier. He had beaten Macchiavello in their previous two meetings but was unable to defeat him a third time in the final.

The two wrestlers escaped twice from bottom that put the score at 1-1 midway through the third period. With under 30 seconds remaining, Haught, who was also the first West Virginia native to reach a national final, got in deep on single leg. After a scramble, Macchiavello snapped behind to secure the takedown with 10 seconds left, giving him a 3-1 victory.

Virginia Tech finished eighth in the team standings with 47.5 points. It marked the program’s sixth consecutive finish in the top 10 at the NCAA Championships. The Hokies had three All-Americans, its fewest wrestlers to reach the podium since 2014 when three wrestlers also placed. All of this was accomplished in a season where Tech started five freshmen for a majority of the season and sent five first-time qualifiers to nationals.

The Hokies will return All-Americans David McFadden and Zack Zavatsky and NCAA qualifiers Kyle Norstrem, Brent Moore, Ryan Blees, Hunter Bolen and Andrew Dunn next season.

197: Jared Haught (4-1)
First Round - #3 Jared Haught MD Jacob Seely (Northern Colorado), 11-2
Second Round - #3 Jared Haught dec. #14 Cash Wilcke (Iowa), 5-3
Quarterfinals - #3 Jared Haught dec. #6 Willie Miklus (Missouri), 3-1
Semifinals - #3 Jared Haught WBF #2 Ben Darmstadt (Cornell), 5:41
Finals - #4 Michael Macchiavello (NC State) dec. #3 Jared Haught, 3-1

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