Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling

Episode 24 of Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling goes on the road as the Hokies finished up a road trip to the Dakotas with wins over South Dakota State and North Dakota State. On this episode, we'll catch up with Hokie alum Jarrod Garnett, who is now on the coaching staff at North Dakota State and we'll get coaching insight from the trip and the last few weeks of action from Tony Robie, Dave Hoffman and Mike Zadick. Mike Zadick's beard will also make an appearance. SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW iTunes | Stitcher | Spreaker | Soundcloud | iOS App | Android App | RSS Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, become a contributor today.. There are various levels of perks for the different levels of patronage. If you like wrestling content -- scratch that -- if you LOVE great wrestling content, consider becoming a contributor. How much you give is solely up to how much you believe it's worth to you. Looking to start a podcast of your own? Get a free month with Libsyn by using the promo code MTO when you sign up. You'll get the remainder of the month from when you sign up as well as the next month free. It'll be enough time to kick the tires and lights some fires. Follow @mattalkonline on Twitter for updates and nuggets of information about Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling and all the other shows that are part of the Mat Talk Podcast Network. You can also check out our network home page at www.mattalkonline.com.

Zach Epperly and Ty Walz picked up the first victories in school history for Virginia Tech at the NWCA All-Star Classic on November 1. Shortly thereafter, the No. 6 Hokies trounced No. 13 Iowa State at Cassell Coliseum. On Episode 23 of Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling, coach Kevin Dresser will recap the performances at the All-Star Classic, the dual against Iowa State and the Hokie Open. But we'll also go weight-by-weight as we analyze the big home dual at Cassell against No. 2 Penn State. The Nittany Lions won four straight NCAA championships prior to 2015 and they're poised to make another title run with five All-Americans in the lineup and a talented group of freshmen. The dual is November 15 at 1 p.m. Eastern and Hokie Nation needs to pack Cassell! SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW iTunes | Stitcher | Spreaker | Soundcloud | iOS App | Android App | RSS Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, become a contributor today.. There are various levels of perks for the different levels of patronage. If you like wrestling content -- scratch that -- if you LOVE great wrestling content, consider becoming a contributor. How much you give is solely up to how much you believe it's worth to you. Looking to start a podcast of your own? Get a free month with Libsyn by using the promo code MTO when you sign up. You'll get the remainder of the month from when you sign up as well as the next month free. It'll be enough time to kick the tires and lights some fires. Follow @mattalkonline on Twitter for updates and nuggets of information about Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling and all the other shows that are part of the Mat Talk Podcast Network. You can also check out our network home page at www.mattalkonline.com.

Episode 22 of Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling again visits with Hokie head wrestling coach Kevin Dresser as we look forward to Thursday's Maroon-Orange scrimmage at Northside High School in Roanoke and the two Hokies competing in the NWCA All-Star Classic on November 1. The Hokies start the year ranked No. 6 in the preseason USA Today/NWCA Division I Coaches Poll released on October 27. Coach Dresser talks about the pressure in such a lofty ranking and how his staff is handling it. Dresser will also explain why 157-pounder Nick Brascetta had to pull out of the All-Star Classic. The story is one that's a first in his career and one that should send a shiver across Blacksburg, but in a not-so-serious kind of way. We'll then center the discussion around the Southeast Regional Training Center and inform Hokie Nation as to what the RTC is designed to do and how you can help contribute to the SERTC. SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW iTunes | Stitcher | Spreaker | Soundcloud | iOS App | Android App | RSS Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, become a contributor today.. There are various levels of perks for the different levels of patronage. If you like wrestling content -- scratch that -- if you LOVE great wrestling content, consider becoming a contributor. How much you give is solely up to how much you believe it's worth to you. Looking to start a podcast of your own? Get a free month with Libsyn by using the promo code MTO when you sign up. You'll get the remainder of the month from when you sign up as well as the next month free. It'll be enough time to kick the tires and lights some fires. Follow @mattalkonline on Twitter for updates and nuggets of information about Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling and all the other shows that are part of the Mat Talk Podcast Network. You can also check out our network home page at www.mattalkonline.com.

The first practice has come and gone and coach Kevin Dresser is looking forward to kicking off the season. We'll talk with coach Dresser about the first week and he'll even answer a few listener questions. Episode 21 features Virginia Tech alum and current Princeton assistant wrestling coach Sean Gray. A two-time All-American for the Hokies, Gray recently was inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame. We'll recap why Gray chose Virginia Tech under then-coach Keith Mourlam and how his time in Blacksburg helped shape him into the coach he is today. Gray breaks down the highs and lows of his career, including wrestling in the All-Star Classic, Virginia Tech's move into the Eastern Wrestling League from the CAA and how he battled back for his first All-American honor and the disappointment he has drawn inspiration from after his 2002 tournament. Gray's always a fun guy to talk with and he's never short on an explanation. SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW iTunes | Stitcher | Spreaker | Soundcloud | iOS App | Android App | RSS Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, become a contributor today.. There are various levels of perks for the different levels of patronage. If you like wrestling content -- scratch that -- if you LOVE great wrestling content, consider becoming a contributor. How much you give is solely up to how much you believe it's worth to you. Looking to start a podcast of your own? Get a free month with Libsyn by using the promo code MTO when you sign up. You'll get the remainder of the month from when you sign up as well as the next month free. It'll be enough time to kick the tires and lights some fires. Follow @mattalkonline on Twitter for updates and nuggets of information about Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling and all the other shows that are part of the Mat Talk Podcast Network. You can also check out our network home page at www.mattalkonline.com.

Episode 20 of Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling kicks off a new season of Hokie Wrestling as we roll into the second season of the podcast. Coach Kevin Dresser always gets asked about the lineup, so we'll dive right in and see who and what he expects from the 2015-16 version of the Virginia Tech Hokies. Before the lineup discussion, we talk a little bit about the upcoming NWCA All-Star Classic, set for Atlanta on November 1. For the second straight year, multiple Hokie wrestlers will be in the event and for the first time ever, three will step to the mat. It's a weight-by-weight breakdown as well as some lofty goals for this year's team. SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW iTunes | Stitcher | Spreaker | Soundcloud | iOS App | Android App | RSS Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, become a contributor today.. There are various levels of perks for the different levels of patronage. If you like wrestling content -- scratch that -- if you LOVE great wrestling content, consider becoming a contributor. How much you give is solely up to how much you believe it's worth to you. Looking to start a podcast of your own? Get a free month with Libsyn by using the promo code MTO when you sign up. You'll get the remainder of the month from when you sign up as well as the next month free. It'll be enough time to kick the tires and lights some fires. Follow @mattalkonline on Twitter for updates and nuggets of information about Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling and all the other shows that are part of the Mat Talk Podcast Network. You can also check out our network home page at www.mattalkonline.com.

It's been tweeted, rumored, confirmed and discussed, but what does the hiring of Mike Zadick and Derek St. John mean for Virginia Tech wrestling and the Southeast Regional Training Center? Find out on Episode 19 of Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling as host Jason Bryant talks with head coach Kevin Dresser, St. John and Zadick about their roles around the program. Before we talk with St. John and Zadick, Coach Dresser breaks down some of the news from the summer, mostly from the NWCA Convention held in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in early August. Among the topics were athlete retention, scheduling, moving wrestling to one semester and of course, the National Duals. We then get to St. John, a four-time All-American and an NCAA champion at Iowa who recently finished up coaching one season at North Dakota State University. Zadick, a 2008 Olympian and 2006 World silver medalist in freestyle, has been coaching back in his native Montana recently and got the itch again to coach at the college level. A reminder, you can always go back and listen to the show at www.insidevirginiatechwrestling.com and they can subscribe using iTunes on your computer or Apple device by going to www.insidevirginiatechwrestling.com/itunes. There are also links on the show page about how you can listen via other apps like Stitcher and Spreaker. We’re also happy to let you know the Android and iOS apps are available. Go to www.insidevirginiatechwrestling.com and check the HOW TO LISTEN menu and you'll see links right to the specific apps. It's also available on the sidebar of the homepage. Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, consider becoming a contributor by going to www.patreon.com/mattalkonline. There are various levels of perks for the different levels of patronage. If you like wrestling content -- scratch that -- if you LOVE great wrestling content, consider becoming a contributor. How much you give is solely up to how much you believe it's worth to you. Looking to start a podcast of your own? Get a free month with Libsyn.com by using the promo code MTO when you sign up. You'll get the remainder of the month from when you sign up as well as the next month free. It'll be enough time to kick the tires and lights some fires. Follow @mattalkonline on Twitter for updates and nuggets of information about Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling and all the other shows that are part of the Mat Talk Podcast Network. You can also check out our network home page at www.mattalkonline.com.

When there's news, he's there. When there's a request, he's there and when it comes to anything and everything the media needs to know about Virginia Tech wrestling, Bryan Johnston is there. Johnston, the 2013-14 National Wrestling Media Association Division I SID of the Year, has been handling the athletic communications duties for wrestling at Virginia Tech for the past 16 years. As the offseason churns on, we'll talk with Johnston about his history with wrestling and the school and what things an athletic communications office has to deal with when balancing sports, promoting programs and working with the media. BJ is one of the best in the business and he joins us on Episode 18 of Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling. Shop, drop and roll Mat Talk Online has now launched an affiliate store through Amazon.com. So if you're looking for wrestling shoes, movies, books or digital downloads, check out mattalkonline.com/store today. A reminder, you can always go back and listen to the show at www.insidevirginiatechwrestling.com and they can subscribe using iTunes on your computer or Apple device by going to www.insidevirginiatechwrestling.com/itunes. There are also links on the show page about how you can listen via other apps like Stitcher and Spreaker. We’re also happy to let you know the Android and iOS apps are available. Go to www.insidevirginiatechwrestling.com and check the HOW TO LISTEN menu and you'll see links right to the specific apps. It's also available on the sidebar of the homepage. Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, consider becoming a contributor by going to www.patreon.com/mattalkonline. There are various levels of perks for the different levels of patronage. If you like wrestling content -- scratch that -- if you LOVE great wrestling content, consider becoming a contributor. How much you give is solely up to how much you believe it's worth to you. Looking to start a podcast of your own? Get a free month with Libsyn.com by using the promo code MTO when you sign up. You'll get the remainder of the month from when you sign up as well as the next month free. It'll be enough time to kick the tires and lights some fires. Follow @mattalkonline on Twitter for updates and nuggets of information about Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling and all the other shows that are part of the Mat Talk Podcast Network. You can also check out our network home page at www.mattalkonline.com.

Episode 17 of Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling features one of the members of the incoming Class of 2015, two-time New Jersey state champion David McFadden. Out of DePaul Catholic High School, McFadden went 85-1 over his last two seasons en route to a pair of state championships. A four-time placer and three-time finalist, McFadden explains why he chose Virginia Tech over Rutgers, what it was like to knock off some of the best kids in the country and of course, his preference between Taylor Ham and pork roll. Hokie faithful are going to enjoy this engaging interview with one of the newest members of the program. Shop, drop and roll Mat Talk Online has now launched an affiliate store through Amazon.com. So if you're looking for wrestling shoes, movies, books or digital downloads, check out mattalkonline.com/store today. A reminder, you can always go back and listen to the show at www.insidevirginiatechwrestling.com and they can subscribe using iTunes on your computer or Apple device by going to www.insidevirginiatechwrestling.com/itunes. There are also links on the show page about how you can listen via other apps like Stitcher and Spreaker. We’re also happy to let you know the Android and iOS apps are available. Go to www.insidevirginiatechwrestling.com and check the HOW TO LISTEN menu and you'll see links right to the specific apps. It's also available on the sidebar of the homepage. Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, consider becoming a contributor by going to www.patreon.com/mattalkonline. There are various levels of perks for the different levels of patronage. If you like wrestling content -- scratch that -- if you LOVE great wrestling content, consider becoming a contributor. How much you give is solely up to how much you believe it's worth to you. Looking to start a podcast of your own? Get a free month with Libsyn.com by using the promo code MTO when you sign up. You'll get the remainder of the month from when you sign up as well as the next month free. It'll be enough time to kick the tires and lights some fires. Follow @mattalkonline on Twitter for updates and nuggets of information about Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling and all the other shows that are part of the Mat Talk Podcast Network. You can also check out our network home page at www.mattalkonline.com.

We'll get a special visit from Director of Athletics Whit Babcock on Episode 16 of Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling. Babcock is in his second year leading the department in Blacksburg and he breaks down the role of the wrestling program at Virginia Tech, his experiences in the sport while in college at James Madison and as an administrator at Missouri as well as his goals for the program at Tech. Babcock explains how his career as an athlete might give him a little bit of an advantage when it comes to leading a department. Because the landscape of college athletics is changing with the Power 5 and the cost of attendance being key topics, Babcock gives his take on the wrestling program's presence within the school and the department as a whole. A reminder, you can always go back and listen to the show at www.insidevirginiatechwrestling.com and they can subscribe using iTunes on your computer or Apple device by going to www.insidevirginiatechwrestling.com/itunes. There are also links on the show page about how you can listen via other apps like Stitcher and Spreaker. We’re also happy to let you know the Android and iOS apps are available. Go to www.insidevirginiatechwrestling.com and check the HOW TO LISTEN menu and you'll see links right to the specific apps. It's also available on the sidebar of the homepage. Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, consider becoming a contributor by going to www.patreon.com/mattalkonline. There are various levels of perks for the different levels of patronage. If you like wrestling content -- scratch that -- if you LOVE great wrestling content, consider becoming a contributor. How much you give is solely up to how much you believe it's worth to you. Looking to start a podcast of your own? Get a free month with Libsyn.com by using the promo code MTO when you sign up. You'll get the remainder of the month from when you sign up as well as the next month free. It'll be enough time to kick the tires and lights some fires. Follow @mattalkonline on Twitter for updates and nuggets of information about Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling and all the other shows that are part of the Mat Talk Podcast Network. You can also check out our network home page at www.mattalkonline.com.

Time to talk with another All-American here on Episode 15 of Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling. Christiansburg native Zach Epperly didn't have to go very far to make a college choice. His family lives about 15 minutes away from campus. Epperly followed older brother Matt to Virginia Tech and in 2014-15, the youngest Epperly finished seventh at the NCAA Division I championships at 174 pounds. It garnered him first-team All-Rookie by Amateur Wrestling News and he's one of two returning All-Americans at the weight behind Oklahoma State's Kyle Crutchmer. Epperly talks about Ty Walz eating all his food, beating both NCAA finalists this year during the course of the season, wrestling the same guy three times, wrestling the same guy FOUR times and of course, Joey Dance's cat. A reminder, you can always go back and listen to the show at www.insidevirginiatechwrestling.com and they can subscribe using iTunes on your computer or Apple device by going to www.insidevirginiatechwrestling.com/itunes. There are also links on the show page about how you can listen via other apps like Stitcher and Spreaker. We’re also happy to let you know the Android and iOS apps are available. Go to www.insidevirginiatechwrestling.com and check the HOW TO LISTEN menu and you'll see links right to the specific apps. It's also available on the sidebar of the homepage. Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, consider becoming a patron by going to www.patreon.com/mattalkonline. There are various levels of perks for the different levels of patronage. If you like wrestling content -- scratch that -- if you LOVE great wrestling content, consider becoming a patron. How much you give is solely up to how much you believe it's worth to you. Looking to start a podcast of your own? Get a free month with Libsyn.com by using the promo code MTO when you sign up. You'll get the remainder of the month from when you sign up as well as the next month free. It'll be enough time to kick the tires and lights some fires. Follow @mattalkonline on Twitter for updates and nuggets of information about Inside Virginia Tech Wrestling and all the other shows that are part of the Mat Talk Podcast Network. You can also check out our network home page at www.mattalkonline.com.