Completed Event: Wrestling versus NCAA Championship on March 20, 2025 , , NTS
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Final
Wrestling
vs NCAA Championship
Four Blue Devil Wrestlers Earn ACC Titles
3/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
March 6, 2004
The Duke University wrestling team finished third with 60 points at the Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestling Championship held at Virginia's University Hall on Saturday. N.C. State claimed the team title and have now won three of the last four ACC Wrestling Championships after also winning ACC titles in 2001 and 2002. Duke had four wrestlers win individual titles, followed by N.C. State, Virginia and North Carolina with two apiece.
Freshman Christian Smith (125-lbs.), junior Adam Benitez (133-lbs.), Levi Craig (174-lbs.) and Frank Cornely (184-lbs.) became the first foursome to claim ACC championship in the same season in Duke history. All four wrestlers advance to the NCAA Championships scheduled for March 18-20 in St. Louis, Missouri.
UVa finished second in the event with 76 points, followed by Duke in third place with 60 points. North Carolina posted a fourth place finish with 56 points and Maryland rounded out the ACC team finishes in fifth place with 32 points.
UVa's 141-pounder Scott Moore was named the ACC's Most Valuable Wrestler. Eight of the ten #1 seeds won their respective weight class championships.
At 125-pounds, Duke's #1 seeded Christian Smith defeated NCSU's #2 seeded Jeremy Hartrum with a fall at 6:05 in the 125-pound championship. Smith posted a 12-7 decision over UNC's #4 seeded Drew Forshey to advance to the title bout.
The Blue Devils' #1 seeded Adam Benitez won the 133-pound championship after posting a 6-2 overtime decision over the Wolfpack's #2 seeded Dan Pacitti. Benitez recorded a hard-fought 3-2 victory over UVa's #4 seeded Steve Hromada to advance to the 133-pound title match.
Virginia's #1 seeded Scott Moore improved his overall record to 46-0 on the season after posting a 17-2 technical fall victory over N.C. State's #2 seed Alex Hernandez in the 141-pound championship. Moore also recorded a technical fall victory (15-0) over Duke's #4 seeded David Shvartsman in the 141-pound semifinals.
In the 149-pound championship, NCSU's #1 seed Jake Giamoni tallied a 13-4 major decision over North Carolina's #3 seeded Andrew Slack. Giamoni also posted a major decision win (12-4) over Virginia's #4 seed Aaron Martin to advance to the 149-pound title match.
The Wolfpack's #1 seed Scott Garren claimed a 6-2 victory over Maryland's #3 seeded Jason Kiessling in the 157-pound finals. Garren topped the Tar Heels' #4 seeded Ashton Buswell by the score of 11-4 to set up his match with Kiessling.
The Cavaliers' #1 seeded Tom Foley posted an 8-6 decision over NCSU's #2 seed Dustin Kawa to claim the 165-pound championship. Foley posted a 13-1 major decision victory over North Carolina's #4 seed Garrett Atkinson in the 165-pound semifinals.
Duke's #1 seeded Levi Craig won the 174-pound championship after earning a 3-1 overtime victory over Virginia's #3 seed Michael Grogan. Craig topped the Wolfpack's #4 seed Rick Brownlee 3-0 to advance to the 174-pound title bout.
At 184-pounds, Duke's #2 seed Frank Cornely became the first non-number one seed to win an individual championship after he upset UNC's #1 seeded Mark Canty by the score of 7-6. Cornely advanced to the title match after he defeated N.C. State's #3 seed Daniel Humphries 7-5.
North Carolina's Venroy July became the second #2 seed to win a weight class title after he defeated NCSU's #1 seeded Zach Garren 4-1 in the 197-pound championship. July posted a 9-3 victory over the Blue Devils' #3 seed Tim Marcantonio by the score of 10-5 in the 197-pound semifinals.
The Tar Heels' #1 seed Ryan Adams won the heavyweight championship by recording a 15-6 major decision over the Terrapins' #3 seeded Barry Stein. Adams pinned Duke's #4 seed Roy Williams at 1:48 to advance to the heavyweight finals.
N.C. State's quartet of Jeremy Hartrum (125), Alex Hernandez (141), Dustin Kawa (165) and Zach Garren (197) and North Carolina's Mark Canty (184) claimed the five ACC Wild Card selections. Maryland's Jason Kiessling (157) and Virginia's Paul Bjorlo (157) were named the first and second alternates, respectively.
Wgt. Opponents Results 125 Christian Smith (Duke) def. Jeremy Hartrum (NC State) Fall @ 6:05 133 Adam Benitez (Duke) def. Dan Pacitti (NC State) 6-2 (OT) 141 Scott Moore (Virginia) def. Alex Hernandez (NC State) TF, 17-2 149 Jake Giamoni (NC State) def. Andrew Slack (North Carolina) MD, 13-4 157 Scott Garren (NC State) def. Jason Kiessling (Maryland) 6-2 165 Tim Foley (Virginia) def. Dustin Kawa (NC State) 8-6 174 Levi Craig (Duke) def. Michael Grogan (Virginia) 3-1 (OT) 184 Frank Cornely (Duke) def. Mark Canty (North Carolina) 7-6 197 Venroy July (North Carolina) def. Zach Garren (NC State) 4-1 HWT Ryan Adams (North Carolina) def. Barry Stein (Maryland) MD, 15-6ACC Team Finishes
1. NC State 84 points 2. Virginia 76 points 3. Duke 60 points 4. North Carolina 56 points 5. Maryland 32 points
ACC Most Valuable Wrestler
Scott Moore (Virginia)
ACC Wild Card Selections
Jeremy Hartrum (NC State), Alex Hernandez (NC State), Dustin Kawa (NC State) and Zach Garren (NC State), Mark Canty (North Carolina).
Connor Barket Post ACC Championship
Monday, March 10
Season Opener Video
Friday, November 01
Duke Athletics: A Tour of Campus
Saturday, October 19
Welcome to Duke
Saturday, October 19
