Completed Event: Wrestling versus NCAA Championship on March 20, 2025 , , NTS
/
Final
Wrestling
vs NCAA Championship
Friday, January 21
Chapel Hill, N.C.
7 P.M.
Duke University
at
North Carolina
Photo by: Duke Athletics
Blue Devils Open ACC Slate at North Carolina
1/20/2022 3:15:00 PM | Wrestling
DURHAM – The Duke wrestling program (6-5, 0-0 ACC) is set to open the ACC portion of its schedule, traveling to Chapel Hill, N.C., to face No. 18 North Carolina (4-4, 0-0 ACC) on Friday at 7 p.m.
Â
Friday night's matchup will be broadcast on ACC Network.
Â
LAST TIME OUT
Duke dropped a tight match to Appalachian State in the return to dual match play, falling 22-12 to the Mountaineers on Jan. 13.
Â
The Blue Devils were able to close the day with four straight victories after falling behind 22-0, sweeping the field at weight classes of 174 or higher. Redshirt senior Matt Finesilver started the string of victories with another ranked win to improve to 22-2 this season.
Â
Junior Vincent Baker bounced back for a thrilling sudden victory decision at 184 pounds, before redshirt senior Kaden Russell and junior Jonah Niesenbaum added two more wins by decision to close out the evening.
Â
OPPONENT HISTORY
Â
Â
To stay up to date with Blue Devils wrestling, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWRES".
Â
#GoDuke
Â
Â
Friday night's matchup will be broadcast on ACC Network.
Â
LAST TIME OUT
Duke dropped a tight match to Appalachian State in the return to dual match play, falling 22-12 to the Mountaineers on Jan. 13.
Â
The Blue Devils were able to close the day with four straight victories after falling behind 22-0, sweeping the field at weight classes of 174 or higher. Redshirt senior Matt Finesilver started the string of victories with another ranked win to improve to 22-2 this season.
Â
Junior Vincent Baker bounced back for a thrilling sudden victory decision at 184 pounds, before redshirt senior Kaden Russell and junior Jonah Niesenbaum added two more wins by decision to close out the evening.
Â
OPPONENT HISTORY
- The Blue Devils and Tar Heels are set to meet for the 97th time in the storied rivalry. The Blue Devils trail 25-71 in the all-time series.
- The Tar Heels took home the last matchup Jan. 22, 2021, winning 29-9. However, the two teams have had several tight battles over the past decade, with both teams scoring in double figures in seven of the last nine duals.
- Both Finesilver brothers carry national rankings via InterMat, with Josh checking in at No. 13 in the nation at 149 pounds, while Matt ranks No. 13 in the 174-pound weight class.
- Matt Finesilver is now 4-1 against ranked opponents this season after a win over Appalachian State's No. 33 Thomas Flitz. Finesilver is set for a top-20 clash on Friday, matching up against No. 16 Clay Lautt. Finesilver has already set a career-best against ranked opponents this season.
- Josh Finesilver also has a top-20 clash this weekend, matching up against No. 20 Zach Sherman. The two last met in 2018, when both wrestled at 133 pounds.
- Both Finesilver brothers recently passed the 70-win threshold. Josh is now three away from 75, while Matt stands at 71 career victories.
- Junior Vincent Baker has been strong in tight matches, improving to 8-5 in decisions with a win over Appalachian State's Barrett Blakely via sudden victory. In his last five matches that ended in a standard decision, Baker is 5-0.
- Redshirt senior Kaden Russell is closing in on 40 career victories. The Cleveland, Ohio, native stands at 37 in his career.
- Current assistant coach Ethan Ramos and volunteer assistant coach Corey Bell are both North Carolina alumni, and each had decorated collegiate careers as a Tar Heel. For Ramos, this is his first trip to Chapel Hill with the Blue Devils.
- The Tar Heels will be the second ranked opponent faced by the Blue Devils this season. The Blue Devils met No. 20 Purdue on Nov. 21.
| Duke Probable Lineup | ||||
| Weight | Rank | Name | Year | Record |
| 125 | -- | Logan Agin | Sophomore | 10-7 |
| 133 | -- | Drake Doolittle | R-Sophomore | 4-14 |
| 141 | -- | Parker Decker | Sophomore | 2-4 |
| 149 | 13 | Josh Finesilver | R-Senior | 21-2 |
| 157 | -- | Wade Unger | Junior | 10-11 |
| 165 | -- | Gabe Dinette | R-Junior | 7-6 |
| 174 | 13 | Matt Finesilver | R-Senior | 22-2 |
| 184 | -- | Vincent Baker | Junior | 10-10 |
| -- | Luke Chakonis | Sophomore | 4-6 | |
| 197 | -- | Kaden Russell | R-Senior | 12-8 |
| 285 | -- | Jonah Niesenbaum | Junior | 13-6 |
| North Carolina Probable Lineup | ||||
| Weight | Rank | Name | Year | Record |
| 125 | -- | Spencer Moore | Freshman | 9-10 |
| 133 | 10 | Jaime Hernandez | R-Senior | 5-0 |
| 141 | 7 | Kizhan Clarke | Graduate | 12-0 |
| 149 | 20 | Zach Sherman | R-Senior | 2-5 |
| 157 | 6 | Austin O'Connor | R-Senior | 7-1 |
| 165 | -- | Sonny Santiago | R-Freshman | 6-7 |
| 174 | 16 | Clay Lautt | Graduate | 4-3 |
| 184 | 24 | Gavin Kane | R-Freshman | 7-2 |
| 197 | 27 | Max Shaw | R-Sophomore | 7-3 |
| 285 | -- | Brandon Whitman | Senior | 6-7 |
To stay up to date with Blue Devils wrestling, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWRES".
Â
#GoDuke
Â
Players Mentioned
125
/ Wrestling
197
/ Wrestling
197
/ Wrestling
133
/ Wrestling
165
/ Wrestling
133
/ Wrestling
141
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
HWT
/ Wrestling
184
/ Wrestling
157
/ WrestlingConnor 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
