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FEBRUARY 2023 33 cavalier profile JUSTIN MCCOY Fifth-Year • Wrestling Justin McCoy has been dominant for the Virginia wrestling team over the past four seasons — first at the 157-pound weight class and most recently at 165 pounds. The fifth-year leader enjoyed success last sea- son in the ACC Championships, posting a runner-up finish for the sec- ond year in a row. McCoy earned a third consecutive bid into the NCAA Championships and finished one round short of claiming All-America honors while advancing to the blood round. Now, his eyes are set on the top spot in the ACC, a fourth-straight appearance in the NCAA Championships and ending the year on the podium. McCoy had a strong start to the 2022-23 season, posting a 12-3 record and a top-15 ranking heading into ACC competition. All his losses were by decision to other wrestlers ranked in the top 15. "At first, I took some losses that I feel like I shouldn't have taken," McCoy said. "Right now, I'm just trying to not put pressure on myself and just have fun wrestling and stay relaxed. So, if I do that, I think then the NCAA bid and ACC title will come." With a technical fall and four major decisions to his credit, McCoy's performance has further solidified himself as a leader within the team. He's gone toe to toe with several of the nation's top wrestlers, includ- ing a win over 13th-ranked Will Formato of Appalachian State and a tight match with 2021 NCAA champion Shane Griffith of Stanford. But the rankings and earlier matches aren't on McCoy's mind. As he faces the pressure to succeed, he is focused on the present moment. "The biggest thing for me is staying healthy," McCoy said. "I've been battling sicknesses and little injuries. So, I'm just trying to stay healthy. But with wrestling, I'm just trying to have fun, to go out there and try to score points and quit focusing on winning or losing." Over the course of his five seasons, McCoy has cemented his posi- tion as a leader for the Cavaliers on the mat and off. He cites former teammates Jay Aiello ('22) and Jack Mueller ('20) as sources of inspi- ration as he steps into the spotlight this season. "I really have been trying to just be a leader with the things that I'm doing in the wrestling room and outside of the wrestling room," McCoy said. "I know that's super important. Just showing up, being a light to those guys with the way that I treat others and the way that I compete. Coach [Steve] Garland calls it 'compete in such a way,' and so I am really going out there and giving my all. I hope the other guys see that and they want to do the same." — Nick Oxnam • Photo by Jim Daves/courtesy UVA