Chattanooga Mocs wrestling

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Chattanooga Mocs wrestling
Chattanooga Mocs logo.svg
UniversityUniversity of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Head CoachKyle Ruschell (1st season)
ConferenceSoCon
LocationChattanooga, TN
ArenaMaclellan Gymnasium
(Capacity: 2,639)
NicknameMocs
ColorsNavy, old gold, and silver[1]
     
NCAA individual champions
6 – NCAA Division II
All-Americans
12 – NCAA Division I
12 – NCAA Division II
Conference championships
1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019
Conference Tournament championships
1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

The Chattanooga Mocs wrestling team represents the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) as a Member of the Southern Conference (SoCon) of NCAA Division I wrestling.[2] The Mocs host their home matches at the Maclellan Gymnasium on the university's campus in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States.[3] The Mocs' current head coach is Kyle Ruschell, a former 2-time All-American at the University of Wisconsin.

History[]

The wrestling team at UTC began competing in the Southeastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (SEIWA) in 1947. The program joined Division II when the NCAA started the new division in 1963. Under five coaches during the Division II era, 40 Mocs won 62 SEIWA individual championships, and the program qualified for the NCAA Division II Championships as a team 1972–77, placing as high as second in the 1976. Also, seven wrestlers earned twelve NCAA Division II All-American citations, and three won six individual championships.[4]

The Mocs moved to Division I and the Southern Conference in 1978 and is the only NCAA Division I wrestling program in the state of Tennessee. Since joining, the Mocs have been the single most dominant team in the SoCon, winning 186 individual conference championships, 13 regular season league crowns (only awarded since 1992), and 28 conference tournament titles. During the Division I era, nine UTC wrestlers have earned twelve All-American citations, and the Mocs have scored at the NCAA Division I Championships every year except 1990, placing as high as 21st in 2005 and 2007. Eight of nine Division I head coaches have been named SoCon Coach of the Year sixteen times, including twice by current coach Heath Eslinger.[4]

Head coaches[]

Coach Years W–L–T %age SoCon titles
Ken Carpenter 1947–51 (5) N/A N/A 0
Russ Scall 1952 (1) 3–5–0 .375 0
Andy Nardo 1953–67 (15) 77–30–4 .712 0
Joe Geri 1968 (1) 0–8–0 .000 0
Jim Morgan 1969–84 (16) 209–70–3 .746 6
Ethan Reeve 1985–90(6) 57–38–2 .598 5
Ralph Manning 1991–95 (5) 33–26–0 .556 4
Mark Leen 1996–2001 (6) 43–35–1 .551 3
Frankie James 2002 (1) 9–8–0 .529 1
Terry Brands 2003–05 (3) 31–33–0 .484 1
Joey Seay 2006 16–8–1 .660 1
Chris Bono 2007–09 (3) 39–17–0 .696 3
Heath Eslinger 2010–2018 (9) 101–61–0 .623 5
Kyle Ruschell 2018-2019 (interim)

2019-present

14– 16–0 .000 --

Coaches[]

The Mocs' current head coach is Kyle Ruschell. Ruschell joined the Mocs staff in June 2018 as assistant coach.  He was elevated to Interim Head Coach on July 19, following head coach Heath Eslinger's resignation and earned the full-time position on Aug. 10, 2019.   Ruschell's staff includes assistant coaches Mike Hatcher and TJ Ruschell.[5]

NCAA Division I All Americans[]

Year Name Weight Placement
1979 Byron McGlathery 126 5th
1982 Charlie Heard 118 8th
1983 Charlie Heard 118 2nd
1984 Charlie Heard 118 7th
1991 Bret Gustafson 177 5th
1992 Guy Harris 142 8th
1992 Howard Langford 158 8th
2005 Michale Keefe 141 5th
2005 Jon Sioredas 165 5th
2006 Matt Keller 133 8th
2007 Matt Keller 133 4th
2008 Cody Cleveland 141 8th

NCAA Division II All Americans[]

Year Name Weight Placement
1974 Bill Burnside 126 2nd
1975 Randy Batten 118 1st
1975 Turner Jackson 158 1st
1975 John Kavelage 134 3rd
1975 David Weeks 177 4th
1976 Randy Batten 118 1st
1976 John Kavelage 134 3rd
1976 Turner Jackson 158 1st
1976 Tim Brennan 167 6th
1976 David Weeks 177 1st
1977 Randy Batten 126 1st
1977 Ralph Zigner HWT 5th

References[]

  1. ^ "Website Guidelines". Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  2. ^ "SoCon Southern Conference". The Southern Conference. Retrieved 2014-12-26.
  3. ^ "Maclellan Gymnasium". University of Tenn. Chattanooga Athletics. Retrieved 2014-01-01.
  4. ^ a b "2013–14 UT Chattanooga Wrestling Media Guide". University of Tennessee Chattanooga Athletics. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  5. ^ "Wrestling – 2017–18 Coaches". University of Tennessee Chattanooga Athletics. Retrieved August 3, 2018.

External links[]

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