Jump to content

Chattanooga Mocs wrestling

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chattanooga Mocs Wrestling
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
24 (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

[edit]

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 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

[edit]

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 TJ Ruschell and Hunter Gamble.[5]

Coach Years W–L–T %age SoCon Tournament titles
Ken Carpenter 1947–51 (5) N/A N/A --
Russ Scall 1952 (1) 3–5–0 .375 --
Andy Nardo 1953–67 (15) 77–30–4 .712 --
Joe Geri 1968 (1) 0–8–0 .000 --
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 (1) 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 2019–present (4) 22–20–0 .524 --

Southern Conference 100th Anniversary Wrestling Team

[edit]

The Southern Conference celebrated 100 years of operation in 2021. The league named 100th anniversary teams in each sport it currently sponsors and has sponsored for at least 25 years. Of all member schools (currently and former), the Chattanooga Mocs top the list with 23 wrestlers selected. Members of the 100th anniversary team must meet at least one of the following criteria: SoCon Hall of Fame Inductee (for primary sport), National Wrestler of the Year, National Champion, All-America in two different seasons (not including honorable mention or freshman AA), SoCon Male Athlete of the Year, Two-time SoCon Wrestler of the Year, Three-time SoCon Individual Champion, or 1st-team All-SoCon in three different seasons.

Name Years
David Barden 1992–1996
Scottie Boykin 2013–2018
Charlie Buckshaw 1985–1989
Cody Cleveland 2005–2011
Josh Condon 2007–2013
John Davis 2002–2006
Chad Dennis 1991–1996
Heath Esthlinger 1995–2000
John Feldhacker 1981–1985
Bret Gustafson 1987–1992
Bobby Hanson 1997–2000
Charlie Heard 1981–1984
Michael Keefe 2002–2007
Matt Keller 2005–2007
Javier Maldonado 2003–2008
Larry Meierotto 1979–1983
Pat Murphy 1979–1983
Bobby Orand 1976–1980
Ben Reichel 1984–1989
Jeff Rufolo 1983–1988
Nick Soto 2011–2015
Chris Thornbury 1985–1989
Cary Waller 1978–1983

References

[edit]
  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.
[edit]