The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team is picked to win the Southern Conference for the upcoming 2014-15 campaign, the league office announced today. The Mocs grabbed seven first place votes from the league coaches and were nine points ahead of The Citadel in the preseason poll.
UTC is coming off a 16-7 season and its 28th SoCon Tournament Championship since joining the league in 1978. The Mocs were 7-0 in conference matches, winning their 13thregular season title since the league began recognizing a season champ in 1992.
The Mocs return seven starters and 18 letter winners to last year’s squad that finished the regular season ranked No.
24 in the USA Today/NWCA/AWN Division I Coaches Poll. It was the third time Chattanooga carried a national ranking into the postseason.
“I like what we have coming back,” stated head coach Heath Eslinger. “We have picked up some pieces to fill a few holes and we have put together a tough schedule that should prepare us for the NCAA Championships.”
Among the returners are three preseason All-Southern Conference selections in seniorsLevi Clemons, Corey Mock and Nick Soto. Soto is a three-time SoCon champion who spent most of last season ranked in the top-15 at 133. With a career record of 86-27, he has a chance to break into the top five in all time wins at Chattanooga.
Mock was the 2014 SoCon Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler and in the top-10 at 165 most of the season. He won the SoCon title at 165 and went 31-5 in his first season with the Mocs since transferring from North Carolina.
Clemons returns after a 26-15 campaign that included a SoCon championship at 174. He was on the All-SoCon team and made his second trip to the NCAA Championships.
UTC opens its season with the annual Blue-Gold Match at Maclellan Gym on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 11:00 a.m. (ET). The Mocs home schedule includes 10 dates, featuring Purdue (Dec. 12), Oklahoma (Feb. 15), the prestigious Southern Scuffle (Jan. 1-2) and a challenging SoCon slate. Season tickets are on sale now on GoMocs.com, or by calling the UTC Ticket Office at (423) 266-MOCS (6627).
2014-15 SoCon Wrestling Preseason Coaches Poll
School (First-place votes) - Points
1. Chattanooga (7) - 49
2. The Citadel - 40
3. Appalachian State (1) - 38
4. Gardner-Webb - 32
5. SIU-Edwardsville - 23
6. Davidson - 17
7. VMI - 13
8. Campbell - 12
2014-15 SoCon Wrestling Preseason All-Conference Team
125: Dominic Parisi, Appalachian State*
133: Nick Soto, Chattanooga*^
141: Chris Vassar, Gardner-Webb
149: Dylan Cottrell, Appalachian State*
157: Aaron Walker, The Citadel*
165: Corey Mock, Chattanooga*
174: Levi Clemons, Chattanooga*
184: Scott Patrick, Davidson*
197: Marshall Haas, The Citadel*
HWT: Juan Adams, VMI
* - 2014 SoCon champion at that weight class
^ - 2012 SoCon champion at 133, 2013 SoCon champion at 125