Chattanooga Mocs Wrestling | |
---|---|
University | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga |
Head Coach | Kyle Ruschell (1st season) |
Conference | SoCon |
Location | Chattanooga, TN |
Arena | Maclellan Gymnasium (Capacity: 2,639) |
Nickname | Mocs |
Colors | Navy, 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.
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]
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 | -- |
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 |
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States. It was founded in 1886 and is part of the University of Tennessee System.
McKenzie Arena is the primary basketball arena for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) in Chattanooga in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It replaced Maclellan Gymnasium, a 4,177-seat gymnasium now used for women's volleyball and wrestling. Originally called UTC Arena, it was renamed McKenzie Arena on February 21, 2000, in honor of athletic supporters Toby and Brenda McKenzie of Cleveland, Tennessee. The arena opened on October 8, 1982. It was designed by Campbell & Associates Architects with David J. Moore as the on-site architect/construction administrator.
The Chattanooga Mocs are the 16 teams representing the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in intercollegiate athletics. The Mocs compete in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Southern Conference (SoCon).
The Chattanooga Mocs football program is the intercollegiate college football team for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Southern Conference. The school's first football team was fielded in 1904. The team plays its home games at the 20,668 seat Finley Stadium. They are coached by UTC alumni, Rusty Wright. He was an assistant coach under Russ Huesman.
The Chattanooga Mocs women's basketball team, formerly known as the Lady Mocs, represents the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in NCAA women's basketball competition. The team is currently led by head coach Shawn Poppie, and play their home games at McKenzie Arena.
The 2013 Chattanooga Mocs football team represented the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in the 2013 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon). The Mocs were led by fifth-year head coach Russ Huesman and played their home games at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They finished the season 8–4 overall and 6–2 in SoCon play to share the conference championship with Samford and Furman. Chattanooga not receive the conference's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs and did not receive an at-large bid.
The 2014 Chattanooga Mocs football team represented the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in the 2014 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon). The Mocs were led by sixth-year head coach Russ Huesman and played their home games at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 2014 was a historic season for the Mocs. The Mocs won ten games in a season for the first time in program history, won the SoCon Conference outright for the first time in program history, went undefeated in the SoCon for the first time in program history, and went to the postseason for the first time since 1984, netting a number eight seed and a first-round bye. Chattanooga beat Indiana State at home for the program's first-ever home playoff win in the Second Round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs before falling to New Hampshire, 35–30, in the Quarterfinal.
The 2015 Chattanooga Mocs football team represented the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in the 2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon). The Mocs were led by seventh-year head coach Russ Huesman and played their home games at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They finished the season 9–4 overall and 6–1 in SoCon play to share for the SoCon title with The Citadel. Chattanooga earned the SoCon's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where they defeated Fordham in the first round before losing in the second round to Jacksonville State.
The 2016 Chattanooga Mocs football team represented the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon). The Mocs were led by eighth-year head coach Russ Huesman and played their home games at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They finished the season 9–4 overall and 6–2 in SoCon play to tie for second place. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where they defeated Weber State in the first round before losing to Sam Houston State in the second round.
The 2017–18 Chattanooga Mocs women's basketball team represented the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Mocs, led by fifth-year head coach Jim Foster, played their home games at the McKenzie Arena as members of the Southern Conference (SoCon). The Mocs finished the season 17–13, 8–6 in third place in the SoCon, losing to UNC Greensboro in the conference tournament. They received an at-large berth in the 2018 WNIT and lost in the first round to UAB.
The 2019 Chattanooga Mocs football team represented the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon). The Mocs were led by first-year head coach Rusty Wright and played their home games at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They finished the season 6–6 overall and 5–3 in SoCon play to place third.
The 2018–19 Chattanooga Mocs women's basketball team represented the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga during the 2018–19 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Mocs, led by first-year head coach Katie Burrows, played their home games at the McKenzie Arena as members of the Southern Conference (SoCon). The Mocs finished the season 14–17, 8–6 in third place in the SoCon, losing to Furman in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.
The 2019–20 Chattanooga Mocs women's basketball team represented the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga during the 2019–20 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Mocs, led by first-year head coach Katie Burrows, played their home games at the McKenzie Arena as members of the Southern Conference (SoCon). The Mocs finished the season 11–18, 10–4 in third place in the SoCon, losing to Mercer in the first round of the conference tournament.
The 2021–22 Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball team represented the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Mocs, led by fifth-year head coach Lamont Paris, played their home games at McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as members of the Southern Conference. They finished the season 27–8, 14–4 in SoCon play to win the regular season SoCon championship. As the No. 1 seed in the SoCon tournament, they defeated The Citadel, Wofford, and Furman to win the tournament championship. As a result, they received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 13 seed in the South Region, where they lost in the first round to Illinois.
The 1987–88 Chattanooga Mocs basketball team represented the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as a member of the Southern Conference during the 1987–88 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Their head coach was Mack McCarthy and the team played their home games at the UTC Arena. After finishing tied for 5th in the conference regular season standings, the Mocs won the SoCon tournament, earning an automatic bid to the 1988 NCAA tournament. Chattanooga was beaten in the opening round by No. 1 seed and eventual National runner-up Oklahoma, 94–66.
The 1992–93 Chattanooga Mocs basketball team represented the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as a member of the Southern Conference during the 1992–93 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Their head coach was Mack McCarthy and the team played their home games at the UTC Arena. After finishing atop the conference regular season standings, the Mocs won the SoCon tournament, earning an automatic bid to the 1993 NCAA tournament. Chattanooga was beaten in the opening round by No. 5 seed and Wake Forest, 81–58.
The 2022–23 Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball team represented the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Mocs, led by first-year head coach Dan Earl, played their home games at McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as members of the Southern Conference.
The 1981–82 Chattanooga Mocs basketball team represented the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as a member of the Southern Conference during the 1981–82 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Their head coach was Murray Arnold and the team played their home games at Maclellan Gymnasium for the final season. The Mocs won the regular season and SoCon tournament titles, the latter earning the Mocs an automatic bid to the 1982 NCAA tournament. Participating in the tournament for the second consecutive season, Chattanooga knocked off No. 7 seed NC State in the first round before losing to No. 2 seed Minnesota, 52–51, in the round of 32.
The 1980–81 Chattanooga Mocs basketball team represented the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as a member of the Southern Conference during the 1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Their head coach was Murray Arnold and the team played their home games at Maclellan Gymnasium. The Mocs won the regular season and SoCon tournament titles, the latter earning the Mocs an automatic bid to the 1981 NCAA tournament. Participating in the Big Dance for the first time in program history, Chattanooga fell to No. 6 seed Maryland in the opening round.