2007-08 Chattanooga Wrestling at National Duals
Jan. 12-13, 2008
NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa

No. 1 Penn State (5-0) vs. No. 16 Chattanooga (5-2), 9 a.m.

No. 16 Mocs at National Duals - The Chattanooga Mocs enter this weekend’s National Duals as the No. 16-ranked team in the nation, according to the NWCA/IntermatWrestle.com Top 25 poll. The Mocs reached No. 10 in the polls two weeks ago, which is the program’s highest national ranking in school history in the NCAA Division I era. UTC capped the 2006-07 season ranked No. 14 and No. 19 (WIN) after a 20th-place finish at the 2007 NCAA Championships.

Top-Ranked Penn State Opening Opponent - Chattanooga faces No. 1-ranked Penn State at 9 a.m. in the Preliminary Round. The Mocs and the Nittany Lions have never met on the wrestling mat.

Mocs Against No. 1-Ranked Teams - The last time Chattanooga faced off against a No. 1-ranked team was during the 2004-05 season. The Mocs traveled to Stillwater, Okla., on Nov. 14, 2004 and took on top-ranked Oklahoma State. The Cowboys handed the Mocs a 37-6 defeat. UTC also wrestled No. 1 Oklahoma State on Nov. 14, 2003, falling 29-9 in the dual match.

The National Duals Field - Other teams in the NCAA Division I field include seeded squads Iowa at No. 2, No. 3 Iowa State, No. 4 Central Michigan, No. 5 Minnesota, No. 6 Michigan, No. 7 Missouri and No. 8 Northwestern. Also competing in the DI bracket are Nebraska, West Virginia, Ohio State, Hofstra, Northern Iowa, Indiana and Cornell.

Mocs 1-1 vs. Ranked Foes in 2007-08 - Chattanooga has faced two other nationally-ranked teams in dual matches this season. The Mocs defeated No. 8 Ohio State 19-16 on Nov. 10 and dropped a 24-10 decision to No. 8 Missouri on Dec. 16. UTC’s win over the Buckeyes was the Mocs’ second straight victory over Ohio State in as many years. Chattanooga defeated OSU 28-13 on Dec. 17, 2006 when the Buckeyes were ranked No. 14.

Mocs Faced Duals Host UNI Last Week - Ironically, Chattanooga wrestled National Duals host school Northern Iowa this past Sunday. The Panthers flew to Atlanta, and the two squads faced off at Lithia Springs High School in Douglasville, Ga. UNI took home a 21-16 victory on the strength of a pin and a UTC forfeit.

Mocs Seventh at Midlands - Chattanooga had an impressive showing at the 45th Annual Midlands Championships Dec. 29 and 30. The Mocs earned a seventh-place finish with 78.5 team points. Cody Cleveland (141) and Joey Knox (149) picked up fourth-place medals at the Midlands. The team also had four other placers. Finishing in seventh place were Steve Hromada (133), Lloyd Rogers (174) and Matt Koz (197). Josh Edmondson (184) notched an eighth-place finish.

Cleveland Double SoCon Honoree - Cody Cleveland (141) was named the Southern Conference Wrestler of the Week and SoCon Wrestler of the Month of December for his performance at the Midlands Championships. Cleveland brought home a fourth-place finish. The unseeded sophomore from Tullahoma, Tenn., wrestled 10 matches over the two-day event and finished with an 8-2 record. After going 1-1 in the championship bracket, Cleveland wrestled his way back into the medal rounds, winning seven of his eight consolation matches. Cleveland recorded two technical falls, two major decisions and a pin. His pin came against eighth-seeded Corey Jantzen of Harvard.

Mocs in the Polls - Cleveland’s performance also led to a national ranking in his weight class by the National Wrestling Coaches Association/IntermatWrestle.com. Cleveland broke into the poll at No. 16, earning the ranking by the NWCA for the first time in his career. He was ranked at No. 17 in the Wrestling International Newsmagazine poll. Also benefiting from a strong showing at the Midlands was Josh Edmondson. The senior 184-pounder, who placed eighth at the event, cracked the W.I.N. poll at No. 16.

Mocs in the Polls

Garvin Keystone Classic Outstanding Wrestler - Chattanooga earned five weight class titles and claimed the team championship at the Keystone Classic hosted by the University of Pennsylvania Nov. 18 in Philadelphia. Led by the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler, Seth Garvin, the Mocs wrestled to titles at 133 pounds, 141, 157, 174 and 197. Garvin recorded three major decisions in four matches, including a 13-3 victory over Rider’s Rob Morrison in the 157-pound finals. UTC edged host team the University of Pennsylvania, 140.5 team points to 125.5.

UTC’s Steve Hromada pulled off perhaps the surprise of the tournament. Hromada entered the event as the seventh seed, rolled through his bracket, then defeated Penn’s Rick Rappo in the finals, 7-5 in overtime. Cody Cleveland scored a 21-10 major over Arizona State’s Chris Drouin in the 141 title match, Lloyd Rogers defeated Penn’s Jeff Zannetti, 7-4 for the title at 174 and Matt Koz dispatched Arizona State’s Jason Trulson, 3-2 to win the 197 weight class. Also helping the Mocs’ team finish were third-place finishes from Javier Maldonado (125) and Matt Lettner (185), fourth-place finishes from Nick Davis (165) and Josh Edmondson (184) and a fifth-place finish by Joey Knox (149).

Mocs Fare Well in 2006-07 National Tournaments - The Mocs fared well in two in-season national tournaments in 2006-07. Two-time All-America Matt Keller placed first in the 133-pound class at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational last December. UTC also produced placers Michael Keefe (fifth, 141), Aaron Martin (sixth, 149), Seth Garvin (seventh, 165) and Javier Maldonado (eighth, 125). At the 2006 Southern Scuffle, eight Mocs earned medals. Keefe and Maldonado placed fifth, Martin was sixth, Keller and Lloyd Rogers (174) seventh, Shawn Cordell eighth at 125 and Josh Edmondson eighth at 184.

UTC Hosts 2008 SoCon Wrestling Championships - Chattanooga will host the 2008 Southern Conference Wrestling Championships March 8 in the McKenzie Arena on the UTC campus.

Mocs 22-Time SoCon Champs - Chattanooga captured its 22nd Southern Conference Championship last season. The Mocs joined the SoCon in 1978, moving up from NCAA Division II to Division I status and have won the league crown 22 times since 1978.

Mocs Qualify Nine for 2007 NCAA Championships - The Mocs tied Minnesota for the national best in 2007 by qualifying nine individuals for the NCAA Championships. Matt Keller (133) became the program’s sixth two-time All-America wrestler with a fourth-place finish.

Four Starters Back from 2006-07 - Chattanooga returns four starters from last year’s squad – Javier Maldonado, 125 (32-9 last year), Lloyd Rogers, 174 (29-13), Josh Edmondson, 184 (21-10) and Matt Koz, 197 (18-7 at 285).

PROBABLE LINEUP
No. 16 CHATTANOOGA (5-2)
125 Javier Maldonado (Sr., Kissimmee, Fla., 10-3)
133 Shawn Cordell (Jr., Cleveland, Tenn., 0-0)
Or Steve Hromada (Sr., Wheatley Heights, N.Y., 13-4)
141 Cody Cleveland (So., Tullahoma, Tenn., 16-4)
149 Joey Knox (So., Dublin, Ga., 14-6)
157 Seth Garvin (Sr., Hoover, Ala., 14-3)
165 Nick Davis (Jr., Gainesville, Fla., 7-6)
174 Lloyd Rogers (Sr., Palm City, Fla., 15-2)
184 Josh Edmondson (Sr., Medical Lake, Wash., 12-8)
197 Matt Koz (Sr., Strongsville, Ohio, 13-3)
285 Matt Lettner (Fr., Chattanooga, Tenn., 7-6)

Head Coach: Chris Bono (Iowa State, 1997) second year
Assistant Coach: Nate Gallick (Iowa State, 2007) first year
Israel Silva, volunteer assistant