The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team will hit the mat for the first time under new head coach Heath Eslinger on Friday, Oct. 30, in the annual Blue & Gold Match. Action begins at 7:00 p.m. at Maclellan Gym.

The Mocs return eight starters off the 2009 Southern Conference Championship team, including SoCon individual champions sophomore Demetrius Johnson (125), senior Cody Cleveland (141), sophomore Dan Waddell (149) senior Joey Knox (157) and sophomore Jason McCroskey (174).

The match begins with senior Josh Statum taking on Johnson at 125. Statum went 10-8 last year as a starter at 133, but is challenging Johnson in the lower class. Johnson posted an 11-8 record and made the SoCon All-Freshman team.

Freshmen Josh Sandoval and Cody Hood will square off at 133. Sandoval redshirted last season with the Mocs while Hood is coming off a Tennessee State Title at 130 at Ooltewah High School. Cleveland, the 2009 SoCon Wrestler of the Year, takes on sophomore Ben Johnson at 141. Johnson had three wins in nine matches last year.

Freshmen Dean Pavlou and Alex Hudson are set to tangle in the 149 match. Waddell, an All-SoCon selection in 2009, is sidelined with an injury and will not participate in the Blue & Gold Match. Pavlou redshirted last season with the Mocs while Hudson won the last of his three Georgia state titles at Sprayberry High School in Marietta last year.

Knox and freshman Josh Condon are featured in the 157 match. Knox is looking for his third trip to the NCAA Championships in 2010 while Condon, a former senior national champion, is ready to go after redshirting last season.

Freshman Mikey Fuller and sophomore Brandon Wright are paired up at 165. Wright posted a 7-7 mark last year while Fuller sat out as a redshirt. Junior Mark Rogers and freshman Jake Young will be the 174 competitors. Rogers is entering his fourth year in the program while Young is coming off an excellent prep career at Ooltewah High School where he was a two-time Tennessee state champ.

McCroskey earned SoCon Freshman of the Year honors in 2009 and has moved up to 184 where he will battle fellow sophomore Tyler Roberson. Roberson posted six wins for the Mocs last season and made the SoCon All-Freshman team. Junior Stephen Garrett and freshman Niko Brown will wrestle at 197 with juniors Matt Lettner and Tom Minwell competing in the heavyweight match.

The event is FREE and open to the public. The UTC wrestlers will be handing out schedule cards and posters to the fans in attendance.

Blue Team vs. Gold Team
125 – Josh Statum (Sr) vs. Demetrius Johnson (So)
133 – Josh Sandoval (Fr) vs. Cody Hood (Fr)
141 – Ben Johnson (So) vs. Cody Cleveland (Sr)
149 – Dean Pavlou (Fr) vs. Alex Hudson (Fr)
157 – Joey Knox (Sr) vs. Josh Condon (Fr)
165 – Mikey Fuller (Fr) vs. Brandon Wright (So)
174 – Mark Rogers (Jr) vs. Jake Young (Fr)
184 – Jason McCroskey (So) vs. Tyler Roberson (So)
197 – Stephen Garrett (Jr) vs. Niko Brown (Fr)
285 – Matt Lettner (Jr) vs. Tom Minwell (Jr)

The Blue & Gold Match is a part of Blue & Gold Week at UTC. Other events in the Blue & Gold Week include:

10/26-27-Men’s Golf Hosting Aldila Scenic City Invitational
10/28-Volleyball vs. Kennesaw State
10/29-Soccer vs. Samford, 6 p.m. (Senior Night)
10/30-Wrestling Blue & Gold Match, 7 p.m.
10/31-Blue & Gold Tipoff/First Tenn. Pavilion, Noon
10/31-Football vs. Western Carolina, 2 p.m.