The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team won its 28th Southern Conference Tournament in Buies Creek, N.C., tonight. The Mocs had three individual champions led by junior Corey Mock’s victory at 165 pounds. Mock not only grabbed an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships, but he also took home the award for Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.
Chattanooga tallied 88.0 points on the day, the fewest for a championship team since UNCG won with 81.5 points in 2010. It was the Mocs fourth straight tournament title and eighth in the last nine years.
The Citadel took the runner-up spot with 78.5 points. Campbell, which hosted the tournament, placed third with 54.0 points. Appalachian State finished fourth with 36.0 points, in front of Gardner-Webb (32.5), SIUE (30.5), Davidson (29.0) and VMI (13.5).
Junior Nick Soto took home his third-straight conference championship and will make his third appearance at the NCAAs. The No. 1 seed at 133 pinned VMI’s Michael Flora in 2:54 to advance to the semifinals, where Davidson’s Anthony Elias medically forfeited. In the final, Soto handily defeated Campbell’s Drew Walker, 12-2, to up his overall record to 33-9.
The match of the night came at 165 between Mock and The Citadel’s Turtogtokh Luvsandorj. Luvsandorj carried a No. 7 Coaches Panel ranking into the match, while Mock was right behind him at No. 8. Luvsandorj took the regular season meeting 4-3, but Mock dominated tonight’s rematch. He won the title bout 7-1 and did not give up a takedown in the tournament, improving to 30-3 overall.
Junior Levi Clemons followed that with a win of his own at 174, registering two major decisions along the way. He took down VMI’s Derek Thurman, 13-5, before defeating Campbell’s Cody Ryba, 11-2 in the semifinals. Clemons met the second seed, Jake Residori from SIUE, in the championship bout, but Residori had to medically forfeit with Clemons up 2-0 in the first period.
Clemons improves to 26-13 overall and earns his second trip to the NCAA Championships. He also was an at-large participant as a sophomore in 2012.
Senior Alex Hudson also grabbed an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships, despite falling in the finals to The Citadel’s Aaron Walker. The Southern Conference was allocated 16 spots for the NCAA Championships, with three each at 149 pounds and 165 pounds, two each at 157 pounds and heavyweight and one each at the six other weights.
UTC had a pair of true freshman finish second in their brackets. Michael Pongracz was runner-up at 141 while top-seeded Scottie Boykin lost in the finals at 197. Fellow freshman Dawson Peck placed fourth at heavyweight, along with sophomores John Lampe at 184 and Austin Sams at 149.
UTC now turns its attention to the NCAA Championships on March 20-22. The Mocs could grab an at large bid at one or two more weights before competition begins in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Team Standings
Chattanooga – 88.0
The Citadel – 78.5
Campbell – 54.0
Appalachian State – 36.0
Gardner-Webb – 32.5
SIUE – 30.5
Davidson – 29.0
VMI – 13.5
Southern Conference Coach of the Year
Rob Hjerling, The Citadel
Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler
Corey Mock, Chattanooga
RESULTS COURTESY OF
www.trackwrestling.com
125 Results
Guaranteed Places
1st Place - Dominic Parisi of Appalachian State
2nd Place - Tyler Walker of Campbell
3rd Place - Cortez Starkes of Gardner-Webb
4th Place - Joaquin Marquez of The Citadel
1st Place Match
Dominic Parisi (Appalachian State) 3-0, Fr. over Tyler Walker (Campbell) 2-1, . (Dec 9-5).
3rd Place Match
Cortez Starkes (Gardner-Webb) 3-1, So. over Joaquin Marquez (The Citadel) 2-2, Jr. (Dec 6-3).
133 Results
Guaranteed Places
1st Place - Nick Soto of Chattanooga
2nd Place - Drew Walker of Campbell
3rd Place - Aaron Hansen of The Citadel
4th Place - Robbie Golde of Gardner-Webb
1st Place Match
Nick Soto (Chattanooga) 3-0, So. over Drew Walker (Campbell) 2-1, Fr. (MD 12-2).
3rd Place Match
Aaron Hansen (The Citadel) 3-1, So. over Robbie Golde (Gardner-Webb) 2-2, Sr. (Dec 7-6).
141 Results
Guaranteed Places
1st Place - Undrakhbayar Khishignyam of The Citadel
2nd Place - Mike Pongracz of Chattanooga
3rd Place - Ryan Mosley of Gardner-Webb
4th Place - Michael Dahlstrom of Campbell
1st Place Match
Undrakhbayar Khishignyam (The Citadel) 3-0, So. over Mike Pongracz (Chattanooga) 2-1, Fr. (Dec 8-3).
3rd Place Match
Ryan Mosley (Gardner-Webb) 3-1, Fr. over Michael Dahlstrom (Campbell) 2-2, Fr. (Dec 7-3).
149 Results
Guaranteed Places
1st Place - Dyllan Cottrell of Appalachian State
2nd Place - Kevin Birmingham of Davidson
3rd Place - Matthew Frisch of The Citadel
4th Place - Austin Sams of Chattanooga
1st Place Match
Dyllan Cottrell (Appalachian State) 3-0, Fr. over Kevin Birmingham (Davidson) 2-1, Jr. (Dec 11-5).
3rd Place Match
Matthew Frisch (The Citadel) 3-1, So. over Austin Sams (Chattanooga) 2-2, Fr. (TB-1 3-2).
157 Results
Guaranteed Places
1st Place - Aaron Walker of The Citadel
2nd Place - Alex Hudson of Chattanooga
3rd Place - Grant Blumenthal of Campbell
4th Place - Edward Gottwald of VMI
1st Place Match
Aaron Walker (The Citadel) 2-0, Fr. over Alex Hudson (Chattanooga) 2-1, Jr. (Fall 4:43).
3rd Place Match
Grant Blumenthal (Campbell) 3-1, Fr. over Edward Gottwald (VMI) 2-2, Sr. (Dec 5-3).
165 Results
Guaranteed Places
1st Place - Corey Mock of Chattanooga
2nd Place - Turtogtokh Luvsandorj of The Citadel
3rd Place - Austin Trott of Gardner-Webb
4th Place - Paul Duggan of Campbell
1st Place Match
Corey Mock (Chattanooga) 3-0, Jr. over Turtogtokh Luvsandorj (The Citadel) 2-1, Sr. (Dec 8-1).
3rd Place Match
Austin Trott (Gardner-Webb) 3-1, Fr. over Paul Duggan (Campbell) 2-2, So. (MD 14-2).
174 Results
Guaranteed Places
1st Place - Levi Clemons of Chattanooga
2nd Place - Jake Residori of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
3rd Place - Kenneth Radford of The Citadel
4th Place - Collin Hedash of Appalachian State
1st Place Match
Levi Clemons (Chattanooga) 3-0, Jr. over Jake Residori (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville) 2-1, So. (Inj. 0:30).
3rd Place Match
Kenneth Radford (The Citadel) 3-1, Jr. over Collin Hedash (Appalachian State) 2-2, Fr. (Dec 11-6).
184 Results
Guaranteed Places
1st Place - Donald Patrick of Davidson
2nd Place - Ville Heino of Campbell
3rd Place - John Duane of The Citadel
4th Place - John Lampe of Chattanooga
1st Place Match
Donald Patrick (Davidson) 3-0, Sr. over Ville Heino (Campbell) 2-1, Fr. (Dec 8-3).
3rd Place Match
John Duane (The Citadel) 3-1, Jr. over John Lampe (Chattanooga) 1-2, Fr. (Dec 5-4).
197 Results
Guaranteed Places
1st Place - Marshall Haas of The Citadel
2nd Place - Scottie Boykin of Chattanooga
3rd Place - Josh Wood of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
4th Place - Boyce Cornwell of Gardner-Webb
1st Place Match
Marshall Haas (The Citadel) 3-0, So. over Scottie Boykin (Chattanooga) 2-1, Fr. (Dec 9-5).
3rd Place Match
Josh Wood (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville) 3-1, Sr. over Boyce Cornwell (Gardner-Webb) 2-2, Fr. (Dec 5-2).
285 Results
Guaranteed Places
1st Place - David Devine of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
2nd Place - Eloheim Palma of Campbell
3rd Place - Juan Adams of VMI
4th Place - Dawson Peck of Chattanooga
1st Place Match
David Devine (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville) 3-0, Sr. over Eloheim Palma (Campbell) 2-1, . (Dec 4-0).
3rd Place Match
Juan Adams (VMI) 3-1, Jr. over Dawson Peck (Chattanooga) 2-2, Fr. (Fall 2:48).