Tuesday, August 16, 2022 79.0°F   mostly cloudy   Mostly Cloudy

Sports


UTC's Wharton Earns Contract Extension

Wednesday, June 30, 2021
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Chancellor Steve Angle announced a contract extension for Vice Chancellor & Director of Athletics Mark Wharton today.  Wharton signed an initial five-year agreement with UTC in August of 2017, and this new deal keeps him with the Mocs until August 2026.

"I am very grateful for clear evidence of Vice Chancellor Wharton's commitment to excellence — to 'doing the right things in the right way,' stated Angle. "The quality he has attracted and retained in key personnel positions is vital, and it has translated to success in the classroom and in competition.
Our student-athletes have posted impressive results, and this contract extension is another reason that, as we often say, 'It's a great day to be a Moc!'"

Wharton recently wrapped up his fourth season at UTC and has made a tremendous impact on the Mocs in the classroom, in competition and in the community.  Graduation rates for student-athletes topped 90 percent for the first time while three of the highest overall grade point averages were achieved in the last three semesters. 
 
Fundraising and Mocs Club membership is at an all-time high, despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  He has also made some key head coaching hires in his tenure that include women's basketball's Katie Burrows, wrestling's Kyle Ruschell and football's Rusty Wright. 
 
"I would like to thank Dr. Angle and the entire executive leadership team at UTC for their continued faith in our athletics program," stated Wharton. "I am fortunate to work with an outstanding group of coaches, staff and student-athletes and they have done a tremendous job throughout my tenure. 
 
"I am excited about our future as we still have many goals to achieve and plenty of room for improvement. I look forward to welcoming fans back to our events in the fall, so come be a part of what we are building at UTC."
 
In the classroom, student-athletes set a new mark with a 3.421 overall GPA in the spring of 2020, the fourth record-setting term in a row.  Last semester, 65 percent of all student-athletes made the Dean's List with a 3.2 GPA or higher, while 74 percent made the Athletics Director's Honor Roll with a 3.0 GPA or better.  In addition, 20 percent (59 overall) had a perfect 4.0 GPA, the second-highest percentage in school history.
 
On the fundraising front, Wharton implemented the One Chattanooga program, which will generate $1 million in unrestricted support.  In addition, the Mocs Club recorded a record $1.2 million in annual giving during the 2018-19 academic year. The momentum built from that record-breaking year carried over to the 2019-20 academic year, as the Mocs Club recorded $1.1 million in annual giving despite the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, membership in the C Club, the letter winners organization, increased 300 percent since Wharton's arrival in Chattanooga.
 
Another of his innovations to drive fan engagement was the creation of the Fan Council.  This 12-person committee exists to provide feedback and guidance in the areas of External Operations, as it relates to fan experience and gameday enhancements.  The goal is to help improve engagement with the community and constituencies of all Mocs athletics programs.
 
In competition, wrestling and softball both won Southern Conference titles in 2018-19, while women's basketball added another in 2019-20.  Men's basketball had its best start in school history in 2020-21, while the soccer team also enjoyed a record-breaking season in the spring.

A 25-year veteran of college athletics, Wharton spent four years as the Associate Athletics Director for Development at Penn State University prior to his arrival in the Scenic City.  There he was a member of the Nittany Lions Senior Management Team, overseeing all aspects of athletics development.
 
During his tenure in Happy Valley, Wharton was a member of the Executive Committee for the Departmental Strategic Plan, the Facilities Master Plan Committee, Communications Committee and developed revenue generations plans for the athletics department leadership team.
 
Prior to joining Penn State, Wharton was the Assistant Athletics Director/Executive Director of the East Carolina University (ECU) Educational Foundation (Pirate Club) from 2006-13. 
 
From 2004 to 2006, Wharton was the Associate Athletic Director for Development at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.  Prior to his stint at UNLV, Wharton spent 13 years in full-time development, ticketing or marketing roles in upper administration positions at UNC Asheville (2003-04), James Madison (2000-03) and East Carolina (1996-00).  He was also a front office member of the Kinston Indians Baseball Club from 1991 to 1994.
 
Wharton earned his Bachelor's Degree in Leisure Studies from East Carolina in 1993.  He also earned a Master's Degree in Human Ecology with an emphasis in Sport Management from the University of Tennessee in 1995.  He is a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD).
 
Mark and his wife Angela Riggins Wharton have four children, Hannah, Taylor, Thomas and Allison.  Hannah and Taylor are both students at UTC, while Thomas is a rising sophomore at Tennessee. 

September 1, 2022

AA South Baseball Standings

August 16, 2022

James Boofer: Big Orange Comeback?

August 16, 2022

Mocs Football Continues To Prepare For September 3rd Opener


AA-South Standings/Results (as of games of 8/14/22) Second Half Team North Division W L PCT GB ... (click for more)

Well, it’s that time of year again and if you were born and raised somewhere below the Mason-Dixon line you know exactly what I mean. There’s no better time of year for a sports fan than the ... (click for more)

The 12th-ranked Chattanooga Mocs continue work to one date. Their Sept. 3 date with Southern Conference foe Wofford in Finley Stadium looms. While the team’s focus is on the next game, the Mocs ... (click for more)



Sports

AA South Baseball Standings

AA-South Standings/Results (as of games of 8/14/22) Second Half Team North Division W L PCT GB Tennessee (CHC) 22 17 .564 - Rocket City (LAA)* 20 19 .513 2.0 Birmingham (CWS) ... (click for more)

James Boofer: Big Orange Comeback?

Well, it’s that time of year again and if you were born and raised somewhere below the Mason-Dixon line you know exactly what I mean. There’s no better time of year for a sports fan than the beginning of the football season and if your team happens to play in the Southeastern Conference, it’s even better. This time of year is a great time to dream big. Your favorite team has ... (click for more)

Breaking News

Buses Carrying Migrants Sent By Texas Governor Will No Longer Stop In Chattanooga

Buses carrying migrants sent by Texas Governor Greg Abbott will no longer stop in Chattanooga, city officials said they were told on Tuesday. Asked why not, Joda Thongnopnua of the mayor's office said officials here have mobilized to welcome and help the migrants. He said, "That was not exactly achieving the governor's political purposes." Governor Abbott had been intending ... (click for more)

City Moving Forward On Setting Up Low-Barrier Homeless Shelter

The city is moving forward with setting up a low-barrier homeless shelter. Joda Thongnopnua, chief of staff to Mayor Tim Kelly, said two Requests for Proposals are being sent out. One is for a planning consultant to help identify where the emergency shelter should be located. The other is for a provider to operate the facility. City Council Chairman Darrin Ledford said ... (click for more)

Opinion

Our Safety Is Gone - And Response

Sad news seeing a person was murdered at the Rosemont Apartment. We lived on Oak Street across the street from the then named Glenwood Apartments from 1953 to 1956. I spent many a day there as there were probably 100 school age kids who lived in the units. In those days, parents simply let their kids roam the neighborhood with no worry for their safety. Now adults can't walk ... (click for more)

Roy Exum: Avoid Electric Cars Like The Plague

A Friday article on Chattanoogan.com read in part: “Chattanooga will be home to the nation’s largest electric vehicle ‘living testbed,’ thanks to $9.2 million in funding for a project proposed by the city and scientists at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with municipal, private industry and research partners. Funding will come from a $4.5-million U.S. Department ... (click for more)


Happenings

Dining

Business

Student Scene

Church

Memories

Real Estate

Living Well

Outdoors