The Chattanooga Mocs 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships ended Friday with a pair of losses in round two of the consolations bracket. Both Brayden Palmer and Isaiah Powe saw close decisions end their runs on Friday afternoon.
“Disappointing day for certain,” Coach Kyle Ruschell shared. “It was close to continuing for both, but that’s this time of year. There are very small margins for error out there. We just didn’t get it done in either match.
“Can’t say enough about Brayden’s career.
3-time NCAA Qualifier…2-time conference champ…2-time placing at the Scuffle, he’s been a great Moc. Hated to see him end his career this afternoon.
“Really excited to see Isaiah’s next steps,” Ruschell continued. “Just to see how this disappointment fuels him moving forward. His ceiling is very high, and we’re excited to get to work with him and see it happen in Chattanooga.”
125 – Brayden Palmer
Day 1
Rd1: #11 Cooper Flynn (Va. Tech), Dec., L, 1-2
Conso Rd1: #27 Max Gallagher (Penn), Dec., W, 8-4
Day 2
Conso Rd2: #28 Diego Sotelo (Harvard), Dec. L, 4-5
Palmer opened the day with Diego Sotelo from Harvard, his second straight Ivy League opponent. After locking up for most of the opening period, they finally got in a mat scrum where Palmer out-wrestled Sotelo for the first takedown with 1:23 to go riding out the period.
The Mocs senior worked an early escape in the second for the lone score of the frame. Sotelo opted for top entering the third up down by four. He got Palmer to his back for a four count then rode out the period for the 5-4 comeback win.
141 – Isaiah Powe
Day 1
Rd1: #16 Dylan Chappell (Bucknell), Dec., W, 9-4
Rd2: #1 Jesse Mendez (Ohio St.), Fall, L, 4:37
Day 2
Conso Rd2: #18 Cole Matthews (Pitt), Dec., L, 5-8
Powe met Pitt’s Cole Matthews in round two of consolations. The true freshman got an early grab on Matthews’ ankle, but Matthews was able to get it free and work a takedown in the ensuing mat scrap. He built two minutes of riding time managing to maintain control of the Alabama native until late in the period with a Powe escape.
Matthews chose down to start the second with a 3-1 advantage. Powe shaved nearly 20 seconds of riding time before the Panthers 141 got loose. Powe started down in third and closed to 4-2 with an early escape.
He had a strong shot on Matthews to take the lead, but the senior used his saavy to get the advantage for himself and a 7-2 advantage. Matthews gave up a point for stalling and then Powe got a late escape and another penalty point for stalling, however, he couldn’t get the final takedown late in an 8-5 loss.
Second straight year with two Mocs making it to Day 2 of the championships: Palmer (133) & Rocky Jordan (174). 7th time over last 10 seasons...2021 (125-Fabian Gutierrez & 165-Drew Nicholson), 2018 (125-Alonzo Allen & 184-Bryce Carr), 2017 (133-Chris Debien & 184-Bryce Carr), 2016 (141-Michael Pongracz, 174-Sean Mappes & 197-Scottie Boykin) & 2015 (125-Sean Boyle, 133-Nick Soto & 197-Scottie Boykin). The outliers are 2019 and 2020 (no tournament due to COVID-19).
Palmer is 3-6 in his career at the NCAA Championships, Powe is 1-2.
Powe is the first freshman to qualify for NCAA Championships since Logan Andrew (197) in 2021. He’s just the third since Kamaal Shakur (157) in 2016. Oddly, Kamaal’s NCAA bid was ended by Austin Matthews (Edinboro), Cole’s older brother. The last true freshman to make the tournament going straight from high school to the Scenic City wrestling room? The great Nick Soto in 2012, a 4-time NCAA Qualifier
Palmer is the first Moc since Bryce Carr (2017 & 2018) to reach day 2 in two NCAA Championships at Chattanooga.
HISTORY
Appearances: 47 | Last: 2023 | Qualifiers: 204
Year-by-Year results on P. 5 of the notes package linked here
1st DI Season: 1978
Best Team Finish: 1983, T14 (20.25)
Most Team Points: 2007, 29.5 (21st)
Best Finish: 2nd, Charlie Heard, 118, 1983
All-Americans: 12 (Last: Cody Cleveland, 141, 2008)
Multiple All-Americans: 1992, 2005
DII Champions: 6 | All-Americans: 12 | MOW: 1
ALL-AMERICA
1980: 126 - Byron McGlathery, 5th
1982: 118 - Charlie Heard, 8th
1983: 118 - Charlie Heard, 2nd
1984: 118 - Charlie Heard, 7th
1991: 177 - Bret Gustafson, 5th
1992: 142 - Guy Harris, 8th
1992: 158 - Howard Langford, 8th
2005: 141 - Michael Keefe, 5th
2005: 165 - Jon Sioredas, 5th
2006: 133 - Matt Keller, 8th
2007: 133 - Matt Keller, 4th
2008: 141 - Cody Cleveland, 8th
RANKINGS
125: Brayden Palmer | High: 14 (WrestleStat)
133: Blake Boarman | High: 27 (NWCA Coaches Poll)
141: Isaiah Powe | High: 19 (NCAA RPI)
149: Noah Castillo | High: 33 (NCAA RPI)
174: Sergio Desiante | High: 33 (NWCA Coaches Poll)