Maldonado takes final shot

His collegiate career is almost over, but as he wrestled this year, Javier Maldonado took no time to stop and reflect.

“I hadn’t really thought about it until a week or so before the conference tournament and I was lying in bed one night,” the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior said.

He has known pressure over the years but none like what he’ll face beginning today in his final shot at earning All-America honors.

The Mocs’ 125-pounder, Maldonado is one of five seniors among eight UTC wrestlers in the NCAA tournament in St. Louis. Other seniors are 133-pound Steve Hromada, 174-pound Lloyd Rogers, 184-pound Josh Edmondson and 197-pound Matt Koz. They’re joined by junior Seth Garvin (157) and sophomores Cody Cleveland (141) and Joey Knox (149).

“We are a threat to score some points. We definitely have individuals capable of being All-Americans,” UTC assistant coach Nate Gallick said at the conclusion of the Southern Conference tournament.

The Mocs have had at least one All-American in each of the last three years — Michael Keefe and Jon Sioredas in 2005 and Matt Keller the last two years — after a dry spell that dated back to 1992 when Guy Harris and Howard Langford attained the honor.

Maldonado and Koz are three-time tournament qualifiers, and Rogers and Edmondson have been once previously. All of the Mocs in St. Louis have been ranked among the nation’s top two dozen at their respective weights.

“We have some guys who can beat anybody in the country if they wrestle their best,” Gallick said.

However, Cleveland is the only wrestler to receive a seed (10th), and All-America status means a final-eight finish.

“We’re going to have to beat some people we aren’t supposed to beat,” head coach Chris Bono said.

Maldonado opened last year against No. 1 seed and eventual runner-up Sam Hazewinkel of Oklahoma. He lost by major decision but then reeled off three straight wins before falling to fifth-seeded Charlie Falk of Iowa — a win shy of All-America honors.

Maldonado, listed as high as 10th early this season, came within a win of attaining All-America status last year, and he left for the tournament Tuesday having moved into the top 10 all-time winners at UTC with 81 victories. His NCAA tournament record is 4-4, and three of the losses were to wrestlers who became All-Americans.

“I have relived one match, that one against Falk. I was so close (to All-America). I had wrestled well the whole tournament, but in that match I got dominated. I fell back on some bad habits,” he said. “Experience helps. I know how to manage a tournament. I know to take it one match at a time.”

He has survived three coaching staffs in his five years, leaving Bono wishing he had another year or two with Maldonado, who spent two seasons under Terry Brands and one under Joey Seay.

“Javi can wrestle for sure, but he has to go out and do the things we have preached,” Bono said. “There should be no difference in his mindset. The confidence should be there. He wanted to dominate in the conference, and we want him to carry that mindset to the national tournament.”

Maldonado won each of his matches by major decision in capturing his third straight league crown, and he said he used what he’d learned from Brands and Bono.

“I learned a lot from Brands about getting tough, working hard and being tough mentally,” said Maldonado, who went through his SoCon career unbeaten. “Bono is the same type coach, but he sharpened my skills and he has gotten me ready to wrestle based on my strengths.”

The Mocs’ team standing depends on each individual, and while they’ll pull for each other, they may not see the others compete.

“If you take care of yourself, the team thing will take care of itself,” Maldonado said. “We feed off each other, but there is a tremendous emotional strain to watch a teammate, because we are so close. You’re going to wind up wasting adrenaline that you’re going to need later.”

That’s the hope at least.