The revamped University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team's first public showing tonight will be the second step to setting a starting lineup.
Heath Eslinger, who was hired as the Mocs' coach this past summer, already has put potential starters through round one of wrestle-offs, and some of tonight's Blue & Gold Match winners will earn starting roles for the team's first two matches against Virginia Tech and Kent State on Nov. 7.
"After that, the open tournaments will tell us a lot," Eslinger said.
Tonight's meet will begin at 7 at Maclellan Gym, and admission is free.
"In all the weights except 125 it will be the same kids going again in Round 2," Eslinger said. "If they wind up splitting, they'll go again on Monday."
First-round winners included Josh Sandoval (133), Cody Cleveland (141), Dean Pavlou (149), Joey Knox (157), Brandon Wright (165), Jake Young (174), Jason McCroskey (184) and heavyweight Matt Lettner. At 125, Josh Statum defeated Paul Garza and will wrestle Demetrius "Bucky" Johnson tonight.
Dan Waddell (149) was a 2009 Southern Conference champion but is expected to miss this season after undergoing shoulder surgery. Ethan Winel, the team's starting 197-pounder last year, is out with a broken hand.
Eslinger expects there will be yearlong battles at 133 between Sandoval and Cody Hood, at 149 between Pavlou and Alex Hudson, at 157 between Knox and Josh Condon, at 197 between Niko Brown and Winel and at heavyweight between Lettner and Tom Minwell.
Hood and Young are true freshmen and Sandoval, Pavlou, Condon and Brown are coming off redshirt seasons. Minwell transferred from Carson-Newman.
"Heavyweight might be our healthiest position," Eslinger said. "We have two guys who are committed to getting better and make sure the best guy is on the mat. They respect each other. If they competed and didn't respect each other, nobody would get better."
The Mocs will host a coaches clinic Saturday from 8 a.m. till noon in the wrestling room at McKenzie Arena.
Tonight's matchups
125 pounds--Josh Statum vs. Bucky Johnson; 133--Josh Sandoval vs. Cody Hood; 141--Cody Cleveland vs. Ben Johnson; 149--Dean Pavlou vs. Alex Hudson; 157--Joey Knox vs. Josh Condon; 165--Brandon Wright vs. Mikey Fuller; 174--Jake Young vs. Mark Rogers; 184--Jason McCroskey vs. Tyler Roberson; 197--Niko Brown vs. Stephen Garrett; 285--Matt Lettner vs. Tom Minwell.
Ward Gossett is an assistant sports editor and writer for the Times Free Press. Ward has a long history in Chattanooga journalism. He actually wrote a bylined story for the Chattanooga News-Free Press as a third-grader. He Began working part-time there in 1968 and was hired full time in 1970. Ward now covers high school athletics, primarily football, wrestling and baseball and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling. Over a 40-year career, he has covered ...
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