Seeking to break a two-match losing streak, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team will be at Ohio University tonight before traveling to Kent State for a Sunday match. UTC (2-2) tackles Ohio (2-3) at 7, and the Sunday match against Kent (1-2) will begin at noon. The Mocs anticipate no changes from the lineup they've been using: Alonzo Allen (125 pounds), Chris Debien (133), Roman Boylen (141), Dylanger Potter (149), Trey Watson (157), Justin Lampe (165), Sean Mappes (174), Bryce Carr (184), Clay Dent (197) and Jared Johnson (285). Johnson leads the team with an 8-1 record and a No. 20 national ranking, and Carr is only a win behind at 7-1.
- UTC chemistry professor Dr. Gretchen Potts and Lisa Tarr, the Mocs' coordinator of student support services, were announced Thursday as members of the Southern Conference All-Faculty and Staff Team. The staff selections were added this year to what previously was an all-faculty group representing the SoCon member institutions. The two UTC choices will be honored publicly at the men's basketball game against VMI on Jan. 25. Both are strong supporters of various Mocs sports. In addition to teaching chemistry courses, Potts directs the university's integrated studies program, which customizes degrees from multiple disciplines, and Tarr is the academic coordinator for the football Mocs and is on the school's StepUP Leadership bystander intervention committee.
- The 2017 UTC softball schedule is about 90 percent complete, according to a school release Thursday, and has been posted at GoMocs.com. The Mocs again will open at the NTC Tournament in Clermont, Fla., and they will host the Chattanooga Challenge Feb. 17-19 and the Frost Classic Feb. 24-26 at Jim Frost Stadium and Warner Park, where the Southern Conference tournament is set for May 10-13. Connecticut will be part of the Challenge, and UTC will face Power Five conference members Boston College, Notre Dame, North Carolina and Illinois among its opponents in March tournaments at Orlando, Fla.; Charleston, S.C.; and Clearwater, Fla. The Mocs begin SoCon play March 25-26 at Mercer and host Samford in their first league home games April 1-2.
Basketball
- The Lee University women's basketball team improved to 7-1, 2-0 in the Gulf South Conference, with a 77-66 home win Thursday over Mississippi College. The Lee men (6-2, 2-0) won 72-55 as Keevin Tyus had 15 points and 11 rebounds, Isaac Merian added 11 points and four blocks and Rico Overall had six assists with nine points. For the Lady Flames, who led 30-10 after the first quarter, Abby Bertram had 20 points and five assists, Carrie Cheeks scored 18 points, Lindsey Roddy had 17 points with nine rebounds and Shelby Brown and Haley Cornellison added 10 and eight rebounds.
- The Bryan College men's basketball team led by 16 points late in the first half and held on down the stretch for a 77-75 nonconference home win Thursday against Hiwassee. Reagan Johnson and Brice Cusick had 22 and 20 points and seven and 12 rebounds for Bryan (3-11), Cusick also blocking three shots, and Caleb Tuck scored 11 points. Daniel Graves scored 22 for Hiwassee (6-3), which never led but got within a point with 28 seconds to go.