Tonight’s matchups
(Blue team listed first)125: Alonzo Allen vs. Fabian Gutierrez133: Jake Huffine vs. Chris Debien141: Logan Sims vs. Roman Boylen149: Dylanger Potter vs. Mike Pongracz157: Trey Watson vs. Dylan Forzani165: Justin Lampe vs. Chad Solomon174: Sean Mappes vs. Rod Jones184: Barrett Walthall vs. Bryce Carr197: Scottie Boykin vs. Clay Dent285: Jared Johnson vs. Connor Tolley
On a field hallowed by the football exploits of teams coached by Scrappy Moore, Harold Wilkes and Joe Morrison, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team will signal the beginning of its 2016-17 season.
The Mocs will have their annual Blue-Gold match tonight on Chamberlain Field, directly across from their usual home, Maclellan Gym, beginning at 6:30.
"It's coffee and competition at Chamberlain," Mocs coach Heath Eslinger said Wednesday afternoon, noting that a Starbucks is located adjacent to the field. "It's fun. We want to try and create an event where students will stop by and watch."
Chamberlain Field hosted some of the Mocs' finest football moments.
"When I was a student here, the football team still played at Chamberlain. That was before Finley Stadium was built," Eslinger said. "But I remember doing a lot of sprints on the field and running a lot of bleachers."
The field is one of the open-air spaces on the campus, a quadrangle of sorts where students often go to hang out, play ultimate Frisbee or spike ball.
"It's one of the coolest places, if not the coolest, on campus," Eslinger added.
The business tonight, though, is wrestling and an unveiling of the hopefuls for championship and All-America honors.
It is a group that includes defending Southern Conference champion Scottie Boykin (197) and returning senior starters Sean Mappes (174) and Jared Johnson (285). The match also will be the official introductions of redshirt Bryce Carr (174) and former junior college standout Dylan Forzani (165).
Parking for the event is available in the same areas as matches at Maclellan, including the Fifth Street garage and the Maclellan lot. There is no charge to attend.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him on Twitter @wardgossett.