Today is the last chance to see the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team in Maclellan Gym this season, and the Mocs will be hosting a program with a strong past at the national level.
Oklahoma will be the opponent this afternoon, and at stake will be a trip to the National Duals round of 16 next weekend in Iowa City, Iowa.
“It should be a great match,” Mocs coach Heath Eslinger said. “They have a lot of history, but I think we will be competitive.”
Oklahoma (6-9 overall, 1-2 Big 12) started the season in the Top 25, going as high as No. 19 before losses to Rutgers and Missouri on Thanksgiving weekend. Likewise, UTC was in the national polls early and started out 3-0 before falling on hard times.
The Sooners have three ranked wrestlers who will present challenges, especially to UTC 133-pounder Nick Soto and heavyweight Jared Johnson. Oklahoma junior 133-pounder Cody Brewer is 14-1 and ranked No. 4 in the nation, while heavyweight Ross Larson(22-5) is ranked No. 11. Also ranked are No. 19 Justin DeAngelis, a senior 157-pounder, and No. 17 Matt Reed, a sophomore at 174.
In Soto, Brewer will be facing the nation’s 13th-ranked 133-pounder who has climbed to sixth on UTC’s career wins list with 110 wins against 34 losses. He is two wins from tying Charlie Buckshaw and three from catching Charlie Heard.
Johnson is a first-year heavyweight but has impressed, beating some ranked opponents on his way to a 25-6 record.
The Mocs are likely to go with junior Austin Sams (15-13) to oppose DeAngelis and Sean Mappes (14-7) against Reed.
The rest of the UTC lineup is expected to be 10th-ranked Sean Boyle (125), Michael Pongracz (141), Shawn Greevy (149), Justin Lampe (165), McCoy Newberg, John Shrader or John Lampe (184) and Scottie Boykin (197).
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4876. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.