UTC wrestling head coach Heath EslingerHeath Eslinger has been eagerly awaiting a wrestling meet tonight at Princeton and a Sunday doubleheader at Madison Square Garden.
His University of Tennessee at Chattanooga team has been in the wrestling and training rooms since taking on Iowa, Virginia and Cumberland on Nov. 16, so the Mocs have had almost a month to heal, take final exams and prepare.
“I think they feel great. We were just beat up, and the time off gave us a chance to heal and get ready for final [exams],” Eslinger said. “It was a nice break, but I think they’re ready to get out of the wrestling room and wrestle somebody besides each other. Ultimately, the truth will be told in our performance.”
The Mocs (3-2) tackle a winless Princeton team (0-6) that is wrestling at home for only the second time this year. The Tigers, whose conquerors include No. 5 Illinois and No. 23 Purdue, have had early lineups with as many as six freshmen.
“They have some really good kids on the team, and some of them haven’t been in the lineup,” Eslinger said. “I don’t think we’ll know who the guys are going to wrestle until we literally line up.”