Depending on one’s perspective, this afternoon is either the last day or the first for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team.
The Mocs are at home for the final time this calendar year but for the first time in the 2010-11 season. They’ll take on Liberty University at 2 p.m. and Cumberland University at about 5. And the wrestling will be at McKenzie Arena rather than Maclellan Gym.
“I’m excited about Sunday,” coach Heath Eslinger said late last week. “I’m very excited for people to see the kind of product we’re putting on the mat.”
Eslinger said the Mocs’ lineup will be very close to the group that lost a close contest to 14th-ranked Kent State last week with the exception of 165 pounds, where incumbent Brandon Wright will make his first start. Wright has been recovering from minor knee surgery.
Another anticipated change, Alex Hudson stepping in at 149 pounds, won’t take place because Hudson has a hamstring injury. He had earned the starting nod over defending Southern Conference champ Dean Pavlou after beating Pavlou last Sunday in West Virginia’s Hokie Open.
“About the only thing Alex can do is rest, and he doesn’t do a good job of that because he’s a workhorse,” Eslinger said. “Every kid that steps on the mat is going to be able to wrestle, and every kid that steps on the mat has worked pretty hard.”
Niko Brown, the Mocs’ 197-pounder, did that last week, prompting some positive comments from assistant coach Rocco Mansueto after Brown’s fifth-place Hokie Open finish.
“He opened up and got more confident the more he wrestled,” Mansueto said.
The sophomore’s 4-1 tournament showing moved him within a win of evening his career record at .500 (15-16).
“I’m pleased with his progress right now. He beat some good guys last week,” Eslinger said. “Wrestling is such a unique sport because there are so many factors that go into it. You don’t just show up. It’s what you eat, what time you get up and go to bed.
“Every single thing you do goes into performing well or performing poorly. That is a lot of stress. But we want the guys to be confident that they’re ready and let the chips fall.”
Liberty is 3-1 and coming off a 21-17 victory over Maryland in the Terrapin Duals. The Flames also beat McDaniel (30-9) and Johns Hopkins (35-9) and lost to West Virginia (24-12).
“They’re a good team, a solid lineup, and we have to be ready to compete,” Eslinger said. “As long as we do that I’m OK, because we’ll continue to move in the right direction.”
Liberty has four wrestlers who have previously qualified for the NCAA tournament: Jonathan Childress (125), Scott Clymer (149), Chad Porter (174) and heavyweight Josh Pelletier. Clymer has been ranked as high as No. 17, and Porter at No. 18.
Cumberland (0-2) is ranked seventh in the latest NAIA rankings after losing to second-ranked Campbellsville on Thursday. The Bulldogs fell to No. 4 McKendree to open the season. Noah Hunt (fifth, 125) and James Casadaban (174) entered the year with a national rank.
Mocs’ probable starters
125-Prescott Garner; 133-Cody Hood; 141-Cody Cleveland; 149-Dean Pavlou; 157-Josh Condon; 165-Brandon Wright; 174-Levi Clemons; 184-Jason McCroskey; 197-Niko Brown; 285-Matt Lettner.
Shawn Greevy (141) and Dan Waddell (157/165) are possible starters in one or both meets.