It has been two years since he’s been to the NCAA wrestling tournament, but Cody Cleveland is going back along with at least four of his University of Tennessee at Chattanooga teammates.
One of two Mocs senior starters, Cleveland decisioned Appalachian State’s Mike Kessler 9-5 Saturday night in Boone, N.C., to advance to his third NCAA tournament. The former All-American missed almost all of the 2009-10 season with a knee injury but was granted a sixth (hardship) season by the NCAA.
“We knew where we wanted Cody to be and when we wanted him to be there. He did what we asked,” UTC coach Heath Eslinger said.
UTC champions in addition to Cleveland were Bucky Johnson (133), Josh Condon (157) and Brandon Wright (174). Johnson will be making his second trip to the NCAA tournament, while Condon and Wright will be going for the first time. Joining them at the March 17-19 event in Philadelphia will be 184-pound Jason McCroskey, who went to the 2009 NCAA tournament. Although he finished second Saturday, 184 was one of the weight classes where the conference had two automatic berths.
Other Mocs runners-up were Prescott Garner (125), Dean Pavlou (149) and Niko Brown (197).
“It was a good day because all 10 kids placed. We competed hard as a whole,” Eslinger said.
UTC won the team title with 98 points.
Dan Waddell (165) finished third and had a second opportunity to make the NCAA field with a “wrestle-off” for a true second place against top-seeded Turtogtokh Luvansandorj of The Citadel. Luvansandorj lost in the championship final but rebounded to win the wrestle-off.
Cleveland, ranked ninth in the latest national polls, has fought through injuries even this season and now has a 13-0 season record.