Wrestling Mocs focused on NCAA tournament

The competition moved within striking distance at the Southern Conference wrestling tournament in Asheville, N.C.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga had taken some unexpected hits in the semifinals, allowing competitors to make up some distance. However, the Mocs responded in a fashion that delighted the coaching staff, winning 18 of 20 consolation matches on the way to their fifth straight league championship.

"Total team effort," coach Heath Eslinger said. "Sporting events don't always go the way you'd want and the semis didn't go as well as we had hoped, but our kids responded in the right way and nine of the guys placed third or better."

The moment the championship trophy had been handed over, though, the mindset shifted from team goals to those of each individual. The NCAA tournament begins Thursday at St. Louis' Scottrade Center, which will attract more than 20,000 spectators for each of the six sessions spread over three days.

The team title takes a back seat. There are 80 coveted medals, designating All-America status, and UTC has seven shots.

The most likely candidates are Sean Boyle (125 pounds), Nick Soto (133) and heavyweight Jared Johnson, and the Mocs also left Asheville with Sean Mappes (174) and Shawn Greevy (149) as NCAA qualifiers. Two others, Mike Pongracz (141) and Scottie Boykin (197), were awarded at-large berths last week after all qualifying tournaments had been completed.

"It's huge. We emphasize that every match is important, and (their selection) is another reason we wrestle a hard schedule," Eslinger said. "I Don't like the word 'deserved.' I think both earned the opportunity to go and compete."

There were 71 total at-large berths, which are granted based on quality wins, competition level, coaches' votes and a performance index.

Boyle was a first-time SoCon champion but a three-time NCAA qualifier after having made it twice before transferring from Michigan. He was accorded a No. 5 seed.

Soto, also a senior, completed his four-year tour through the Southern Conference without a loss and has climbed to a fourth-place tie with Charlie Heard (1982-84) on the Mocs' all-time wins list (113).

Johnson, a sophomore in his first year at heavyweight, has matured this season.

"He's beaten tons of good guys and probably has the best record of any heavyweight to come through here in a long time. The only thing we need to do with Jared is put a little more weight on him," Eslinger said.

UTC's Nick Soto, right, wrestles North Carolina's Troy Heilmann in their Southern Scuffle 133 lb class wrestling championship round of 16 match Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015, in McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The other senior is Greevy, who has persevered through numerous knee injuries for his first NCAA tournament qualification. His opening opponent is from the same Pennsylvania district where he competed as a high school wrestler.

"You look at the bracket and it's rare you'll say somebody has an easy draw," Eslinger said.

Boyle, at No. 5, is the highest seed a UTC wrestler has had since Matt Keller (No. 4), who was an All-American in 2006 and again in 2007.

"I thought somewhere between a fifth and an eighth. There's a seeding committee, so it's up for debate," Eslinger said. "Soto got seeded and he got a good first-round match, and on the right weekend he can do as much damage as anyone is the U.S. of A. He's wrestling well right now, so we just need to stay out of his way."

The Mocs staff will review potential opponents.

"Obviously we've seen a lot of them at the (Southern) Scuffle, the Navy Classic and the Virginia Duals. We'll make sure there are no surprises," the coach said.

The Mocs will leave Tuesday, Eslinger opting to take a pair of vans rather than flying.

"It's really an easy drive, a little more than six hours, and we can probably get there quicker driving than we could by flying," he said.

UTC will work out at home Tuesday morning and then work out again that night just outside St. Louis. The Mocs will work out twice Wednesday with at least one of those sessions taking place at the venue.

Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.