Since joining the Southern Conference in 1978, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team has won 29 Southern Conference Tournament Titles.  Last season, the Mocs missed their 30^th by a half-point, finishing second to Appalachian State.

Heading into the 2016-17 campaign, the SoCon coaches still think the Mocs and Mountaineers are neck-and-neck when it comes to picking a league winner.  Both earned 44 points in this year's preseason poll to tie for first as the predicted best teams in the conference.

Chattanooga, ranked No. 23 in the preseason Intermat Tournament Top 25, is coming off a 12-4 mark that included a share of the SoCon regular season crown at 6-1 in the league.  The regular season title was the 16^th for UTC since the SoCon started awarding a regular season crown in 1994. 

Head coach Heath Eslinger is in his eighth year with the Mocs and owns an 86-45 career record.  He is a remarkable 41-2 in SoCon matches.

Eslinger welcomes back seven starters and 21 letter winners overall.  Highlighting this list are seniors Scottie Boykin and Michael Pongracz who are both on the preseason All-SoCon team.  They advanced to the SoCon Championships in 2016 and Boykin is the defending league winner at 197 pounds. 

Pongracz is the preseason choice at 141, but may move up to 149.  Also back are NCAA qualifiers Sean Mappes at 174 and Jared Johnson at heavyweight.  Both seniors, they anchor an experienced lineup for Chattanooga. 

UTC is hosting the annual Blue-Gold match tonight at Chamberlain Field sat 6:30 p.m. The regular season gets underway on Saturday, Nov. 5, against Southeastern in Maclellan Gym.  Season tickets for all of UTC home events, including the Southern Scuffle, are on sale now on GoMocs.com.

2016-17 SoCon Wrestling Preseason Coaches Poll
School (First-place votes)    Points
T1.  Appalachian State (3)    44
T1.  Chattanooga (3)            44
3.    Gardner-Webb (2)          40
4.    SIUE                            29
5.    Campbell                      24
6.    The Citadel                   20
7.    VMI                             16
8.    Davidson                      7

2016-17 SoCon Wrestling Preseason All-Conference Team
125    Freddie Rodriguez, SIUE^
133    Irvin Enriquez, Appalachian State
141    Mike Pongracz, Chattanooga
149    John Fahy, SIUE^
157    Aaron Walker, The Citadel*+
165    Forrest Przybysz, Appalachian State
174    Nick Kee, Appalachian State^
184    Ville Heino, Campbell^
197    Scottie Boykin, Chattanooga^
HWT Denzel Dejournette, Appalachian State^*
^ - 2016 SoCon champion at that weight class
* - 2015 SoCon champion at that weight class
+ - 2014 SoCon champion at that weight class