The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team is on the road for the last two scheduled matches of the regular season this weekend. The Mocs travel to The Citadel on Friday with the Southern Conference title on the line, and visit No. 19 Virginia on Sunday.
 
UTC is currently 10-4 overall and 5-1 in league duals, following last week's loss to Appalachian State.  Despite the setback, the Mocs can still tie for the SoCon regular season title with a win at The Citadel.  Match time against the Bulldogs is 6:00 p.m. (E.S.T.) in McAlister Fieldhouse in Charleston, S.C. 
 
It is a three-team chase with the Mountaineers at 5-1.  App. State and Gardner-Webb have already secured their piece of the trophy at 6-1.  UTC has won the SoCon regular season 15 times since the league started awarding a season trophy in 1992. 
 
The Citadel enters the match with a 5-8 overall record and 2-4 in SoCon action.  Live scoring and live video links are available on the wrestling schedule page on GoMocs.com.
 
The Virginia match is Sunday, Feb. 14, at 1:00 p.m. in Charlottesville.  The Cavaliers are No. 19 in this week's Intermat Dual Meet rankings and the USA Today/NWCA Division I Coaches Poll.
 
UTC is still competing for a spot in the NWCA National Duals on Feb. 22.  One team from the Southern Conference will be selected early next week.  This weekend's competion will determine who goes from the SoCon.    
 
Chattanooga Mocs (10-4, 5-1 SoCon) Probable Lineup
125: Alonzo Allen (Fr. - 10-10, 2-3 SoCon)
133: Cody Hill (So. - 4-12, 1-4 SoCon) or Cody Minnick (Fr. 0-2, 0-1 SoCon)
141: Michael Pongracz (Jr. - 18-3, 5-1 SoCon)
149: Chase Zemenac (So. - 4-2, 2-1 SoCon)
157: Kamaal Shakur (Fr. - 21-5, 6-0 SoCon)
165: Dominic Lampe (Fr. - 15-9, 4-2 SoCon)
174: Sean Mappes (Jr. - 14-8, 4-1 SoCon)
184: John Lampe (Sr. - 16-4, 5-0 SoCon)
197: Scottie Boykin (Jr. - 16-6, 6-0 SoCon)
285: No. 11 Jared Johnson (Jr. - 19-4, 5-1 SoCon)
 
Junior Jared Johnson leads the team with his 19-4 overall record and No. 11 national ranking at heavyweight.  Freshman Kamaal Shakur has the most wins at 21-5 at 157, while junior Michael Pongracz is 18-2 at 141.
 
Head Coach Heath Eslinger is in his seventh season at UTC.  A two-time Southern Conference Coach of the Year, he owns an 84-45 (.651) career dual record.
 
SOCON RACE UPDATE
The Mocs have dominated the SoCon, winning the league 30 times since joining in 1978.  Chattanooga was picked to win again this year, but it is a tight race.  Gardner-Webb and Appalachian State are done with SoCon matches at 6-1. 
 
THE CITADEL BULLDOGS (5-8, 2-4 SOCON)
125: Patrick Kearney (7-16, 1-4 SoCon)
133: Caleb Smith  (8-21, 0-6 SoCon)
141: Ty Buckiso (18-11, 5-0 SoCon)
149: Matt Frisch (19-8, 4-2 SoCon)x
157: Aaron Walker (23-5, 6-0 SoCon)x
165: Daniel Smith (1-16, 0-5 SoCon)
174: Tim Knipl (11-18, 2-4 SoCon)
184: Sawyer Root (14-15, 1-4 SoCon)
197: Marshall Haas (22-9, 6-0 SoCon)
HWT: Joe Bexley (13-13, 3-3 SoCon)
 
On top of being in the same league, the Mocs and The Citadel are very familiar with each other through common events this season.  They both were at the Woflpack Open, the Defense Soap & Flips Wrestling Southern Scuffle and the Virginia Duals. 
 
ALL-TIME VS. THE CITADEL
The Mocs are 35-3 all-time against The Citadel, including last season's 33-3 win at home on Jan. 23.  UTC has won 11-straight in the series and the last loss was a 27-13 defeat on Feb. 14, 2004. 
 
Last Five Matches
Jan. 23, 2015 - Chattanooga* 33 - The Citadel 3
Jan. 22, 2014 - Chattanooga 27 - The Citadel* 12
Jan. 27, 2013 - Chattanooga 22 - The Citadel* 20
Jan. 29, 2012 - Chattanooga 27 - The Citadel* 13
Jan. 30, 2011 - Chattanooga* 26 - The Citadel 6
 
KEY MATCHES WITH THE CITADEL
Junior Michael Pongracz has a tough one at 141 against The Citadel's Ty Buckiso.  Buckiso is 18-11 overall and 5-0 in league matches.  Pongracz is 18-3 and 5-1 in league matches.
 
The Citadel's Aaron Walker and UTC's Kamaal Shakur are both undefeated at 157.  Walker is 23-5 overall while Shakur leads the Mocs with a 21-5 mark. They were set to meet in the Wolfpack Open, but Walker had to withdraw due to injury. 
 
There are also two undefeated wrestlers in league play at 197.  Scottie Boykin is 16-6 overall and 6-0 in the league for the Mocs.  Marshall Haas is 22-9 and also 6-0.  Boykin won last year's meeting 5-2 during the regular season. 
 
VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (6-5, 1-3 ACC)
125: Nick Herrmann (Sr. - 11-5)
133: No. 6 George DiCamillo (Jr. - 24-3)
141: Zach Watson (Jr. - 5-7) or Emilio Martinez (Sr. - 5-5)
149: Chris Yankowich (Sr. - 5-8) or T.J. Miller (So. - 11-7)
157: Andrew Atkinson (So. - 21-7)
165: Fox Baldwin (Fr. - 15-7) or Garrett Peppelman (Fr. - 14-10)
174: Tyler Askey (So. - 6-12)
184: Will Schany (Fr. - 8-10)
197: No. 11 Zach Nye (Sr. - 21-7)
Hwt: Pat Gillen (Sr. - 15-8) or Ethan Hayes (Sr. - 5-6)
 
The Cavaliers are 6-5 overall and 1-3 in the ACC. They competed at the Southern Scuffle and have a 35-7 win over VMI this season.
 
KEY MATCHES WITH VIRGINIA
The marquee match against the Cavaliers is 197.  Scottie Boykin looks for another upset against a ranked opponent when he takes on No. 11 Zack Nye.
 
ALL-TIME VS. VIRGINIA
The Mocs are 0-3 all-time against the Cavaliers.  The last meeting was a tight 18-13 loss at the Virginia Duals on Nov. 10 last season. 
 
MOCS SET RECORDS IN THE CLASSROOM
The wrestling team had an outstanding semester in the classroom for the Fall 2015 term.  UTC topped the 3.0 mark (3.04) for the first time as a team.  The Mocs also set program records with 22 on the A.D. Honor Roll, 16 on the Dean's List and five 4.0s.