Wrestling Notes and Lineup for Saturday's Season Opener

11/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | By: GoMocs.com

2007-08 CHATTANOOGA WRESTLING

Saturday, Nov. 10, 2007

Maclellan Gym, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Anderson University (1-2) vs. No. 8 Ohio State (1-0), 1 p.m.

No. 19 Chattanooga (0-0) vs. Cumberland University (0-0), 1 p.m.

Anderson University vs. No. 19 Chattanooga, 2:30 p.m.

Cumberland University vs. No. 8 Ohio State, 2:30 p.m.

No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 19 Chattanooga, 6 p.m.

MATCH NOTES

The Mocs enter this week's dual matches ranked No. 19 by Wrestling International Newsmagazine and No. 21 by the NWCA/InterMat Wrestle preseason polls. Chattanooga capped the 2006-07 season ranked No. 14 and No. 19 after a 20^th-place finish at the 2007 NCAA Championships.

Three Chattanooga wrestlers are listed in the preseason national polls. Senior Javier Maldonado (125) checks in at No. 8 by NWCA/InterMat, No. 12 by Amateur Wrestling News and No. 14 by WIN. Senior Lloyd Rogers (174) is ranked 16^th by WIN and 18^th by NWCA/InterMat. Senior Matt Koz (197) is projected at No. 11 by NWCA/InterMat and No. 14 by AWN. WIN listed Koz at No. 19 in the heavyweight class. Koz has dropped down to 197 pounds this year after claiming the Southern Conference title at 285 last season.

Chattanooga faced both Anderson and Cumberland last season on the same day as it is this year. On Nov. 25, 2006, the Mocs defeated Anderson 44-6 and Cumberland 45-6.

The Mocs also defeated Ohio State last year in Columbus, Ohio. Chattanooga's 28-13 victory over the 14^th-ranked Buckeyes came on Dec. 17. In the dual, UTC claimed wins in seven of the 10 matches, including a pin at 149 by Aaron Martin, a pin at 133 by All-America Matt Keller and a major decision by Michael Keefe at 141. Returning starters who also registered victories in their respective matches with Ohio State were Javier Maldonado over Will Livingston at 125, Lloyd Rogers over Blake Maurer at 174 and Matt Koz over Corey Morrison at 285.

Chattanooga set a school record last season, winning its first 11 duals. The Mocs took an 8-0 record into the Chippewa Challenge on Jan. 21 and extended the streak to 11-0 with wins over Gardner-Webb, Cal Poly and Eastern Illinois. No.7 Central Michigan put a halt to the victory string and handed UTC its only dual loss of the season in a 21-13 decision.

Chattanooga captured its 22^nd Southern Conference Championship last season. The Mocs joined the SoCon in 1978, moving up from NCAA Division II to Division I status and have won the league crown 22 times since 1978.

The Mocs tied Minnesota for the national best in 2007 by qualifying nine individuals for the NCAA Championships. Matt Keller (133) became the program's sixth two-time All-America wrestler with a fourth-place finish.

Chattanooga returns four starters from last year's squad ? Javier Maldonado, 125 (32-9 last year), Lloyd Rogers, 174 (29-13), Josh Edmondson, 184 (21-10) and Matt Koz, 197 (18-7 at 285).

Matt Lettner, one member of Head Coach Chris Bono's talented 2007 recruiting class, is the lone true freshman to crack the starting lineup. Lettner (285) edged sophomore Ben O'Neill, 5-1 in the team's wrestle-offs Nov. 1.

PROBABLE LINEUP

No. 19 CHATTANOOGA (0-0)

125 Javier Maldonado (Sr., Kissimmee, Fla., 32-9)

133 Steve Hromada (Sr., Wheatley Heights, N.Y., 0-0)

141 Cody Cleveland (So., Tullahoma, Tenn., 4-7)

149 Joey Knox (So., Dublin, Ga., 4-4)

157 Seth Garvin (Sr., Hoover, Ala., 12-9)

165 Nick Davis (Jr., Gainesville, Fla., 0-0)

174 Lloyd Rogers (Sr., Palm City, Fla., 29-13)

184 Josh Edmondson (Sr., Medical Lake, Wash., 21-10)

197 Matt Koz (Sr., Strongsville, Ohio, 18-7)

285 Matt Lettner (Fr., Chattanooga, Tenn., 0-0)