The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ended its run at the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships in St. Louis, Mo., today.  Senior Fabian Gutierrez and junior Drew Nicholson both lost in consolation action to close out the Mocs' 2021 season.

Gutierrez lost to Penn State's 23^rd-seed Robert Howard 9-7 in the second round of the backdraw at 125 pounds.  With the match tied a 3-3 and Gutierrez owning 149 of riding time at the end of the second period, Howard chose bottom and quickly scored a reversal.

Howard was able to get two back points before Gutierrez slipped out and had a reversal of his own.  Leading 7-5, Howard reversed Gutierrez again with just over 10 seconds left to secure the win. 

Nicholson took on North Dakota State's No. 9 seed Luke Weber in the afternoon 165 consolations.  Nicholson got in on a number of shots early in the match, but Weber was able to fend off every attack.  Weber took a 2-0 lead with a reversal in the second, then caught Nicholson late in the third for back points and a 7-0 win. 

UTC is poised to return nine of 10 starters from the 2021 team that went 8-4 overall and finished third in the Southern Conference.  All four NCAA Qualifiers are also back for head coach Kyle Ruschell's 2021-22 squad.