PREVIEW: Wrestling Is Living on Tulsa Time

Thursday, March 16

Tulsa, Okla.

12:00 p.m.

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

NCAA Championships - Session I

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Brayden Palmer

Photo by: Ray Soldano

3/15/2023 12:34:00 PM | Wrestling

Brayden Palmer (pictured) joins Rocky Jordan and Matthew Waddell representing the Chattanooga Mocs at the NCAA Wrestling Championships.

NOTES | STATS

CHATTANOOGA---Three Chattanooga Mocs are in Tulsa, Okla., for the 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championships. The event begins Thursday morning and runs through Saturday evening. The trio of Brayden Palmer, Rocky Jordan and Matthew Waddell look to etch their names in program history.

They are Nos. 200-202 as Mocs qualifying for the national championships. It's the 46th time in 46 years as a DI program being represented at the event, 39th with three or more including 13 in a row.

"I've always recognized the situation that they're in," Coach Kyle Ruschell began. "This is the national tournament, it's a big deal, but it doesn't have to be when you're inside the match. They've done this before. So don't let the moment get bigger than, you know, just the 7-minute match when you're in it."

So with three in the tournament, what are their keys?

"Matt's been in the lineup for four years and found a way to get to the national tournament in every one," Ruschell continued. "That's not an easy feat to do. He's a guy that we could always rely on. It's his last tournament, probably the last time he's going to strap on shoes for a long time unless he coaches, but enjoy it. Go out there wrestle your hardest, leave it out on the mat, and you can be satisfied.

"The other two guys obviously have a chance to come back next year. Soak in the moments, but don't think there's another year. You never know what's going to happen. So, take advantage of the opportunity that they have right now."

Jordan is the highest seed at No. 10. That's the best for the Mocs since 197 Scottie Boykin '18 came in at the same number in 2018. It's the 19th top 10 seed in the school's DI history (since 1977-78).

Palmer comes in next at No. 17 with Waddell at No. 30. The top eight finishers at each weight class earn All-America status. It's something Ruschell remembers well as a 4-time qualifier and 2-time All-American.

"Yeah, I mean the podium...it's a huge deal," Ruschell smiled. "Stepping on that podium, we have a little bit of self-pride but also pride towards the institution that got you there, and all the people that helped you along the way. I just remember when I was going through those moments whether I lost early or was fighting through the back side, I knew I could tell myself I could beat anybody in seven minutes if I wrestled my style, right?

"And so that gave me a little bit of confidence that I needed when I stepped on the mat. Our guys should feel the same way now. Don't be tentative, go lock in for seven minutes. I try to give those guys those little bits but ultimately, it's how they talk to themselves in between rounds or as the round comes up. Just kind of be positive, be a little loose, but then when that whistle blows, just get back to your training."

The early sessions each day broadcast on ESPNU, while later in the day, it shifts to ESPN. Links to streaming and scoring are available on the GoMocs.com wrestling schedule page.

LINEUP

Wt	Chattanooga	2022-23 Record	Career in NCAA Champ.	Career vs. Bracket
133	#17 Brayden Palmer	20-6	0-2	5-6
174	#10 Rocky Jordan	19-2	3-2	5-3
184	#30 Matthew Waddell	17-7	0-4	5-7

2023 NCAA Championships Schedule on ESPN (All times Eastern)
Thu, Mar 16
First Round: Noon-3:30 p.m. - ESPNU with MATCAST on ESPN+
Second Round: 7-10:30 p.m. - ESPN with MATCAST on ESPN+

Fri, Mar 17
Quarterfinals: Noon-3 p.m. - ESPNU with MATCAST on ESPN+
Semifinals: 8-11 p.m. - ESPN with MATCAST on ESPN+

Sat, Mar 18
Medal Round: 11 a.m.–2 p.m. - ESPNU with MATCAST on ESPN+
Championship: 7-10 p.m. - ESPN with Trophy Ceremony on ESPN+

CHATTANOOGA NCAA HISTORY
Appearances: 46th
Qualifiers All-Time: 202
Best Team Finish: 1983, T14 (20.25)
Most Team Points: 2007, 29.5 (21st)
Best Individual Finish: 2nd, Charlie Heard, 118, 1983
All-Americans: 12
Multiple All-Americans: Twice (1992, 2005)

THE LAST TIME…

A Moc earned All-American honors? Cody Cleveland in 2008
The Mocs had two All-Americans in the same event? 2005 (141-Michael Keefe, 5th & 165-Jon Sioredas, 5th). It was also done by 142 Guy Harris (8th) and 158 Howard Langford (8th) in 1992.
The Mocs scored double-digit team points? 2007's record 29.5 output. 10 or more has been reached eight times (1983, 1988, 1991, 1992, 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007).

3 4 NOTES TO KNOW

All three Mocs are multi-time qualifiers. Matthew Waddell qualified in all four seasons at UTC and is competing in his third with one being 2019-20. It's Rocky Jordan's third qualification and second trip (also a COVID casualty) and Brayden Palmer's second in as many years.
One of Jordan's three NCAA wins came in the 2021 event over Waddell at 184. That win started a run through the wrestlebacks ending one match shy of the podium with a 7-3 loss to Hunter Bolen of Virginia Tech.
Palmer has four placings in five tournaments in his UTC career. He won the 2023 SoCon Championship, finished second at the 2023 Southern Scuffle, third in the 2022 Southern Scuffle and second in the 2022 SoCon Championships. His lone non-place was last year's NCAAs.
Waddell qualified at two different weights in his career - 184 (2020, 2021 & 2023) & 197 (2022).

KNOW YOUR HISTORY

Highest finish by a Moc in the NCAA DI Wrestling Championship? 1983 runner-up Charlie Heard at 118. That led to the best team finish (T14).
Heard (3x, 1982-84) and 133 Matt Keller (2x, 2006-07) are the only DI multi-time All-Americans. Keller's fourth-place ending in 2007 is second only with six of the 12 DI All-Americans finishing in the top 5 of their respective years.
It's the 52nd straight season in the national tournament for the program. Chattanooga made six appearances in the DII Tournament from 1972-77 prior to elevating to DI boasting a runner-up (1976) and third-place (1975) finish as well as six national champions in Randy Batten (118-1975, 118-1976, 126-1977), Turner Jackson (158-1975. 158-1976) & David Weeks (177-1976). Batten was Most Outstanding Wrestler in the 1975 DII Championships.

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