Season In Review
The Chattanooga Mocs wrestling program had a solid 2024-25 season. There were great positives despite stated goals of Southern Conference titles and NCAA Podium visits falling a bit short. Still, there were more than a few notable moments.
 
Glass half full types will celebrate Southern Scuffle and SoCon titles as well as three NCAA qualifiers and 15 ranked wins. The glass was mostly full obviously. Glass half empties will begrudge four SoCon regular season losses that all swung by a single match result as well as a close but no cigar finish at the league championships. Goals within reach that went unrequited.
 
Either way you look at the glass, it's easy to see as you skim below that the program is trending the right direction into the second half of the decade.
 
First Take
"I was really proud of the way the guys bounced back from the middle of the year on. I think we grew a lot and got a lot better physically, mentally, and just figuring out how a college season works. It was tough in the beginning of the season, just competition wise, but seeing them grow and putting ourselves in position to win some conference titles. That was great. And then seeing a couple guys at the at the national level make some noise; we just need all 10 guys doing that." – Coach Kyle Ruschell reflecting on the season
 
Resources: Notes | Stats
 
Rankings
Blake Boarman – NCAA RPI: 20 | NCAA Coaches: 22
Noah Castillo – NCAA RPI: 32 | NCAA Coaches: 30
Sergio Desiante – NCAA RPI: 24 | NCAA Coaches: 232
 
Leaders
Total Wins: 23, Sergio Desiante
Dual Wins: 13, Desiante
Dual Pts. Scored: 51, Desiante
Bonus Pts. (Dual): 19, Kamdyn Munro
Falls: 5, Munro
 
Ranked Wins
Blake Boarman 12-3 major decision at #3 Nasir Bailey (Little Rock)
Sergio Desiante 7-6 decision over #4 Lennox Wolak (Virginia Tech)
Sergio Desiante 3-2 decision over #10 Gaven Sax (Oklahoma)
Noah Castillo 8-5 decision over #11 Jacori Teemer (Iowa) - NCAA Championships
Sergio Desiante medical forfeit over #15 Bryce Hepner (Ohio State)
Sergio Desiante 4-2 decision over #16 Gaven Sax (Oklahoma) - NCAA Championships
Blake Boarman 6-1 decision over #20 Cleveland Belton (Oklahoma)
Noah Castillo 8-1 decision at #23 Tanner Peake (Davidson)
Eli Knight 4-1 decision over #27 Greyson Clark (Purdue)
Sergio Desiante 4-1 decision over #28 Luke Uliano (App St.) - SoCon Championship
Sergio Desiante 6-3 decision in SV1 at #30 Tyler Brennan (Little Rock)
Dayne Dalrymple 4-1 decision over #31 Wynton Denkins (Campbell)
Noah Castillo 7-2 decision at #32 Tyler Badgett (Citadel)
Eli Knight 5-4 decision over #32 AJ Rallo (Bellarmine)
Blake Boarman 5-2 decision in SV-1 at #33 Chad Bellis (App St.)
 
Podium Placers
SoCon Championships | March 7-8 | Asheville, N.C.
1st: 157-Noah Castillo/174-Sergio Desiante
2nd: 133-Blake Boarman/184-Kamdyn Munro
 
Southern Scuffle | Jan. 4-5 | Chattanooga
1st: 174-Sergio Desiante
5th: 133-Blake Boarman
6th: 165-Jackson Hurst
8th: 133-Bryce Luna
 
SE Open | Nov. 2 | Salem, Va.
3rd: 133-Blake Boarman
5th: 285-Kaleb Snodgrass
6th: 149-Dayne Dalrymple/197-Kendrick Curtis (Fr/So)
 
Lucha Open | Nov. 23 | Marietta, Ga.
5th: Ethan Lipsey (141)
 
Award Winners
All-SoCon: Noah Castillo
Southern Scuffle MOW: Sergio Desiante
SoCon WOTW: Sergio Desiante (Jan. 8)
 
Notable

• Desiante ended the year with the highest ranking among the recognized services at No. 16 on Open Mat.
• Castillo's and Desiante's wins at the SoCon Championships were their first. It marked the 42nd time in 48 seasons with two or more champions.
• 48th NCAA DI Tournament appearance with 207 qualifiers. Blake Boarman (133), Noah Castillo (157) & Sergio Desiante (174) all made their fist NCAA appearances.
• Multiple qualifiers for the 28th straight year and 47th of the 48 NCAA trips. Three or more for 14 of the last 15 campaigns.
• WrestleStat has its 2025-26 preseason rankings out with three Mocs listed:
  133 Blake Boarman: 19

174 Sergio Desiante: 15
184 Kamdyn Munro: 19
 
Final Thoughts
"I think the Bellarmine win. It was a combination of the up and down season and then you know E kind of figuring it out at the very end. That was huge. That's that one. Team stuff is always bigger to me than individual. I think we're seeing our guys have success with high level guys. I think we had several top 10 wins and multiple top 5s. I think our guys are starting to understand what it takes and seeing what the future is capable of, but that means nothing until we do it." – Coach Ruschell on a match or dual that made the year special
 
"It helps in every single way. It helps recruiting at a time that a lot of people are getting less, we're getting additions to or room. The bells and whistles of it are nice, but ultimately the three full mats where we can train these guys in a safe environment that's going to be great, right?" – Coach Ruschell on renovations to wrestling room
 
"Just seeing the support from the community, that's huge. It's exactly what a program like ours needs. It's just kind of circular. It goes from recruiting right back into how much people care about it. Now it's a matter of getting the guys here that can see themselves on the top of the podiums in March. – Coach Ruschell on the commitment of school, alums, donors and fans
 
"There's no place in the country like it honestly. Between the community being in the south where it's warm, the smaller environment for the school and you can do whatever you really want to here. We tell recruits when they get here. Why Chattanooga? There're three things: academics, athletics and social life. Let the top two be your main two, and then we'll work on the third one. But you can hunt and fish. You can listen to music. You can hike. You can be active in the riverfront. It's open in all those areas, but we have what it takes to support you athletically and academically. Those are the two most important things." – Coach Ruschell his sales pitch to recruits with the boost of the new room and what does with it
 
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