Overview
Chattanooga Mocs senior Cooper Flynn advanced to start Day 2 of the NCAA Wrestling Championships before falling in the first consolation round of eight in Cleveland, Ohio. Flynn earned the Mocs highest seeded win in 10 years to open the proceedings but could not keep the momentum going later in the afternoon.
 
The Mocs tied for 57th overall with one team point earned through Flynn's wins in the wrestlebacks.
 
Quotable
"When you lose in the first round, you can just lay down and not try to fight your way out. Cooper showed that he wanted to be here and wanted to do it. I'm proud of how he bounced back, but just clearly didn't quite have enough to get through the day." –Coach Kyle Ruschell on Flynn's finish
 
"We had five freshmen in the starting lineup and two sophomores as well. We gained a lot of experience in dual meets. Two of our youngest guys on our team were here to see and witness the national tournament for the first time. Now they can kind of start to picture themselves at this place getting on that podium. That's half the battle. It's visualizing yourself and then doing whatever it takes to get there." – Ruschell on the experience gained
 
Resources: Scoring | Brackets | Notes
 
Breakdown
Cooper Flynn
Round 1: (7) Nico Provo, Stanford, L, Dec., 2-8
Provo got the first takedown. Flynn got the quick escape and went into the second down 3-1. Cooper deferred choice in the second period with Provo going down. He escaped and got another takedown for a 7-1 advantage. Flynn chose bottom for the third and got his escape. He could not find the takedown the rest of the way and lost 8-2 with a riding time bonus for Provo.
 
Conso Rd1: (23) Nicolar Rivera, Wisconsin, W, Dec., 9-5
It was all Cooper Flynn in this one. After a scoreless first where Flynn was the clear aggressor, he got on the board with an escape right from the start. The two battled late in the period as Flynn's mat work paid off with a buzzer-beating takedown to go up 4-0 through five minutes. Rivera chose down and Flynn caught him and got his Badger opponent to his back for a 2pt near fall before Rivera escaped at 1:40. Forty seconds later Flynn got a second takedown for a commanding 9-1 advantage. Rivera escaped with 16 seconds remaining and got a takedown inside 10 seconds, but it was too late to overcome Flynn's dominance over first 6:44.
 
Conso Rd of 16: (9) Maximo Renteria, Oregon State, W, Dec., 5-3
Flynn got the all-important first takedown in the first period. Renteria got his escape and then another early in the second to send Cooper into the third up 3-2 but with just 23 seconds of riding time. Renteria put together a tough ride with Flynn holding his turning attempts at bay while searching for opportunity. He found it with a reversal with 40 seconds remaining. Renteria escaped 13 seconds later and pressured. Flynn absorbed his final shot and controlled the head for the final seven seconds for the win.
 
Conso Rd of 8: (17) Jett Strickenberger, West Virginia
The match was scoreless through the first 4:27 with only one scramble of note when Strickenberger got a 1-0 lead on a second stall caution on Flynn. He rode out the period and then got an early escape for a 2-0 in the third. Flynn got to his leg, but the Mountaineer fended off the effort. He then gained a takedown followed by a quick Flynn escape. He successfully dodged Flynn and stalling cautions the rest of the way for a 6-1 decision.
 
Kade Rule
Round 1: (3) Stephen Little, Little Rock, L, Dec., 3-10
Came down to finishing. Little, a returning All-American, was able to complete three takedowns. He was also successful in fending off several deep shots from the Mocs true freshman. Kade quickly escaped each of the takedowns keeping riding time off the board; however, he just couldn't find his own finish with several single legs over the seven minutes.
 
Conso Premlims: (33) Karson Tompkins, Air Force, L, Dec., 0-2
It was a match that saw a lot of offense from Rule and good defense from Tompkins. Rule got in on the leg three times only for Tompkins to fend him off throughout. The Falcon got an escape in the second and then rode out the third for the final score. Even then, he had to work hard for it with Rule almost securing reversals twice before time allowed for a third attempt.
 
Notes

• Flynn's win over the 9th-seeded Renteria is the highest seeded win by Moc since 2016: Sean Mappes over No. 2 Brian Realbuto (Cornell) by a 6-5 decision at 174 in Madison Square Garden.
• 14th consecutive year scoring at the national championships. Six Mocs went scoreless in 2011. It's only happened three times (1997, 2003).
• Multiple qualifiers for the 29th straight year and 48th of the 49 NCAA trips.
• Flynn & Rule earned auto bids winning SoCon titles at 125 & 197, respectively.
• The Mocs ranked T20 in the final NWCA Mid-Major poll sharing the spot with Bucknell and Central Michigan. App State and The Citadel were among others receiving votes.

 
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