Wrestling Southern Conference

Two UTC Wrestlers Head To NCAA Championships

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.---Chattanooga wrestler Jared Sullivan will be making his third consecutive trip to the NCAA Wrestling Championships this week, while teammate Jacob Harris has earned his first berth to the national championships.

Sullivan and Harris are NCAA automatic qualifiers after claiming the Southern Conference titles at 141 and 149 pounds respectively at the SoCon Championships March 8.

"Jared is an experienced wrestler at the NCAAs," UTC head coach Terry Brands said. "I feel that he has an excellent chance to make an impact this year. Jacob also has a chance to pull out some victories. He has been our most consistent wrestler over the latter part of the season and has earned the right to wrestle the nation's best."

A junior from Hanover, Pa., Sullivan will face Josh Ruff of Binghampton in the opening round. Ruff is tied for fourth in the nation with 34 overall victories.

Sullivan enters the NCAAs with a 17-8 overall record. He leads the team in pins and is tied for 10th in the nation with eight. Sullivan has a 1-4 career record in the NCAAs, also competing his freshman year as an alternate from the Southern Conference.

Harris, a sophomore from Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga., is pitted against North Carolina State's Jake Giamoni. Harris was an All-SoCon honoree this season after going a perfect 5-0 in conference matches. He leads the Mocs with 18 wins, 18-11 overall, and enters the NCAA Championships with a 12-match winning streak.

The NCAA Championships will take place Thursday through Saturday at the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo.