Mocs Narrowly Projected to Continue Championship Streak
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Southern Conference's wrestling coaches have projected Chattanooga as the preseason favorite to win the league's wrestling title for the eighth consecutive season. The coaches also voted on a 10-member preseason All-Southern Conference wrestling team.
Head coach Heath Eslinger's squad, which claimed both the regular season and tournament crowns in 2011, received four of seven first-place votes and 34 points overall, narrowly edging Appalachian State. Chattanooga carries a seven-year, 35-match SoCon duals win streak into the season.
The Mocs also placed four wrestlers on the 10-member preseason all-conference squad, including three who were previous SoCon tournament champions. Demetrius Johnson was the coaches' pick at 125 pounds along with Dean Pavlou at 149. The Mocs' Dan Waddell was the representative at 157 pounds while teammate Niko Brown was chosen at 197.
Appalachian State received the remaining three first-place votes and trailed Chattanooga by a single point in the overall balloting.
Three Mountaineers earned distinction from the coaches, including Mike Kessler (141 pounds), Kyle Blevins (165) and Austin Trotman (184). Trotman, the league's wrestler of the year in 2010, joins Johnson as the only two-time SoCon champions returning to the mat this season.
The Citadel secured the third spot in the coaches' voting with 26 points and was represented on the preseason all-conference team by 2011 Wrestler of the Year Turtogtokh Luvsandorj (174) and 2010 SoCon champion Odie Delaney (HWT).
SoCon newcomers Gardner-Webb (17 points) and Campbell (16) were selected for the fourth and fifth positions, respectively, in their first SoCon season. They were followed by VMI (15) and Davidson (6) to complete the poll.
VMI's Ryan Goodsell was the final selection to the preseason all-league squad, earning the spot at 133 pounds.
SIU-Edwardsville, which was also granted admittance to the Southern Conference as a wrestling member in June, will begin league competition in the 2012-13 after completing its final season of reclassification to NCAA Division I status.
The 2011-12 Southern Conference wrestling season begins on Wednesday, November 2 when Gardner-Webb entertains Belmont Abbey, while all seven teams will be in action by Sunday, November 6.
Chattanooga will host the 2012 Southern Conference Wrestling Championship in at the McKenzie Arena on March 3, 2012.
2011-12 SoCon Wrestling Preseason Coaches Poll
School (First-place votes) Points
1. Chattanooga (4) 34
2. Appalachian State (3) 33
3. The Citadel 26
4. Gardner-Webb 17
5. Campbell 16
6. VMI 15
7. Davidson 6
2011-12 SoCon Wrestling Preseason All-Conference Team
125 Demetrius Johnson, Chattanooga @ ^
133 Ryan Goodsell, VMI
141 Mike Kessler, Appalachian State
149 Dean Pavlou, Chattanooga #
157 Dan Waddell, Chattanooga @
165 Kyle Blevins, Appalachian State ^
174 Turtogtokh, Luvsandorj, The Citadel #
184 Austin Trotman, Appalachian State # ^
197 Niko Brown, Chattanooga
HWT Odie Delaney, The Citadel #
@ - 2009 SoCon Champion
# - 2010 SoCon Champion
^ - 2011 SoCon Champion