SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference’s eight wrestling coaches have picked defending regular-season and tournament champion Chattanooga to win the league title again in 2013-14. The coaches also selected a 10-member preseason all-conference team.

Chattanooga picked up four-first place votes and 46 total points to top second-place Appalachian State by four points. The Mocs will be seeking their ninth regular-season and tournament titles in the last 10 years.

Mocs head coach Heath Eslinger’s squad boasts two members of the preseason All-SoCon team. After winning the league title at 125 last season, Nick Soto was the preseason pick this year at 133, where he won the title as a freshman in 2012. Teammate Kevin Malone was the coaches’ preseason selection at heavyweight this year.

The Mountaineers, who claimed 42 points and two first-place votes to edge The Citadel for second in the poll, placed a league-high four wrestlers on the preseason all-conference team. Dominic Parisi (125), Dylan Cottrell (149), Zack Strickland (165) and Paul Weiss (197) all took the honor for Appalachian State.

The Citadel picked up the remaining two first-place votes and totaled 41 points in the poll. Returning 157-pound champion Matt Frisch was the preseason all-conference selection at that weight this season, while teammate Turtogtokh Luvsandorj, who redshirted last season, was the pick at 174 pounds. Luvsandorj was the SoCon champion at 174 in 2012 and at 157 in 2010.

Gardner-Webb was fourth in the poll with 28 points and saw Ryan Mosley claim a preseason all-conference nod at 141 pounds.

Campbell was right behind the Runnin’ Bulldogs with 27 points, while SIUE was sixth with 19 points. Davidson was seventh with 12 and put Scott Patrick on the preseason squad at 184 pounds.

VMI rounded out the poll with nine points.

The 2013-14 wrestling season gets under way on Nov. 2, with The Citadel and Gardner-Webb in action. Campbell, Davidson and VMI all compete the following day.


2013-14 SoCon Wrestling Preseason Coaches Poll
School (First-place votes)    Points
1.    Chattanooga (4)    46
2.    Appalachian State (2)    42
3.    The Citadel (2)    41
4.    Gardner-Webb    28
5.    Campbell    27
6.    SIUE    19
7.    Davidson    12
8.    VMI    9

2013-14 SoCon Wrestling Preseason All-Conference Team
125    Dominic Parisi, Appalachian State
133    Nick Soto, Chattanooga^
141    Ryan Mosley, Gardner-Webb
149    Dylan Cottrell, Appalachian State
157    Matt Frisch, The Citadel@
165    Zack Strickland, Appalachian State
174    Turtogtokh Luvsandorj, The Citadel*
184    Scott Patrick, Davidson
197    Paul Weiss, Appalachian State
HWT    Kevin Malone, Chattanooga

^ - 2012 SoCon champion at 133, 2013 SoCon champion at 125
@ 2013 SoCon champion at 157
* - 2012 SoCon champion at 174, 2010 SoCon champion at 157