Two freshmen among 5 all-SoCon Mocs

Thursday, March 6, 2014

photo UTC Mocs logo

Five University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestlers including a pair of freshmen have been selected to the all-Southern Conference team.

The freshmen are 195-pound Scottie Boykin and heavyweight Dawson Peck. Boykin, a Murfreesboro Riverdale product, went through the conference season without a loss while Peck, who joined the Mocs in January, posted a 5-1 league record.

The Mocs actually took the top four spots with Levi Clemons (174) and John Lampe (184) also being selected first team.

The "old man" of the entire group is Mocs junior 133-pound Nick Soto, now a three-time all-conference pick. He has a career record of 19-0 in the league's regular season matches and has two conference championships to his credit.

"It's good. Two true freshmen made it. Obviously two of our other better guys (165-pound Corey Mock, 157-pound Alex Hudson) took conference losses," Mocs coach Heath Eslinger said. "All-conference, though, is based on past performances and right now we are concentrating more on the immediate future."

The conference tournament begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at Campbell University in Buies Creek, N.C.

Another Moc that was honored was 141-pound Michael Pongracz. He was named to the league's all-freshman team along with Boykin and Peck.

Outstanding wrestler honors went to The Citadel's Turtogtokh Luvsandorj and Appalachian State's Dylan Cottrell was named freshman of the Year. Luvsandorj is a 165-pounder and Cottrell a 149-pounder.

Including Luvsandorj, The Citadel had three all-conference wrestlers. He was joined by Aaron Walker (157) and Ugi Khishignyam (141). Cottrell was joined on the team by teammate Dominic Parisi (125).

Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.