University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling coach Heath Eslinger released the Mocs' 2009-10 schedule today.  UTC will take part in four tournaments, battle six non conference opponents in dual meets and face the usual line-up of Southern Conference foes in the upcoming regular season.

"I think our schedule is a great mix of top teams and tough conference opponents," stated Eslinger.  "We have a chance to wrestle against some of the top competition in the country.  We are going to have to beat some of those guys to accomplish our goal of performing well at the NCAA Championships."

The Mocs open the year with the annual Blue & Gold intra-squad scrimmage in Maclellan Gym on Friday, Oct. 30.  The regular season begins with a trip to Virginia Tech for a dual meet with the Hokies on Nov. 7.  The Mocs are looking to avenge a 37-0 home loss to Va. Tech on Nov. 30 last year.  Following the dual meet, UTC will take part in the Hokie Open on Nov. 8, also in Blacksburg, Va.   

UTC's home opener is set for Saturday, Nov. 14, against Gardner-Webb and Anderson in Maclellan Gym.  The Mocs are a combined 13-0 against these two schools, including a win 34-13 win over Anderson on Nov. 30 and a 42-3 win against the Bulldogs on Dec. 17 last season. 

Chattanooga will travel that evening to Mt. Pleasant, Mich., for a match with Central Michigan on Nov. 15.  UTC is 0-4 against the Chippewas all-time, a team that finished 14^th at the NCAA Championships in 2009. 

The Mocs will spend the next two weekends competing in open tournaments, beginning with the Wolfpack Open at N.C. State on Nov. 21 in Raleigh, N.C.  Chattanooga will also compete in the Indiana Duals in Bloomington, Ind., on Nov. 28. 

The SoCon season begins with a dual meet at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C., on Dec. 17, and continues at Davidson on Dec. 18.  After the holiday break, the Mocs will travel to Evanston, Ill., for the prestigious Midlands Tournament on Dec 29-30 to close out the year. 

Chattanooga returns to Maclellan Gym to host Big 12-foe Missouri on Jan. 16.  The Tigers handed the Mocs a 37-7 defeat in Columbia, Mo., on Jan. 18 last season.  Missouri is coming off a seventh place finish at the NCAA Championships in 2009 and is making its second trip to Chattanooga in the last three years. 

UTC returns to SoCon action on Jan. 24 with a home match against UNC Greensboro.  Senior night is set for Feb. 6 with a double-header against Appalachian State and Northern Iowa.  The Panthers placed 22^nd at the NCAA Championships last season and defeated the Mocs 18-12 in Cedar Falls on Feb. 14.

Chattanooga concludes non-conference action with a trip to Oklahoma on Feb. 12.  The Sooners won a 23-14 match against UTC in Maclellan Gym on Jan. 11 last season. 

The Mocs finish the regular season with a SoCon match at VMI on Feb. 18.  Davidson hosts the SoCon Tournament on March 6 in Davidson, N.C.  Chattanooga is going for its sixth consecutive regular season and tournament championships in the Southern Conference.  The Mocs have won 24 of the 33 SoCon titles since joining the league in 1978. 

UTC will wrap up the 2009-10 season with the NCAA Championships in Omaha, Neb.  The national tournament takes place March 18-20.