Senior Lloyd Rogers

Courtesy: GoMocs.com

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Five members of the wrestling team earned All-Southern Conference honors for the 2007-08 season, the SoCon office announced Tuesday.

Senior Lloyd Rogers leads the Mocs’ charge on the all-conference team.  The 174-pounder was voted SoCon Co-Wrestler of the Year along with Appalachian State’s Scott Ervin, who wrestles at 149 pounds.

Rogers led the Mocs with a 24-3 overall record.  He produced a remarkable 16-1 record in dual matches and was undefeated in all five SoCon duals.  Rogers earned a trip to the NCAA Championships in 2007 as a wildcard entrant.  He was the SoCon runnerup at 174 pounds.

“I am very happy for Lloyd,” UTC Head Coach Chris Bono said.  “He has listened to everything we have said, applied it to the mat and turned himself into a champion with a chance to become an All-America.  He believes he can win every match, and he is capable of wrestling anybody in the country.”

Senior Javier Maldonado is an All-SoCon selection for the third consecutive season.  Maldonado, who wrestles at 125 pounds, was 16-7 overall, 11-4 in duals and has never lost to a SoCon opponent in the regular season or in the conference championships, a string of 20 matches.  Maldonado is a two-time SoCon champion and NCAA Qualifier.

Senior Josh Edmondson picked up his second straight All-SoCon accolade.  While competing at 184 pounds, the 2007 SoCon titlist, was 19-11 overall and 11-6 in dual matches.  He was 5-0 in SoCon action.

First-time All-SoCon honorees for the Mocs are Cody Cleveland at 141 pounds and Seth Garvin at 157.

Cleveland, a sophomore at 141 pounds, was 4-0 against SoCon wrestlers.  He is 23-6 overall to stand second on the squad in wins, and was 11-4 in dual matches.

Garvin, a senior 157-pounder, also went 4-0 in SoCon competition.  He compiled a 21-5 mark and was 13-3 in duals.

 “These guys deserve these accolades,” UTC Head Coach Chris Bono said.  “We believe that nobody works harder than us and nobody wrestles smarter.  We’ll see this weekend, but we think we should win at every weight class and qualify all 10 guys for the Nationals.”

(left to right -- Lloyd Rogers, Javier Maldonado, Cody Cleveland, Seth Garvin, Josh Edmondson)

Joining the five Mocs on the All-SoCon team are Ervin and four wrestlers from UNC Greensboro.  Representing the Spartans are Jeff Hedges (133), Byron Sigmon (165), Darren Burns (197) and Ryan Hsu (285).

Chattanooga and the other five conference teams will compete in the upcoming SoCon Wrestling Championships March 8 held at the McKenzie Arena on the UTC campus.  First-round matches begin at 11 a.m.  Tickets are available on-line at the Mocs’ official athletics website, GoMocs.com, or by calling the McKenzie Arena box office at 423-266-6627.

2008 Wrestling All-Conference Team

Javier Maldonado, Chattanooga

Jeff Hedges, UNC Greensboro

Cody Cleveland, Chattanooga

Scott Ervin, Appalachian State

Seth Garvin, Chattanooga

Byron Sigmon, UNC Greensboro

Lloyd Rogers, Chattanooga

Josh Edmondson, Chattanooga

Daren Burns UNC Greensboro

Ryan Hsu, UNC Greensboro

Wrestlers of the Year: Lloyd Rogers, Chattanooga

Scott Ervin, Appalachian State