BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State Wrestling resumes its Southern Conference schedule Sunday with a home dual against rival Chattanooga.
The dual is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. in Varsity Gym. Tickets at $10 (adult) and $5 (youth) can be purchased by
clicking HERE, and there will be a drawing to give away a 32-inch Vizio Smart TV to one App State student in attendance.
Appalachian, the reigning SoCon champion, is 2-1 in the league following a close loss to Campbell. A win Friday night at Gardner-Webb would put Chattanooga at 3-0 in the league with duals remaining against App State, The Citadel and Campbell (in Chattanooga), so there will be a lot a stake Sunday in Boone.
App State won an outright SoCon regular season title in 2018 as
Randall Diabe and
Cary Miller closed an 18-16 win at Chattanooga with narrow decisions, and App State claimed a dramatic 17-16 home win against the Mocs in 2017 based on a tiebreaker that App State won 55-54 (based on each team's total match points over 10 matches).
Matt Zovistoski, for instance, was responsible for seven of his team's 55 points thanks to his 7-3 decision at 149 pounds.
Appalachian State coach
JohnMark Bentley had six of his wrestlers make the initial set of coaches' panel rankings, led by the 17th-ranked Diabe at 197 pounds. He is 19-5 this season.
Zovistoski is ranked No. 25 at 149 pounds and is 19-11 this season, while Miller is No. 26 in the heavyweight division with an overall record of 16-10.
Codi Russell is No. 31 at 133 pounds with a 13-9 overall record, while
Michael Elliott (165 pounds) and
Alan Clothier (184 pounds) are No. 32 in their respective weight classes. Elliott is 17-9 this season, and Clothier is 15-10.
Chattanooga has a first-year head coach in former Wisconsin assistant Kyle Ruschell, and two members of the Mocs were ranked by the coaches' panel: Fabian Gutierrez (No. 23 at 125 pounds with a 16-4 record) and Chris Debien (No. 33 at 141 pounds with an 18-10 record). Gutierrez or returning starter Alonzo Allen, a senior with a 19-6 record, are Chattanooga's two options to wrestle against
De'Andre Swinson-Barr at 125 pounds Sunday.
The Mocs' unbeaten start to their SoCon schedule includes a 38-8 win against VMI and 34-9 win against Davidson. Against nonconference competition, they lost 23-10 against No. 17 North Carolina, 22-16 against then-No. 16 Arizona State and 22-19 against Ohio. App State also faced UNC and Ohio earlier this season.
PROBABLE MATCHUPS
125:
De'Andre Swinson-Barr (APP) vs. Alonzo Allen or Fabian Gutierrez (UTC)
133:
Codi Russell (APP) vs. Jake Huffine (UTC)
141:
Irvin Enriquez (APP) vs. Chris Debien (UTC)
149:
Matt Zovistoski (APP) vs. Tanner Smith (UTC)
157:
Angel Najar (APP) vs. Ryan Resnick or Mason Wallace (UTC)
165:
Michael Elliott (APP) vs. Drew Nicholson (UTC)
174:
Thomas Flitz (APP) vs. Hunter Fortner (UTC)
184:
Alan Clothier (APP) vs. Ben Stacey or Dominic Lampe (UTC)
197:
Randall Diabe (APP) vs. Rodney Jones (UTC)
HWT:
Cary Miller (APP) vs. Connor Tolley (UTC)
