One of the largest in-season collegiate wrestling tournaments in the nation, the 30-team invitational tournament will be held January 1-2, 2012 at McKenzie Arena.
The Southern Scuffle gained notoriety in its original home of Greensboro, N.C., over the previous eight years. UNC Greensboro recently cut its collegiate wrestling program, prompting a need for the Southern Scuffle to find a new home.
"This is a great opportunity for our student-athletes, our program and the Chattanooga community," stated UTC head coach Heath Eslinger. "In terms of wrestling, this has become one of the toughest tournaments in the country outside of the NCAA Championships. It will allow us to showcase some of the best competition at the collegiate level to our wrestling community and provide our guys with a chance to compete against the best in the country."
With approximately 300 participants, and the accompanying coaches, family and fans, descending upon the Scenic City, the Chattanooga Southern Scuffle will have a tremendous economic impact on the area. The event generated overall $1 million in tourism revenue each year during its run in Greensboro.
"We are excited to partner with UTC to bring the Southern Scuffle to Chattanooga," added Scott Smith, President of the Greater Chattanooga Sports and Events Committee. "It will be a great event for our city."
In addition to the Mocs, 16 teams have already committed to the tournament next year. Six squads finished in the top 25 at the 2011 NCAA Championships, including No. 2 Cornell, No. 7 Minnesota, No. 19 Missouri, No. 21 Oregon State, No. 23 Virginia and No. 25 Indiana.
Also competing in the event are Duke, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Appalachian State, Army, Campbell, Cleveland State, Gardner-Webb, Ohio and Old Dominion.
Represented among all 17 teams are 10 returning All-Americans and one NCAA National Champion from the 2011 season.
More information on the tournament will be available in the coming months at www.gomocs.com.
Post a Comment