UTC wrestlers win 19th SoCon crown, earns four NCAA qualifiers
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Jeff Romero (UTC)
03/11/2002
RALEIGH, N.C.---The Chattanooga wrestling team claimed its 19th Southern Conference Championship and fourth title in the last five years Saturday, narrowly edging second-place VMI 72-70. The Mocs crowned four individual champions, Matt Pitts at 125 pounds, Jared Sullivan at 141, Quantal Langford at 184 and Austin David at 197. Pitts and David are freshmen, while Sullivan and Langford are also first-time SoCon champs. Each individual winner earns an automatic berth to the NCAA Championships March 21-23 in Albany, N.Y. VMI was the only other school with more than one individual champion. Pitts, Sullivan and David were top seeds. Pitts defeated UNC Greensboro*s 10-6 in the semifinals and The Citadel*s Brandon Gates in the finals. Sullivan, who earned a wildcard entry into the NCAAs last year, pinned Mike Martinez of The Citadel at 1:57 in the semis and outpointed VMI*s Mark DiSalvo in the finals. Langford, seeded second, got past Sean McIntosh of Appalachian State in the semis and defeated VMI*s Jason Cox in the finals. David reached the finals with a 5-2 decision over UNCG*s Ryan Midgett and beat The Citadel's Jordan Everett for the title. Craig Johnson finished second at 165 for the Mocs, dropping a decision to ASU*s Mark Fee in the finals, and Quentin Bell placed third at 157. The team standings were the closest since a three-way tie in 1997 between ASU, VMI and UNCG. Pitts, from Calhoun, Ga., was named the SoCon Freshman of the Year. UTC interim head coach Franky James was voted the SoCon Coach of the Year. ASU*s Fee was selected the Most Outstanding Wrestler. The Championships were run in conjunction with the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships. Host school North Carolina State claimed the ACC title edging North Carolina 83-72.5.