Kade Rule
Photo by: Derek Daniel
Season Preview: Wrestling Eyes Next Step
10/13/2026 11:55:00 AM | Wrestling
Kade Rule and the Chattanooga Mocs look to take the next step with eight of 10 starters returning.
Competition. That's the buzzword for the Chattanooga Mocs wrestling room. It's going to be a competitive 2026-27 for lineup spots with eight of 10 starters returning along with an injection of talent competing for many of the same roles.
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Versatility is another key term. Through preseason certifications, there's a lot of directions the lineup can go in regards to weight classes, so buckle up and stay tuned. The season officially gets underway on Saturday, October 10, with the Blue-Gold Matches just a week later on the 17th in Maclellan Gym.
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Quotable
"We have 20-plus guys on our roster with three or more years left, so that shows that we're young; but a lot of them have experience. Four of those were in the starting lineup and made all-freshman in the conference." – Coach Kyle Ruschell
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"We filled in some areas to really build depth. We haven't had a lot of depth in some classes, and this is kind of exciting. I don't know who's going to be at what weight at the moment. I told them my job is to get you all prepared, get you all better. It's your job to separate yourself from your teammates and say this class is mine'." – Coach Ruschell
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Resources: History | Roster | Schedule | Tickets
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Quick Look
125
Senior Ty Tice is back after a year behind NCAA qualifier Cooper Flynn. Tice has 23 career wins under his belt and placed eighth at the 2026 Southern Scuffle. All 10 of his dual wins are by bonus points. Junior Travis Clawson was ranked No. 23 in the final NCAA RPI last season going 25-8 at Clarion including 12-1 in duals. Tanner Tran is a freshman out Father Ryan in Nashville. He's a 2-time state champion and 2025 NHSCA All-America.
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133-149
Two of three starters are back in 133 SoCon All-Freshman pick Ethan Uhorchuk and 141 All-SoCon performer Hunter Mason (Sr.). There's the possibility that Uhorchuk moves up to 141 and Mason to 149 for 2026-27, while Iowa State transfer Cody Chittum (Sr.) is in the mix at 149 as well which could keep the former two in last year's classes.
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Even with those possible shifts, there's still competition across the board. Junior Bryce Luna returns along with senior Ethan Lipsey and sophomore Brody Gobbell around the 133 class as freshman John Stewart from nearby Scottsboro, Ala., could go there as well as 141. Sophomores Will Anderson and Cole Krutzfeldt can impact proceedings at 141 or 149 as well with returners Hayden Huges (Jr.) and Pierce Pennington (So.) are joined by freshman George Emendorfer.
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157 & 165
SoCon All-Freshman selection CJ Liddie is back for year three at 157. Chittum wrestled in this class at Iowa State so he is definitely in the mix as well here depending how things shake out at 149. Junior Alex Hutchcraft, grad transfer Michael Kilic (Arizona State) and sophomore Brayden Leach are all listed at 157 as well.
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Mason Reiniche is petitioning for his fifth year to return as starter at 165. He faces still competition from junior Tavian Camper, while it's not a stretch to see someone mentioned at 157 deciding to try their hand at the next class up.
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174
Returning starter Kamdyn Munro returns but is not expected in the early portion of the schedule due to injury. Junior Charlie Foster, 2026 NJCAA Junior College Champion, is on board along with returners Wyatt Gibbs (Sr.) and Brody Murray (Jr.).
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184
Landon "Bones" Jones is back after an exciting first season as a starter. He placed at the Southern Scuffle, earned ranked wins and provided fans with an exciting "all motor, all the time" style. Fellow junior Tre McTorry III is also back to provide competition.
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197
SoCon Freshman of the Year and NCAA Qualifier Kade Rule is back and growing into the class. He was an undersized 197 to start the year but burst on the scene and cannot be termed undersized again. He'll get pushed by senior Kendrick Curtis and sophomore Brock Rios.
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285
The Mocs are two deep in the room with senior Ethan Vergara back after a runner-up finish at the SoCon Championships. Maryland transfer Jackson Schwab enters to compete at the position as well.
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Starters Returning
133: Ethan Uhorchuk | Record: 16-8 | SoCon Runner-Up – SoCon All-Freshman
141: Hunter Mason | Record: 22-8 | All-SoCon – SoCon Placer
157: CJ Liddie | Record: 24-10 | SoCon All-Freshman – SoCon Placer
165: Mason Reiniche | Record: 12-11
174: Kamdyn Munro | Record: 14-10
184: Landon Jones | Record: 23-10 | SoCon All-Freshman – SoCon Placer
197: Kade Rule | Record: 18-7 | NCAA Qualifier – SoCon Champion – All-SoCon – SoCon Freshman of the Year
285: Ethan Vergara | Record: 18-10 | SoCon Runner-up
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Letter Winners Returning
125: Brody Gobbell, So. | Ty Tice, Sr. (2026 Southern Scuffle Placer)
133: Ethan Lipsey, Sr. | Bryce Luna, Jr. (2025 Southern Scuffle Placer)
141: Will Anderson, So. | Cole Krutzfeldt, So.
149: Hayden Hughes, Jr. | Pierce Pennington, So.
157: Cody Chittum, Sr. (2025 NCAA Qualifier) | Alex Hutchcraft, Jr. | Brayden Leach, So.
165: Tavian Camper, Jr.
174: Wyatt Gibbs, Sr. | Brody Murray, Jr.
184: Tre McTorry III, Jr.
197: Kendrick Curtis, Sr. | Brock Rios, So.
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Newcomers
125: Travis Clawson, Jr. | 37-20 career record at Clarion
125: Tanner Tran, Fr. | 2-time TSSAA State Champion
133/141: John Stewart, Fr. | 4-time AHSAA State Champion (210-9 career record)
149: George Emendorfer, Fr. | 2026 TSSAA State Champ
157: Michael Kilic, Gr. | Arizona State Transfer (14 of 17 career win by bonus pts.)
174: Charlie Foster, Jr. | 2026 JUCO National Champ
285: Jackson Schwab, So. | Maryland Transfer (77 HS falls recorded)
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Summary
Eight of 10 starters are back. Missing? 125 Cooper Flynn (SoCon Champ/NCAA Qualifier) and 149 Yuta Otero. The coaching staff reloaded at 125 with the additions of Clawson and Tran to compete with Tice. The possibilities at 149 certainly bring an air of excitement but also has the lineup jumbling with who could be where from 133-157.
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Chattanooga's 2025-26 edition finished at Southern Conference Dual Season co-champs. With eight of 10 starters back along with impact newcomers, the ceiling is high for this crew. It certainly sets itself up to be an exciting 2026-27 campaign.
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First Chance
The first opportunity to see the Mocs in action is in the annual Blue-Gold Matches. This year's event is Oct. 17 in the wrestling room at Maclellan Gym at 6:30 p.m.
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Season Tickets On Sale
Season tickets are on sale now on GoMocs.com here. The season plan includes every match in Maclellan Gym as well as all-session passes for the Southern Scuffle. For more information on wrestling season tickets, please email MocsTicketing@utc.edu or call the ticket office at 423-266-MOCS (6627). Hours of operation are 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The ticket office will also contact individuals who purchased season tickets in 2025-26.
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GoMocs.com is the official website of the Chattanooga Mocs. Wear what the teams wear in our BSN Team Store or go to the bookstore's official True Spirit Stop. The Mocs can also be followed on their official Facebook, X & Instagram accounts. Find out how to join the Mocs Club and support more than 300 student-athletes by clicking here & by checking out NIL possibilities here.
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Versatility is another key term. Through preseason certifications, there's a lot of directions the lineup can go in regards to weight classes, so buckle up and stay tuned. The season officially gets underway on Saturday, October 10, with the Blue-Gold Matches just a week later on the 17th in Maclellan Gym.
Â
Quotable
"We have 20-plus guys on our roster with three or more years left, so that shows that we're young; but a lot of them have experience. Four of those were in the starting lineup and made all-freshman in the conference." – Coach Kyle Ruschell
Â
"We filled in some areas to really build depth. We haven't had a lot of depth in some classes, and this is kind of exciting. I don't know who's going to be at what weight at the moment. I told them my job is to get you all prepared, get you all better. It's your job to separate yourself from your teammates and say this class is mine'." – Coach Ruschell
Â
Resources: History | Roster | Schedule | Tickets
Â
Quick Look
125
Senior Ty Tice is back after a year behind NCAA qualifier Cooper Flynn. Tice has 23 career wins under his belt and placed eighth at the 2026 Southern Scuffle. All 10 of his dual wins are by bonus points. Junior Travis Clawson was ranked No. 23 in the final NCAA RPI last season going 25-8 at Clarion including 12-1 in duals. Tanner Tran is a freshman out Father Ryan in Nashville. He's a 2-time state champion and 2025 NHSCA All-America.
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133-149
Two of three starters are back in 133 SoCon All-Freshman pick Ethan Uhorchuk and 141 All-SoCon performer Hunter Mason (Sr.). There's the possibility that Uhorchuk moves up to 141 and Mason to 149 for 2026-27, while Iowa State transfer Cody Chittum (Sr.) is in the mix at 149 as well which could keep the former two in last year's classes.
Â
Even with those possible shifts, there's still competition across the board. Junior Bryce Luna returns along with senior Ethan Lipsey and sophomore Brody Gobbell around the 133 class as freshman John Stewart from nearby Scottsboro, Ala., could go there as well as 141. Sophomores Will Anderson and Cole Krutzfeldt can impact proceedings at 141 or 149 as well with returners Hayden Huges (Jr.) and Pierce Pennington (So.) are joined by freshman George Emendorfer.
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157 & 165
SoCon All-Freshman selection CJ Liddie is back for year three at 157. Chittum wrestled in this class at Iowa State so he is definitely in the mix as well here depending how things shake out at 149. Junior Alex Hutchcraft, grad transfer Michael Kilic (Arizona State) and sophomore Brayden Leach are all listed at 157 as well.
Â
Mason Reiniche is petitioning for his fifth year to return as starter at 165. He faces still competition from junior Tavian Camper, while it's not a stretch to see someone mentioned at 157 deciding to try their hand at the next class up.
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174
Returning starter Kamdyn Munro returns but is not expected in the early portion of the schedule due to injury. Junior Charlie Foster, 2026 NJCAA Junior College Champion, is on board along with returners Wyatt Gibbs (Sr.) and Brody Murray (Jr.).
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184
Landon "Bones" Jones is back after an exciting first season as a starter. He placed at the Southern Scuffle, earned ranked wins and provided fans with an exciting "all motor, all the time" style. Fellow junior Tre McTorry III is also back to provide competition.
Â
197
SoCon Freshman of the Year and NCAA Qualifier Kade Rule is back and growing into the class. He was an undersized 197 to start the year but burst on the scene and cannot be termed undersized again. He'll get pushed by senior Kendrick Curtis and sophomore Brock Rios.
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285
The Mocs are two deep in the room with senior Ethan Vergara back after a runner-up finish at the SoCon Championships. Maryland transfer Jackson Schwab enters to compete at the position as well.
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Starters Returning
133: Ethan Uhorchuk | Record: 16-8 | SoCon Runner-Up – SoCon All-Freshman
141: Hunter Mason | Record: 22-8 | All-SoCon – SoCon Placer
157: CJ Liddie | Record: 24-10 | SoCon All-Freshman – SoCon Placer
165: Mason Reiniche | Record: 12-11
174: Kamdyn Munro | Record: 14-10
184: Landon Jones | Record: 23-10 | SoCon All-Freshman – SoCon Placer
197: Kade Rule | Record: 18-7 | NCAA Qualifier – SoCon Champion – All-SoCon – SoCon Freshman of the Year
285: Ethan Vergara | Record: 18-10 | SoCon Runner-up
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Letter Winners Returning
125: Brody Gobbell, So. | Ty Tice, Sr. (2026 Southern Scuffle Placer)
133: Ethan Lipsey, Sr. | Bryce Luna, Jr. (2025 Southern Scuffle Placer)
141: Will Anderson, So. | Cole Krutzfeldt, So.
149: Hayden Hughes, Jr. | Pierce Pennington, So.
157: Cody Chittum, Sr. (2025 NCAA Qualifier) | Alex Hutchcraft, Jr. | Brayden Leach, So.
165: Tavian Camper, Jr.
174: Wyatt Gibbs, Sr. | Brody Murray, Jr.
184: Tre McTorry III, Jr.
197: Kendrick Curtis, Sr. | Brock Rios, So.
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Newcomers
125: Travis Clawson, Jr. | 37-20 career record at Clarion
125: Tanner Tran, Fr. | 2-time TSSAA State Champion
133/141: John Stewart, Fr. | 4-time AHSAA State Champion (210-9 career record)
149: George Emendorfer, Fr. | 2026 TSSAA State Champ
157: Michael Kilic, Gr. | Arizona State Transfer (14 of 17 career win by bonus pts.)
174: Charlie Foster, Jr. | 2026 JUCO National Champ
285: Jackson Schwab, So. | Maryland Transfer (77 HS falls recorded)
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Summary
Eight of 10 starters are back. Missing? 125 Cooper Flynn (SoCon Champ/NCAA Qualifier) and 149 Yuta Otero. The coaching staff reloaded at 125 with the additions of Clawson and Tran to compete with Tice. The possibilities at 149 certainly bring an air of excitement but also has the lineup jumbling with who could be where from 133-157.
Â
Chattanooga's 2025-26 edition finished at Southern Conference Dual Season co-champs. With eight of 10 starters back along with impact newcomers, the ceiling is high for this crew. It certainly sets itself up to be an exciting 2026-27 campaign.
Â
First Chance
The first opportunity to see the Mocs in action is in the annual Blue-Gold Matches. This year's event is Oct. 17 in the wrestling room at Maclellan Gym at 6:30 p.m.
Â
Season Tickets On Sale
Season tickets are on sale now on GoMocs.com here. The season plan includes every match in Maclellan Gym as well as all-session passes for the Southern Scuffle. For more information on wrestling season tickets, please email MocsTicketing@utc.edu or call the ticket office at 423-266-MOCS (6627). Hours of operation are 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The ticket office will also contact individuals who purchased season tickets in 2025-26.
Â
GoMocs.com is the official website of the Chattanooga Mocs. Wear what the teams wear in our BSN Team Store or go to the bookstore's official True Spirit Stop. The Mocs can also be followed on their official Facebook, X & Instagram accounts. Find out how to join the Mocs Club and support more than 300 student-athletes by clicking here & by checking out NIL possibilities here.
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