Sean Boyle has been selected Southern Conference wrestler of the year.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior 125-pounder, having his best collegiate season, learned of his selection Wednesday afternoon.
“He’s one of the most focused guys I’ve ever coached, hands down,” said Mocs assistant coach Jeff Bedard. “He just knocked off the No. 2 guy in the country. and it was his focus that won the match.”
That sudden-victory win over Iowa’s Thomas Gilman was Boyle’s fourth defeat of a nationally ranked opponent this season. He has a 27-5 record and a No. 8 national ranking.
Joining Boyle from UTC on the all-conference team are Nick Soto (133), Michael Pongracz (141) and Scottie Boykin (197). Justin Lampe (165), who joined the Mocs after the first semester, was named to the all-freshman team.
Boyle is the first conference wrestler of the year from perennial champion UTC since Cody Cleveland (141) in 2009. Other Mocs to win the honor were David Barden (126/1996), current head coach Heath Eslinger (165/2000), former Mocs assistant Jon Sioredas (165/2005), Matt Keller (133/2007) and Lloyd Rogers (174/2008).
As the Mocs prepare for Saturday’s conference tournament in Asheville, N.C., Boyle is seeking to maneuver himself for a quality seed at the NCAA tournament.
“Wrestling is wrestling, but this is my best season wins-wise,” the Michigan transfer said. “I’ve been more consistent and gotten some bigger wins.”
Boyle’s notoriety climbed after his third-place finish in the Southern Scuffle. He immediately entered the national rankings and has made a steady climb since.
The win over Gilman boosted him into the top eight.
“It was evenly matched, but it was hard to get a takedown because he has solid defense,” Boyle said. “We both had some solid opportunities, but when it went into overtime I was definitely confident and felt I was controlling the pace of the match.”
“I think he should be ranked higher, but I guess I’m biased,” Bedard said. “He’s mentally tough and he has a good fix on wrestling his positions, and he has a great pace. One thing that’s winning him a lot of matches — he exhausts these guys. He keeps an up-tempo pace, always looking to score, and he doesn’t vary from what he wants to do.”
Boyle twice qualified for the NCAA tournament while at Michigan but is still looking for his first All-America honor.
“As long as the SoCon (tournament) goes well I should get a good seed, which will help, and being my senior year it’s do-or-die, so that will help as well,” he said.
He came to UTC for his fifth year of eligibility to get in a different wrestling environment.
“It’s been great,” he said. “The coaches are really good at getting you motivated, getting in your mind and getting you hyped for matches.”
Bedard said, however, that much of that falls on Boyle.
“He doesn’t get rattled. To watch him is something else,” Bedard said. “In addition to his focus, he is diligent about his workouts and he’s disciplined in his academics, his diet and his training. You can tell he’s been around.”
Courtesy of: Ward Gossett at timesfreepress.com