Ruschell announces UTC wrestling coaching staff
New University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling head coach Kyle Ruschell officially announced his staff for the 2018-19 season. These changes have been in place since he was hired on Aug. 10, and include familiar faces.
Former All-american Nick Brascetta is elevated to the top assistant position, while Hunter Gamble moves from volunteer to full-time assistant coach. Former Southern Conference Champion and UTC alum Scottie Boykin joins the group as the volunteer coach. All three are currently pursuing Master’s degrees at UTC.
“I am very excited about this group,” stated Ruschell. “They all have a passion for wrestling and you can tell they all care about our student-athletes.
“We have been working hard over the last month to prepare for the upcoming season, and it is evident that they have the knowledge and skills to help continue to winning tradition of our program.”
Brascetta is a 2016 graduate of Virginia Tech and is entering his third year with the Mocs. He came to Chattanooga as the Coordinator of Student-athlete Development and was elevated to assistant coach last season.
“Nick and I hit it off from the beginning,” stated Ruschell. He has a great reputation as a wrestler and is growing his resume as a coach. He has a strong attention to detail on the administrative side of things and will be a tremendous asset to me for years to come.”
Gamble is in his second year at Chattanooga after a standout career at Gardner-webb. He spent last season as the volunteer assistant. Gamble was the 2013 Socon Champion at 174 pounds and was an AllSocon pick and two-time finalist in his other three years with the Bulldogs.
“Hunter is great for our guys in the room,” added Ruschell. “He was a tremendous Southern Conference wrestling and brings a championship mentality to every workout.”
Boykin was a two-time Socon Champion during his UTC career (2014-18), making three appearances at the NCAA Championships. He graduated with a degree in Sport Administration in 2017 and was a Dean’s List honoree throughout his career.
“I am excited to have the opportunity to keep Scottie around,” said Ruschell. “The guys have a tremendous amount of respect for him and he can help set the tone for success, both on and off the mat.”
The Mocs open the 2018-19 season with the Blue-gold Match at the First Tennessee Pavilion prior to the Homecoming football game against VMI on Oct. 27. The first home dual is against North Carolina on Nov. 11. Season tickets are on sale now on Gomocs.com through the “Tickets” tab at the top of the page.