The search committee charged with helping find a new wrestling coach for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga got its first look at the field of applicants Monday.
"Of the 25 people that applied, there are some very serious candidates," committee chairman Jeff Rufolo said Monday. "There are young assistant coaches who are ready to lead and head coaches at other schools that are looking at the position. We feel like we have the Joe Montanas and Michael Jordans of wrestling applying for the job."
The university closed the application process Friday.
At their meeting Monday afternoon, committee members were asked to submit their top prospects from the list of applicants to UTC athletic director Rick Hart by the end of this week. The committee will meet again next Monday and try to determine the top three or four candidates so Hart can begin scheduling interviews.
Hart has emphasized that the program had grown in stature, and more than one committee member heartily endorsed that belief.
"When we hired Terry Brands, there were three or four serious candidates," Rufolo said. "The number and quality have gone up."
