{"id":66522,"date":"2025-03-26T08:55:48","date_gmt":"2025-03-26T12:55:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=66522"},"modified":"2025-03-26T08:56:13","modified_gmt":"2025-03-26T12:56:13","slug":"utc-karate-club-punches-above-its-weight-in-martial-arts-competition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/03\/utc-karate-club-punches-above-its-weight-in-martial-arts-competition\/","title":{"rendered":"UTC Karate Club punches above its weight in martial arts competition"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_66527\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"1259\" data-attachment-id=\"66527\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/03\/utc-karate-club-punches-above-its-weight-in-martial-arts-competition\/heres-another-one-taken-by-a-bryan-photographer-hailey-henderson-in-the-yellow-belt-clashing-with-a-higher-rank\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Heres-another-one-taken-by-a-Bryan-photographer.-Hailey-Henderson-in-the-yellow-belt-clashing-with-a-higher-rank-e1742696097401.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1280,1259\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1742236515&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Here&amp;#8217;s another one, taken by a Bryan photographer. Hailey Henderson in the yellow belt, clashing with a higher rank.\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Heres-another-one-taken-by-a-Bryan-photographer.-Hailey-Henderson-in-the-yellow-belt-clashing-with-a-higher-rank-e1742696097401-1024x1007.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-66527 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Heres-another-one-taken-by-a-Bryan-photographer.-Hailey-Henderson-in-the-yellow-belt-clashing-with-a-higher-rank-e1742696097401.jpg\" alt=\"UTC sophomore Hailey Henderson (in yellow belt) clashes with a higher rank at the Bryan Open Karate Tournament (photo credit: Bryan College).\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Heres-another-one-taken-by-a-Bryan-photographer.-Hailey-Henderson-in-the-yellow-belt-clashing-with-a-higher-rank-e1742696097401.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Heres-another-one-taken-by-a-Bryan-photographer.-Hailey-Henderson-in-the-yellow-belt-clashing-with-a-higher-rank-e1742696097401-1024x1007.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Heres-another-one-taken-by-a-Bryan-photographer.-Hailey-Henderson-in-the-yellow-belt-clashing-with-a-higher-rank-e1742696097401-768x756.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Heres-another-one-taken-by-a-Bryan-photographer.-Hailey-Henderson-in-the-yellow-belt-clashing-with-a-higher-rank-e1742696097401-800x787.jpg 800w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Heres-another-one-taken-by-a-Bryan-photographer.-Hailey-Henderson-in-the-yellow-belt-clashing-with-a-higher-rank-e1742696097401-580x571.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Heres-another-one-taken-by-a-Bryan-photographer.-Hailey-Henderson-in-the-yellow-belt-clashing-with-a-higher-rank-e1742696097401-610x600.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Heres-another-one-taken-by-a-Bryan-photographer.-Hailey-Henderson-in-the-yellow-belt-clashing-with-a-higher-rank-e1742696097401-1536x1511.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Heres-another-one-taken-by-a-Bryan-photographer.-Hailey-Henderson-in-the-yellow-belt-clashing-with-a-higher-rank-e1742696097401-2048x2015.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Heres-another-one-taken-by-a-Bryan-photographer.-Hailey-Henderson-in-the-yellow-belt-clashing-with-a-higher-rank-e1742696097401-75x75.jpg 75w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">UTC sophomore Hailey Henderson (in yellow belt) clashes with a higher rank at the Bryan Open Karate Tournament (photo credit: Bryan College).<\/p><\/div>\n<p>When the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Karate Club traveled to Dayton, Tennessee, earlier this month for the Bryan Open Karate Tournament, the expectations were modest.<\/p>\n<p>The UTC Karate Club, one of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.utc.edu\/enrollment-management-and-student-affairs\/campus-recreation\/club-sports\/explore-our-clubs\"><strong>Campus Recreation\u2019s club sports<\/strong><\/a>, is relatively new on campus. The organization began during the 2023-2024 academic year and practices just once per week. But when the club went up against seasoned competitors from traditional martial arts academies on March 8\u2014including scholarship athletes from Bryan College\u2019s Martial Arts Academy\u2014the results told a different story.<\/p>\n<p>Four UTC representatives brought home a total of seven medals in kata (forms), kumite (sparring) and weapons events. In total, six of the seven UTC competitors earned a top-four placement.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Bradley Reynolds, a senior lecturer of environmental science, is the UTC Karate Club\u2019s founder and lead instructor. Dr. Ethan Carver, associate provost for Academic Affairs and dean of the Graduate School, is a co-advisor and co-instructor, and Meagan Matthews is an assistant instructor.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re tiny, we\u2019re new, and we\u2019re not what most people expect when they think of a club sport,\u201d said Reynolds, who has privately taught karate for about 10 years. \u201cOur students competed against dedicated martial arts schools and athletes who train multiple times per week and they found success. That\u2019s a testament to their commitment, discipline and courage.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Medalists and top four finishers from the Bryan Open Tournament included:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Sophomore mechanical engineering major Hailey Henderson, who placed first in women\u2019s beginners kata and second in women\u2019s intermediate kumite<\/li>\n<li>Sophomore communication major Ryan Conley, who placed first in men\u2019s beginners kumite<\/li>\n<li>Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology Duncan Overton, who was first in both men\u2019s beginners weapons and men\u2019s beginners kata and fourth in men\u2019s beginners kumite<\/li>\n<li>Sophomore creative writing major Collin Jackson, who finished third in men\u2019s beginners kata<\/li>\n<li>Sophomore marketing major Zach Valdez, who was fourth in men\u2019s black belt kata<\/li>\n<li>Reynolds, who was fourth in senior men\u2019s weapons<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Reynolds, a 5th-degree black belt in Isshinryu Karate, said he typically doesn\u2019t compete in tournaments anymore but entered this one to demonstrate solidarity with his students.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wanted to show them that I was just as invested and willing to be in the ring,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>One of the club\u2019s most noteworthy performances came from Henderson, a beginner who was bumped up to the intermediate level in kumite due to a lack of opponents in her division. Despite the challenge, she earned second place.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe met the moment,\u201d Reynolds said. \u201cThat\u2019s not just a physical feat; it\u2019s a mental one. She was going up against opponents with far more experience, but she didn\u2019t back down.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_66526\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1019\" height=\"1280\" data-attachment-id=\"66526\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/03\/utc-karate-club-punches-above-its-weight-in-martial-arts-competition\/duncan-overton-is-wielding-the-bo-staff\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Duncan-Overton-is-wielding-the-bo-staff.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1019,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1742236747&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Duncan Overton is wielding the bo staff\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Duncan-Overton-is-wielding-the-bo-staff-815x1024.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-66526 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Duncan-Overton-is-wielding-the-bo-staff.jpg\" alt=\"Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology Duncan Overton, who finished first in both men\u2019s beginners weapons and men\u2019s beginners kata and fourth in men\u2019s beginners kumite, wields the bo (photo credit: Bryan College).\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Duncan-Overton-is-wielding-the-bo-staff.jpg 1019w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Duncan-Overton-is-wielding-the-bo-staff-815x1024.jpg 815w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Duncan-Overton-is-wielding-the-bo-staff-768x965.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Duncan-Overton-is-wielding-the-bo-staff-800x1005.jpg 800w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Duncan-Overton-is-wielding-the-bo-staff-580x729.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Duncan-Overton-is-wielding-the-bo-staff-610x767.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Duncan-Overton-is-wielding-the-bo-staff-1222x1536.jpg 1222w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Duncan-Overton-is-wielding-the-bo-staff-1630x2048.jpg 1630w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1019px) 100vw, 1019px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology Duncan Overton, who finished first in both men\u2019s beginners weapons and men\u2019s beginners kata and fourth in men\u2019s beginners kumite, wields the bo (photo credit: Bryan College).<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The UTC Karate Club began after Reynolds\u2014who has \u201cbeen in and out of karate since I was 11 years old\u201d\u2014gauged student interest and received encouragement from Eddrick Brooks, coordinator of club sports in Campus Recreation.<\/p>\n<p>Reynolds said he then \u201cpitched the club to the Student Government Association and it was very well received.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He explained the importance of the different roles karate plays.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is a misconception that karate is for kids. It\u2019s not. Not even close,\u201d Reynolds said. \u201cKarate is a serious civil fighting system, primarily developed for empty-hand self-defense. It\u2019s intricate, sophisticated and potentially complex when done properly. There is a lot of striking, but there are also throws, grappling, joint locks, chokes and takedowns.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSecond, one of the big advantages of karate is that studying karate can give a person something positive to focus on at a time when they may really need it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>What started as a small group training weekly in the Aquatic and Recreation Center quickly found traction, building a dedicated group of students committed to practicing regularly outside of formal meetings.<\/p>\n<p>One of those students is Jackson, who literally stumbled upon the club a year ago while writing about it for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theutcecho.com\/features\/the-art-of-defense-utc-welcomes-karate-club\/article_19496b48-ca7a-11ee-a5c4-173437998528.html\"><strong>University Echo<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was assigned to cover the club even though I didn\u2019t really enjoy writing about sports,\u201d said Jackson, a sophomore creative writing major from Hendersonville, Tennessee. \u201cI set up an interview with Dr. Reynolds and he told me, \u2018Hey, while you\u2019re here, if you want to do the interview after the class, you can just sign this waiver, take your shoes off and line up.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He decided to join in, figuring it would help him write the article, and \u201cI ended up loving it from the first second.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Jackson kept returning week after week, eventually earning a yellow belt and receiving the club\u2019s \u201cHeart of the Team\u201d award. By the end of the semester, he had volunteered to become the club\u2019s vice president.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven if I\u2019m still a low belt rank, it\u2019s been a really important journey for me,\u201d said Jackson\u2014who now has long-term karate aspirations. \u201cI know that I want to do this for the rest of my life and I know that I want to get to a black belt. I want to be able to say, \u2018I randomly started in college and I worked my way up to a black belt.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI never had any interest in athletics growing up. I wasn\u2019t disciplined. But karate has helped me become a better student and a better person.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For Jackson, karate is about much more than physical fitness or competition.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIsshinryu Karate and all martial arts begin and end with courtesy and respect\u2014which is something that I had not realized. That\u2019s what Dr. Reynolds teaches us from day one,\u201d Jackson said. \u201cKarate is about developing strength\u2014not to be abusive but to be able to protect myself and protect other people.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m a very spiritual person. I love the symbolism. I love being able to show, \u2018Hey, I don\u2019t want to fight you. I respect you, but if you\u2019re going to threaten me or threaten people I love, I will defend myself.\u2019 I think that\u2019s really cool.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Although his specialty is the art of Isshinryu Karate, Reynolds said the UTC Karate Club welcomes students with backgrounds in other disciplines. The spirit of camaraderie and cultural appreciation are central to the club\u2019s philosophy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve had students with backgrounds in judo, jiu-jitsu and other forms join us,\u201d he said. \u201cEveryone shares knowledge and everyone learns.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe even had a young man from Japan last year, Issei Maura, who trained with us while studying at UTC. That cross-cultural exchange, seeing someone from the birthplace of karate training alongside students from the Southeast, was a beautiful thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Looking ahead, Reynolds hopes the club continues to grow in size and reputation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want this to be a presence on campus that becomes bigger than karate,\u201d he said. \u201cKarate begins and ends with courtesy and respect. If our students carry that with them into classrooms, into their lives and into the community, then we\u2019re doing something right.\u201d<\/p>\n<h4>Learn more<\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.utc.edu\/enrollment-management-and-student-affairs\/admissions\/visit\">Visit UTC<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.utc.edu\/enrollment-management-and-student-affairs\/campus-recreation\">UTC Campus Recreation<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.utc.edu\/enrollment-management-and-student-affairs\/campus-recreation\/club-sports\/explore-our-clubs\">Club Sports<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.utc.edu\/apply\">How to apply<\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_66525\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1015\" height=\"1160\" data-attachment-id=\"66525\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/03\/utc-karate-club-punches-above-its-weight-in-martial-arts-competition\/meagan-matthews-is-flipping-the-sais\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Meagan-Matthews-is-flipping-the-sais-e1742696281918.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1015,1160\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Meagan Matthews is flipping the sais\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Meagan-Matthews-is-flipping-the-sais-e1742696281918-896x1024.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-66525 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Meagan-Matthews-is-flipping-the-sais-e1742696281918.jpg\" alt=\"UTC Karate Club assistant instructor Meagan Matthews flips the sais (photo credit: Bryan College).\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Meagan-Matthews-is-flipping-the-sais-e1742696281918.jpg 1015w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Meagan-Matthews-is-flipping-the-sais-e1742696281918-896x1024.jpg 896w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Meagan-Matthews-is-flipping-the-sais-e1742696281918-768x878.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Meagan-Matthews-is-flipping-the-sais-e1742696281918-800x914.jpg 800w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Meagan-Matthews-is-flipping-the-sais-e1742696281918-580x663.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2025\/03\/Meagan-Matthews-is-flipping-the-sais-e1742696281918-610x697.jpg 610w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1015px) 100vw, 1015px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">UTC Karate Club assistant instructor Meagan Matthews flips the sais (photo credit: Bryan College).<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The UTC Karate Club, one of Campus Recreation\u2019s club sports, is relatively new on campus. The organization began during the 2023-2024 academic year and practices just once per week. But when the club went up against seasoned competitors from traditional martial arts academies on March 8\u2014including scholarship athletes from Bryan College\u2019s Martial Arts Academy\u2014the results told a different story.<\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-wrap\"><span><a class=\"more-link button text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/03\/utc-karate-club-punches-above-its-weight-in-martial-arts-competition\/\"><span>Continue Reading <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1493,"featured_media":66527,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_slider":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_featurette":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[661,70,123864,15,61,59,4866,98,7712,57,52,8244,122497,12740,64,286,12756],"tags":[5007,72914,10209,566,124269,123827,47981,125342,123180,48069,125340,125346,125344,124776,123829,125341,125345,125339,125343],"class_list":{"0":"post-66522","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-academics","8":"category-advancement-and-alumni","9":"category-campus","10":"category-college-of-arts-sciences","11":"category-college-of-engineering-and-computer-science","12":"category-communication","13":"category-english","14":"category-faculty-and-staff","15":"category-college-of-business","16":"category-graduate-school","17":"category-honors-and-awards","18":"category-marketing","19":"category-mechanical-engineering","20":"category-news","21":"category-psychology","22":"category-student-government-association","23":"category-students","24":"tag-aquatic-and-recreation-center","25":"tag-bradley-reynolds","26":"tag-campus-recreation","27":"tag-club-sports","28":"tag-collin-jackson","29":"tag-creating-the-mocs-experience","30":"tag-creative-writing","31":"tag-duncan-overton","32":"tag-eddrick-brooks","33":"tag-ethan-carver","34":"tag-hailey-henderson","35":"tag-issei-maura","36":"tag-meagan-matthews","37":"tag-mocs-learn-mocs-do-mocs-lead","38":"tag-operating-with-excellence","39":"tag-ryan-conley","40":"tag-university-echo","41":"tag-utc-karate-club","42":"tag-zach-valdez","43":"entry"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UTC Karate Club punches above its weight in martial arts competition | UTC News Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The UTC Karate Club, one of Campus Recreation\u2019s club sports, is relatively new on campus. The organization began during the 2023-2024 academic year and practices just once per week. But when the club went up against seasoned competitors from traditional martial arts academies on March 8\u2014including scholarship athletes from Bryan College\u2019s Martial Arts Academy\u2014the results told a different story.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UTC Karate Club punches above its weight in martial arts competition | UTC News Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The UTC Karate Club, one of Campus Recreation\u2019s club sports, is relatively new on campus. The organization began during the 2023-2024 academic year and practices just once per week. 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