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Ken Marantz Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter 10/10/04
Japan had already clinched the women's wrestling World Cup before Kyoko Hamaguchi stepped onto the mat.
But she had too many demons to sweep away to not end the tournament on a high note with a victory.
Hamaguchi pulled out a tough win over China's Ma Bailing, providing the final points as Japan secured the title with a decisive 23-4 victory in the final match Saturday at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym.
The score was nearly a repeat of Japan's 24-4 win over Russia earlier in the day.
Japan, fielding the equivalent of the NBA "Dream Team," finished the two-day, six-team event with a perfect 5-0 record, with Canada finishing second at 4-1 and China third at 3-2.
Finishing up with a victory was particularly sweet for Hamaguchi, who lost in the final match at last year's World Cup to give the United States the title, then could only manage a bronze medal at this summer's Athens Olympics.
Japan had won the first two editions of the team world championship in 2001 and 2002, only to fall to the United States last year in Tokyo.
"I got my revenge at the World Cup and now we're No. 1," said Hamaguchi, who was named the tournament's outstanding wrestler. "It's a big relief."
The dramatic finale by Hamaguchi went well with the Hollywood-like atmosphere surrounding the nationally-televised meet.
Riding the wave of popularity in one of Japan's most successful sports in Athens, NTV pulled out the stops in putting on a show that including flashing lights and Las Vegas-style introductions of the wrestlers on a massive scoreboard screen.
The main draw, of course, was not necessarily the wrestlers themselves, but Hamaguchi's father, former pro wrestler Heigo "Animal" Hamaguchi.
The Animal, at his bellowing best, sat front row and center in special matside seats with a large band of head-banned, white T-shirted supporters, the TV cameras never leaving his side.
On the mat, Japan completely overwhelmed the competition, winning 30 of its 35 individual bouts over the two days.
The only breach in the Japanese fortress was at 67 kg, where it could only manage one win in five matches.
Olympic champion and two-time world champion Saori Yoshida, the lone Japanese to see action in all five matches, finished unbeaten by pinning China's Sun Dongmei.
Yoshida has never lost an international match, stretching her winning streak to 79 matches over 17 tournaments.
Kaori Icho, like Yoshida a two-time world titlist and the other Athens gold medalist on the Japanese squad, also won by fall in 3:52 to finish the tournament 4-0.
Icho's older sister Chiharu, however, had a close call at 48 kg, when she needed overtime to defeat Deng Weichan 3-2.
The 19-year-old Deng, a bronze medalist at this year's Asian Championships, led 1-0 going into the second period when Icho scored a pair of takedowns to go ahead 2-1 as regulation time expired.
As a wrestler needs three points for a victory, the match went into overtime, from which Deng tied the score from the initial clinch position.
But Icho, who relies mainly on defensive counters, launched an effective double-leg tackle that sent Deng to the mat for the decisive point at the 8:00 mark.
Four-time world champion Seiko Yamamoto completed a shaky tournament at 59 kg with a fall, but not until after falling behind to Tan Dongmei.
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WOMEN’S COLLEGE PREVIEW: Cumberland and Missouri Valley expected to battle for top team honors
10/13/2004
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
The two top college women’s wrestling teams from last year, Cumberland College and Missouri Valley College, are once again expected to battle for prominence during the 2004-05 women’s college season. Both teams bring back a number of talented stars, and had large recruiting classes loaded with talented newcomers.
The early season will be a period where each team will sort out its starting lineup, and the bragging rights for women’s college wrestling will be determined in the winter and spring. Last year, there were both a college women’s national individual tournament, as well as a college women’s dual meet tournament, to help sort out the final national standings.
Pacific University had a strong season last year, and hopes to move up and challenge both Cumberland and Missouri Valley. Menlo College returns a number of talented individuals. Lassen College brings in a strong recruiting class and will have better depth than past seasons. MacMurray College has a group of newcomers looking to establish a growing program.
There will also be a number of women college wrestlers who either compete on a men’s college team, or are enrolled at a university but also active on the national women’s wrestling scene. These individuals will also be considered in the rankings during the women’s college season.
TheMat.com takes a closer look at each of the women’s college teams.
Cumberland College
The Patriots have both strong individual talents, as well as depth throughout the lineup, and will once again challenge for college team supremacy.
Three athletes who finished the 2003-04 season with No. 1 college rankings return to lead Kip Flanik’s Patriots team. Two of these athletes were in the championship finals at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Alaina Berube at 138.75 pounds and Toccara Montgomery at 158 pounds.
Montgomery made the U.S. Olympic Team and placed seventh in Athens, Greece. She is a two-time World silver medalist and has been the most dominant women’s college wrestler in history. In her senior season, Montgomery is expected to dominate the college scene again. Berube was defeated in the Olympic Trials finals, and comes back to the college scene as a junior. She has the ability to drop down to 130 pounds, if she chooses, or continue to excel up at 138.75 pounds. Berube is also one of the most dominant individuals in women’s college wrestling.
The other returning No. 1 college athlete is Suekoilya Shelly, who is expected to compete at 130 pounds but could end up at another weight depending on how Flanik juggles his lineup. Shelly was third at the U.S. Senior Nationals last year at 130 pounds, and also won a silver medal at the College Nationals competing at 138.75 pounds.
Heather Martin comes in as a freshman who is expected to immediately challenge for top honors on the college level. Martin was second at the U.S. Senior Nationals at 147.5 pounds last year, and was also a FILA Junior National champion. She may start the season with a No. 1 ranking, based upon her dominance on the Senior level while still in high school
The Cumberland lineup also returns a number of other wrestlers who ended the season with national rankings on the college level. Expected to battle for starting positions are three talented sophomores, No. 7 Aquila Hills at 105.5 pounds, No. 5 Daisy Callado at 112 pounds and No. 3 Othella Lucas at 121 pounds. Lucas has had success competing on the Senior level. Other ranked wrestlers from last season who might crack the lineup somewhere are No. 4 Shelly Ruberg at either 138.75 or 147.5 pounds and No. 4 Sherry Hilliard at 176 pounds.
Other talented freshmen who could see some action for the Patriots are Jessica Medina at 105.5 pounds, Chelsea Roundtreaa at 121 pounds and Tabitha Golt at 158 pounds. Coach Flanik will have a lot of options with the talent in his room, and should be able to do very well both in tournaments and in dual meets.
Cumberland College projected started lineup
(with state, year and final ’04 U.S. college ranking)
105 – Aquilla Hills (PA, soph., No. 7) or Jessica Medina (CA, fr.)
112 – Daisy Callado (TX, soph., No. 5) or Medina
121 – Othella Lucas (CA, soph., No 3 at 63 kg) or Chelsea Roundtree (KY, fr.)
130 – Suekoilya Shelly (TX, soph., No. 1)
138 – Alaina Berube (MI, jr., No. 1) or Shelly Ruberg (OH, jr., No. 4 at 59 kg)
147 – Heather Martin (OH, fr.) or Ruberg
158 – Toccara Montgomery (OH, sr., No. 1) or Tabitha Golt (VA, fr.)
176 – Montgomery, Golt or Sherri Hillard (ND, soph., No. 4 at 147)
Cumberland College depth chart
105 – Hills, Medina, Melissa Girard (MI, fr.), Rene Mortinson (CA, soph., No. 6), Becky D’Ambrosia (OH, sr.), Kristin McKenna (FL, soph.), Ana Ramey (TX, fr.)
112 – Callado, Maggie Klauck (FL, soph., No. 7), Kiara Baugh (TX, sr.), Brenda McDaniels (MA, sr.), Deseree Cazeras (TX, fr.)
121 – Lucas, Roundtree, Jessi Shirley (OH, sr.), Tiffany Gay (MA, sr.)
130 – Shelly
138 –Berube, Ruberg, Aja Smith (IN, jr., No. 6), Allison Hooper (TX, soph.), Emmy Thompson (TX, fr.)
147 – Heather Martin (OH, fr.),
158 –Montgomery, Golt, Megan Nevill (MI, soph., No. 3), Jesse Clifton (GA, jr.), Elizabeth Hernandez (FL, fr.), Lisa Obregon (TX, fr.)
176 – Hilliard, Theresa Fennell (TX, fr.), Wendy Hunter (OH, sr.)
Missouri Valley College
The Vikings return a number of talented veteran wrestlers who will allow the team to fight for the No. 1 spot on the college scene and make an impact on the Senior National level. In spite of the good depth of the returning athletes, Coach Carl Murphree lost a few starting athletes to graduation or transfer, and may need some talented newcomers to step up in order to reach their high team goals. Missouri Valley won the team title at the College National tournament last season and look for a repeat this year.
Two athletes return with No. 1 rankings on the women’s college level last year, junior Kelly Branham at 147.5 pounds and sophomore Stephany Lee at 176 pounds. Lee was a U.S. Senior Nationals runner-up at 158.5 pounds last year behind Cumberland’s Montgomery, and has a number of other major achievements on the national level. Branham was fourth at the U.S. Senior Nationals, second at the FILA Junior Nationals and won a gold medal at the College National tournament.
Coming back from last year is junior No. 2 Brooke Bogren at 130 pounds. Bogren won the title at the College Nationals, and was seventh at the U.S. Senior Nationals.
A top transfer is sophomore Tabithia Ramsey, who climbed to a No. 3 college ranking last year at 112 pounds competing for UM-Morris. Sophomore No. 4 Maika Watanabe is expected to be the starter at 121 pounds, at least as the team enters the season.
Other returning athletes who were ranked nationally in college last season were sophomore No. 5 Julie Duarte at 130 pounds and sophomore No. 4 Alecia McCoy at 158 pounds. Neither is guaranteed a starting spot on this large team with great depth.
Murphree brought in 15 recruits this year, including some of the top prospects in the nation. Expected to wrestle at 105.5 pounds is freshman Sadie Kaneda, who was seventh at the U.S. Senior Nationals last year and was also a USGWA High School National champion. A contender for the spot at 138 pounds is Rachel Billerbeck, who was third at the USGWA Nationals. Another highly touted freshman is Astrid Gomez at 121 pounds, who was second at the USGWA Nationals.
The fate of the Viking program may depend on how quickly some of the newcomers progress on the college level, and if the returning veterans provide the kind of leadership to bring this team together at the major events. Missouri Valley has a tradition of excellence in women’s wrestling, and this squad is expected to keep that tradition moving forward. The lineup will have very few juniors or seniors, so the talented young athletes in the room will take this team as far as it can go.
Missouri Valley College projected started lineup
(with state, year and final ’04 U.S. college ranking)
105 – Sadie Kaneda (HI, fr.)
112 – Tabithia Ramsey (TX, soph., transfer, No. 3)
121 – Maika Watanabe (CA, soph., No. 4 at 55 kg)
130 – Brooke Bogren (KS, jr., No. 2) or
138 – Julie Duarte (CA, soph., No. 5 )
147 – Kelly Branham (AZ, jr., No. 1)
158 – Alecia McCoy (TX, soph., No. 4)
176 – Stephany Lee (HI, soph., No. 1)
Missouri Valley College depth chart
105 – Kaneda, Angelee Homma (HI, soph.), Norine Cruz (CA, fr.)
112 – Ramsey, Jennifer Aniano (MI, fr.), Carmen Ramos (TX, fr.), Britney Sevey (AK, fr.)
121 – Watanabe, Kiersten Hyatt (CA, sr., No. 3),Sandy Do (CA, soph.), Katherine Bareeda (TX, fr.), Jennifer Harvey (CA, soph.), Erika Chew (TX, soph.), Hope Jones (TX, fr.),
130 – Bogren, Astrid Gomez (TX, fr.), Sarah Shumacher (TX, fr.), Clarissa Calibuso (HI, soph., No. 6), Stephanie Haver (TX, fr.), Maria Dunn (Guam, fr.)
138 – Duarte, Rachel Billerbeck (TX, fr.), Billerbeck, Chanea Meletia (HI, fr.), Shannon Silvet (CA, fr.)
147 – Branham
158 – McCoy, Selina Perez (HI, soph., No. 6)
176 – Lee
Pacific University
Coach Scott Miller has developed a team that can be very competitive in both dual meets and tournaments, but lacks the depth that Cumberland or Missouri Valley brings to the scene. The Boxers have an experienced returning athlete at almost every weight class, and will rely on these proven wrestlers to improve and provide leadership if the team wishes to challenge for one of the top two team rankings.
Six of the athletes from last year’s team return to fill starting positions, and all earned a national ranking on the college level last year. Two of these wrestlers finished the season with No. 2 college rankings, sophomore Kapua Torres at 112 pounds and senior Desi Lockhart at 121 pounds. Lockhart won a gold medal and Torres a silver medal at the College National tournament last year, and both had wins over talented opponents during the college season.
The four other returning nationally ranked athletes are senior No. 4 Kristin Fujioka at 105.5 pounds, sophomore No. 8 Michelle Ludwig at 130 pounds, sophomore No. 8 Brenna Larkin at 138.75 pounds and sophomore No. 6 Stacy Martell at 147 pounds. Fujioka has a ton of experience, and will be expected to be a leader on this squad. Martell will not compete until the second semester, in order to study abroad during the fall.
The Boxers are a little short on athletes in the upper weights, and may need freshman Ashley Truchan to develop quickly at 158 pounds. As in past years, Miller often moved athletes around in the lineup in order to cover all eight weight classes, and this may be the case this year for dual meets. Some of the freshmen who may play important roles for the team this year are Valerie Prise at 105.5 pounds, Jazmine Cockett at 130 pounds, Titilope Lawani at 138.75 pounds and Sammi Jo Edwards at 147 pounds. Pacific will be right in the mix again this season, but will only go as far as its returning athletes will take them.
Pacific Univ. projected started lineup
(with state, year and final ’04 U.S. college ranking)
105 – Kristin Fujioka (HI, sr., No. 4)
112 – Kapua Torres (HI, soph., No. 2)
121 – Desi Lockhart (WA, sr., No. 2)
130 – Michelle Ludwig (CA, soph., No. 8)
138 – Brenna Larkin (AZ, soph., No. 8)
147 – Stacy Martell (OR, soph., No. 6)
158 – Ashley Truchan (HI, fr.).
176 – open
Pacific Univ. depth chart
105 – Fujioka, Valerie Prise (CA, fr.)
112 – Torres, Teresa Ayala (CA, soph.)
121 – Lockhart, Shannon Logan (NY, soph.), Crystal Okamoto (HI, fr.)
130 – Ludwig, Jazmine Cockett (HI, fr.)
138 – Larkin, Titilope Lawani (CA, fr.)
147 – Martell, Sammi Jo Edwards (OR, fr.), Anela Iseke (HI, fr.)
158 – Truchan
176 – open
Menlo College
Menlo College returns two top stars, along with a few other athletes with experience, but has a challenge with team depth. Coach Lee Allen will need to keep his team healthy, and also bring along some freshmen recruits, if Menlo is to have much success this season.
The top athlete on the team is Sara Fulp-Allen, a sophomore who placed third in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials last year and ended the season with a No. 2 college ranking. She should move to No. 1 this season in the early rankings. She won the College Nationals tournament and was fourth in the U.S. Senior Nationals. Fulp-Allen is tall for the division and has learned how to score against top-quality challengers.
The other top wrestler in the program is sophomore Misty Stalley, who finished the 2004 college season with a No. 2 college ranking at 176 pounds. She was third at the College Nationals as well as the FILA Juniors last year. Stalley dropped down to 72 kg for the U.S. Senior Nationals and placed eighth.
Other returning athletes who must make an impact are Melissa Gutierrez at 112 pounds, Becky Tavera at 138.75 pounds, Jessica Eberhart at 147.5 pounds and Chelsey Torres at 176 pounds. Guttierez and Torres are sophomores, while Tavera and Eberhart are juniors. Torres had a No. 4 college ranking at the end of last year, while Tavera finished the year at No. 7.
Allen brought in four new freshmen, led by ASICS Second Team member Laurin Daniels at 121 pounds. Daniels was second at the USGWA High School Nationals last year. Freshman Jade Prudent joins the team at 130 pounds. Both Daniels and Prudent should be starters in the Menlo lineup.
Menlo College should be able to field a solid dual meet team, but will be pressed in tournament competition due to its lack of depth.
Menlo College projected started lineup
(with state, year and final ’04 U.S. college ranking)
105 – Sara Fulp-Allen (CA, soph., No. 2)
112 – Melissa Gutierrez (CA, soph.)
121 – Laurin Daniels (WA, fr.)
130 – Jade Prudent (TX, fr.)
138 – Dina (Becky) Tavera (CA, jr., No. 7)
147 – Jessica Eberhart (TX, jr.)
158 – Misty Stalley (CA, soph., No. 2 at 80 kg)
176 – Chelsey Torres (HI, soph., No. 4)
Menlo College depth chart
105 – Fulp-Allen, Rita Rameriz (CA, soph.)
112 – Gutierrez
121 – Daniels
130 – Prudent
138 – Tavera
147 – Eberhart
158 – Stalley, Allison Uribe (CA, fr.)
176 – Torres
Lassen College
With the recruitment of 12 freshmen to the team, Coach Paul Gomez has firmed up the lineup and can now look to make an impact on the national level. As a two-year school, Lassen will always need to bring in a good group of wrestlers. With the healthy women’s wrestling scene in California, this can be achieved as the program continues to grow.
The core group leading this team will be the sophomores returning from last season who will be expected to hold down starting positions while the newcomers develop. They include Sabrina Lancilotti-Valdez at 112 pounds, Meghan Cox at 130 pounds, Andrea Hale at 147.5 pounds and Irine Prioux at 176 pounds. Both Lancilotti-Valdez and Prioux ended the 2004 college season with No. 6 rankings, while Hale finished the year at No. 5. With a year in college wrestling, all of these athletes will be expected to climb higher in the rankings.
The recruiting class is led by Jessica Hsieh, who is projected to start at 105.5 pounds, and was an ASICS Second Team member and USGWA High School champion. Other freshmen who were USGWA All-Americans last year were Ashley Nethercott, who could start at 121 pounds and Summer Scott, who wrestles at 130 pounds. Only time will tell which of the freshmen will make the biggest impact this year.
Lassen will need to move people around in the middle weights for any dual meet competitions, but now have more than enough athletes to fill their lineup. This team will have an opportunity to improve as the season progresses while establishing the program for future seasons.
Lassen College projected started lineup
(with state, year and final ’04 U.S. college ranking)
105 – Jessica Hsieh (CA, fr.) or Damaris Barrios (CA, soph.)
112 – Sabrina Lancilotti-Valdez (CA, soph., No. 6)
121 – Ashley Nethercott (CA, fr.)
130 – Meghan Cox (ID, soph.)
138 – open
147 – Andrea Hale (IL, soph., No. 5)
158 – Natasha Phinney (CA, fr.), Rachel Knight (CA, fr.), Amy Yeo (CA, fr.) or Caityln Case (CA, fr.)
176 – Irine Prioux (CA, soph., No. 6)
Lassen College depth chart
105 – Hseih, Barrios, Alexa Torres-Canizalez (CA, fr.), Tiffany Leo (CA, fr.)
112 – Lancilotti-Valdez, Candice Clements (NE, fr.)
121 – Nethercott
130 – Cox, Summer Scott (CA, fr.), Monica Celaya (CA, fr.)
138 – open
147 – Hale, Juan Juarez (CA, fr.)
158 – Phinney, Knight, Yeo or Case
176 – Prioux
MacMurray College
Coach Jerry Kelly started a women’s club program with three athletes who competed on the Senior level, as well as in college events. His daughter Mary Kelly ended with a No. 1 ranking at 105.5 pounds, Amy Borgnini was at No. 8 at 121 pounds and Randi Miller finished at No. 2 at 158.5 pounds. All three athletes joined the USOEC University resident program at Northern Michigan Univ., leaving Kelly with an empty room heading into recruiting season.
Kelly brought in five new athletes to keep the program growing, led by transfer Kayci Thompson, who started her college career at Missouri Valley College. She placed sixth at the FILA Junior Nationals last season, and closed the year with a No. 7 ranking at 112 pounds. Also joining the team is Jessica Surratt, projected for 176 pounds, who was fourth at the Junior Nationals last summer.
The other athletes, all who will see action right away, are April Dick at 121 pounds, Andrea Whitney at 130 pounds and Laura Conway at 147 pounds. Coach Kelly may also have a few walkons who are participating in other sports on campus, which might help build a larger team for dual meets and tournaments.
The university is considering making the women’s club a varsity program if Kelly can increase the size of the roster in the near future. Based upon a commitment to the women wrestlers, it would not be surprising to see this squad grow next year and achieve varsity status. Meanwhile, MacMurray athletes will be battling for individual rankings and the club will be considered in the national team rankings.
MacMurray College projected started lineup
(with state, year and final ’04 U.S. college ranking)
105 – Kayci Thompson (MO, soph., transfer, No. 7 at 112)
112 – open
121 – April Dick (IL, fr.)
130 – Andrea Whitney (CA, fr.)
138 – open
147 – Laura Conway (IL, fr.)
158 – open
176 – Jessica Surratt (TX, fr.)
Cal–State Bakersfield
Coach T.J. Kerr maintains a commitment to women wrestlers as part of the program at Cal-State Bakersfield. In the early years of women’s wrestling, the Roadrunners fielded a team of women college athletes, with a few of the individuals making an impact on the Senior level. While the number of women involved with varsity wrestling is no longer large at Bakersfield, the coach and team has provided the opportunity for women to wrestle in college.
This year, two talented 105.5-pound wrestlers return for Cal-Bakersfield as sophomores. Laura Felix ended the 2004 college season with a No. 3 national ranking and Amantha Hordagoda was ranked at No. 5 in the final college rankings. Both are expected to be among the top lightweights again this year, and both are very active on the national wrestling scene.
Felix was fifth at the U.S. Senior Nationals, and also captured a silver medal at the FILA Junior Nationals and a bronze medal at the University Nationals. Hordagoda placed at a number of international tournaments during the last few seasons. These athletes will continue to keep Bakersfield on the map within women’s wrestling, and certainly strengthen to quality of the competition at the lightest weight class.
Cal-State Bakersfield projected started lineup
(with state, year and final ’04 U.S. college ranking)
105 – Laura Felix (CA, soph., No. 3), Amantha Hordagoda (CA, soph., No. 5)
W.O.W. club of Pennsylvania
Ron Tirpak, the wrestling coach at Ursinus College, has a commitment to building a college wrestling team in his region. He has worked with women wrestlers, both high school and college, on the club level in recent seasons. Although he does not have his college supporting a women’s team yet, he has been able to collect a number of college women in the area to form a club and compete on the national level. His group is called W.O.W. (Women Only Wrestling) and the club includes full-time college student-athletes who are wrestling and will be included in the college rankings.
The top returning athlete is Jen Chu, a sophomore at Haverford College, who was ranked at times during last year’s college season. Chu is expected to be a top challenger at 130 pounds this year. She won a gold medal at the Concordia Tournament in Canada last year, and wrestled at the Dave Schultz International. She was also sixth at the Canada Cup this past summer.
Coming in as a talented freshman is Jess Lamina of Ursinus College, who wrestles at 121 pounds. Lamina was sixth at the Canada Cup this summer and second at the Concordia Tournament in Canada last winter. She was active on the U.S. women’s age-group levels wrestling for Tirpak’s club program, with a fourth place at the FILA Junior Nationals last year.
The other three women in the club who are college students have not yet made a name nationally, but will be eligible for the individual rankings and are expected to compete on the women’s circuit.
W.O.W. club projected started lineup
(with state, year and final ’04 U.S. college ranking)
112 – Kristen Condello, Univ. of Pennsylvania (PA, soph) or Diane Michaelson, Bryn Mawr College (PA, fr.)
121 – Jess Lamina, Ursinus College (PA, fr.)
138 – Jen Chu, Haverford College (PA, soph.)
W.OW. club depth chart
112 – Condello, Michaelson
121 – Lamina,
138 – Chu, Maya Bass, Wesleyan Univ. (PA, fr.)
Princeton
In recent seasons, Princeton has had women wrestlers as part of its men’s program, and the athletes competed often at the major women’s competitions within the nation. The athletes were often ranked within the women’s college individual rankings, and Princeton received votes in the team rankings.
This year, there is one woman in the Tiger wrestling room, senior Audrey Pang, who finished the last women’s college season with a No. 6 national ranking. Pang may not see much action on the women’s circuit, as she may open the season as the starting 125-pounder on the men’s varsity team. Very few women wrestlers have held down college varsity men’s starting positions before (World medalists Patricia Miranda at Stanford and Jackie Berube at UW-LaCrosse did some varsity starts in college). Pang will continue to be ranked in TheMat.com individual rankings, but it will be difficult to evaluate her progress if she only competes against men.
Princeton College projected started lineup
(with state, year and final ’04 U.S. college ranking)
121 – Audrey Pang (Canada, sr., No. 6)
Bacone College
Last spring, Bacone College announced that it would start a women’s wrestling team. Currently, the program is still being developed. Its first effort to build a program resulted in one recruited athlete joining the wrestling team, Amanda Muncer of Texas, who will compete at 138.75 pounds. Muncer placed eighth at the Junior Nationals, which means she has the ability to be a factor in the individual rankings. Coach Kenard Booker says he may have a few walkon athletes as well, but is looking for next year and a full recruiting season to stock up the women’s team on his campus.
Bacone College projected started lineup
(with state, year and final ’04 U.S. college ranking)
138 – Amanda Muncer (TX, fr.)
Other women athletes on men’s teams
In addition to the women wrestlers who have competed on established women’s teams, or active club programs, there are individual women who often join their men’s college varsity programs. As the season progresses, these athletes will be identified and may appear in the U.S. individual rankings, especially if they enter women’s freestyle tournaments.
A talented freshman competing on the men’s team at the Colorado School of Mines is Claire DuPont, a former Junior National champion from Colorado and a placewinner at the U.S. Senior Nationals. DuPont is expected to stay active on the freestyle national scene at 112 pounds, and should have the ability to be ranked on the college level.
Lorraine Infante of Montclair State has competed in the New York AC Tournament each year, and enters her senior year there at 130 pounds where she has a chance to be considered for rankings. Other athletes, such as UW-Whitewater’s Sarah Ruhland, will be considered as the season progresses.
112 - Claire DuPont (Colorado School of Mines, fr.)
130 – Lorraine Infante (Montclair State, sr.)
176 - Sarah Ruhland (UW-Whitewater, fr.)
U.S. wrestlers in Canadian colleges
Although they will not be ranked in the U.S. college rankings, there are a few talented American women wrestlers who have chosen to compete in Canadian college programs. TheMat.com will keep an eye on these U.S. wrestlers, and they will be included in the North American Women’s College rankings during the year.
The best known of these is freshman Ali Bernard at the Univ. of Regina. Bernard is from Minnesota, and was named TheMat.com/ASICS Girls High School Wrestler of the Year. She was a Junior World champion in 2003, and a U.S. Senior Nationals champion at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. in 2004. She is certainly expected to be a major force on the women’s college wrestling scene, and will battle for spots on future U.S. Senior World and Olympic Teams
Another American who is wrestling in college north of the border is Megan Goldsmith, a native of Wisconsin who competes now for the Univ. of Calgary. Goldsmith competed at the Univ. of Minnesota-Morris, which dropped its wrestling programs (both men and women) after last season. She is now a junior in college and will wrestle at 80 kg/176 lbs. for the Dinos. Last year, she finished the year a No. 3 U.S. ranking in college as well as a No. 6 ranking among North American college women wrestlers.
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O'Donnell named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week
10/13/2004
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
Tela O’Donnell (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for the week of October 5-11.
Each week, TheMat.com will select an Athlete of the Week, based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling, from youth programs through the Senior level. The announcement will be made each week on Wednesday.
O’Donnell won a silver medal at 55 kg/121 lbs. at the Women’s World Cup of freestyle wrestling, October 8-9 in Tokyo, Japan.
O’Donnell had a 4-1 record in the tournament. Three of her victories were by pins. She pinned Sunita Sharmaa of India in 1:24, Natalia Karamchakova of Russia in 4:26 and Laura McDougall of Canada in 57 seconds.
Her other victory was an 8-5 decision over China’s Sun Dongmei, who placed fifth at the 2004 Olympic Games.
Her only loss came to 2004 Olympic champion and two-time World champion Saori Yoshida of Japan. Yoshida jumped to a 5-1 lead, but O’Donnell fought back to tie the match at 5-5. In one active exchange, Yoshida scored five points on the mat to take a 10-5 lead and went on to win, 12-5. Yoshida has now won 79 straight matches against international opponents.
O’Donnell was a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, placing sixth at the Athens Games. She was a 2003 U.S. Nationals champion, and beat two-time World silver medallist Tina George to earn her spot on the U.S. Olympic team. She is a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete.