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Lady Boxers adjust their sights on winning national title

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

FOREST GROVE -- For their first three years of existence, the Pacific women's wrestling program has consistently been a contender for the national championship.

This season, the goal is to go from contender to champion.

"We've knocked on the door, but haven't gotten through yet," said third year head women's wrestling coach Scott Miller. "We feel that this is the year. It's doing to be difficult because we don't have the depth that other teams have yet. We have to score high in each of our weight classes, and we are capable of doing that."

Had the Boxers been able to score in all eight classes, last year might have been that year. The Boxers were in first place after the first five weight classes, but did not have anyone entered in the three upper classes. Pacific finished third in the tournament, and sent six wrestlers home as All-Americans. Desire Lockhart (Sr., Port Townsend, Wash.) earned her first national championship, and Kristin Fujioka (Sr., Kaneohe, Hawaii) and Kapua Torres (So., Kahuku, Hawaii) went on to the U.S. Olympic Trials.

They did all of that despite eight freshmen on the roster and what Miller says was poor job by the coaching staff.

"I honestly don't feel like we did a strong coaching job last year," Miller said. "Yet the women did well to do as well as they did. We had a chance to win the national championship. We didn't, but that really says a lot about the talent level we had on that team."

That core returns for the 2004-05 season with more experience than most upperclassmen in the sport. "We are very young on paper, because those freshman only turned into sophomores, but they have experienced a lot," Miller said. "They are very seasoned sophomores. They're on par to being junior or seniors as far as experience goes."

That experience gives Miller the confidence that that national championship is just around the corner, but the cards will have to fall just right to make it happen. The Boxers will have to avoid injuries and will look to some talented freshmen to step up and perform at a high level in their first season at the collegiate level. "That's asking a lot from freshmen, but that's the way it is in this program," Miller said. "The expectations are very high."

105.5 POUNDS

While the Boxers will fill all eight weight classes this season, the lightest weight continues to be their strongest. Fujioka leads the group, having gained a world of experience between years. Fujioka finished second at the collegiate nationals and went on to earn a berth in the Olympic trials. "Kristin has really stepped it up," Miller said. "Our goal is to get Kristin a national championship."

Challenging Fujioka will be Valerie Prise (Fr., Diamond Bar, Calif.), who makes the change to freestyle after three years in her high school's men's folkstyle program. Her natural ability will not only make her a factor over the next four years, but should push Fujioka in her senior season.

"One of the reasons we bright Valerie in was to make Kristin a better wrestler," Miller said. "She's going to remind a lot of people of Kapua in that she has the same kind of work ethic and a lot of great natural ability."

112.25 POUNDS

Torres was of two Boxers to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials, and Miller believes she is one of the best wrestlers in the nation at the collegiate level. Torres finished 17-9 last season and finished second at nationals, losing in the final to Missouri Valley's Debbi Sakai. Torres had beat Sakai at the Women's International Collegiate Duals, and for a while was the top ranked 112.25-pounder in the nation.

Torres went on to just miss All-American honors at the U.S. Senior Nationals, and then traveled to Louisiana in March to qualify for the Olympic Trials. At the trials, Torres was one of the few wrestlers not on the national team to advance out of the first round.

What makes Torres great in Miller's eyes is her constant effort to continue to improve her technique. "She is a sponge," Miller said. "She's always looking for a little bit more. At the trials, she wrestled the best of anyone who is not at the Olympic Training Center. She's a good one."

The Boxers will be quite flexible in the top two weight classes, with Torres, Fujioka and Prise able to compete at either weight.

121 POUNDS

Lockhart missed the first half of the 2003-04 season studying abroad in France, and admitted that she had trouble finding places to train. Somehow, that did not stop her from becoming Pacific's 10th national champion, sweeping the collegiate nationals with a 14-5 decision and two technical falls.

"What people don't realize is how overpowering she was at nationals," Miller said. "I believe that she was the best wrestler there. She was so overpowering in her weight class."

Lockhart will definitely have eyes on repeating as champion, and Miller expects her to come on again during the second half. "When it's a big event and the lights go on, Desi knows how to perform," Miller said.

130 POUNDS

Returning All-American Michelle Ludwig (So., San Diego, Calif.) leads this weight class after finishing fourth at the collegiate nationals. Ludwig came on strong over the last month of the season, placing fourth in the weight at the Dave Schultz International meet in February in preparation for nationals.

"Michelle is another one who has some great ability," Miller said. "She can also go down to 121 as well, which gives us some great flexibility."

Ludwig will be paired with Jazmine Cockett (Fr., Honolulu, Hawaii), who joins the Boxers after finishing as runner-up at the last two Hawaii state high school meets. "She has just great natural talent," Miller said. "She will get plenty of mat time and has the ability to be an All-American as a freshman."

138.5 POUNDS

Brenna Larkin (So., Tucson, Ariz.) returns after putting together the most inspirational season of a Boxer wrestler. Larkin finished sixth at the collegiate nationals despite missing the eight weeks prior to the meet with a broken foot.

"She basically had four days to prepare for the national tournament," Miller said. "But she was at every practice, never missed and took it all in. I think Brenna showed great mental toughness to come back the way she did."

Healthy this season, Larkin appears on pace to earn her first All-American trophy, but will be pushed by freshman Titilope Lawani (Rialto, Calif.), a USGWA All-American in high school. "Titi is just gifted athletically," Miller said. "She is capable of moving right into a starting spot, which will make Brenna better."

147.5 POUNDS

Stacey Martell (So., Hillsboro) was a relative newcomer to wrestling, but managed to learn enough in one season to finish third at the collegiate nationals and come home an All-American. "Stacey came the furthest along last year and figured things out at the national tournament." Miller said. "This summer, she was in the weight room and doing everything she could to make herself a better wrestler."

Martell will be gone until January while she studies abroad. Either Larkin or Lawani will drop down to that weight until Martell returns.

158.5 AND 169.5 POUNDS

Pacific will rely on a pair of very talented freshmen to be highly competitive to have a shot at the national title. At 158.5, the Boxers turn to Anela Iseke (Fr., Honolulu, Hawaii), who was also a Hawaii state tournament placer and a USGWA All-American. She will come to the program late, as she is also a starting setter for the Boxer volleyball program.

Miller is high on Iseke as not only the future at the weight for the Boxers, but nationally as well. "Anybody who can do two sports successfully is one who has great athletic ability," Miller said. "She is the future for this weight class with Stephanie Lee and Toccara Montgomery graduating after this year."

At 169.5 pounds, the Boxers will rely in Ashley Truchan (Fr., Hilo, Hawaii). Truchan finished second in the 2003 Hawaii state meet and was also a state placer in judo the same year.

Truchan may be a late starter while she recovers from knee surgery, but Miller is confident that she will be ready to contribute. "She has rehabbed very well and is physically capable, but will have to get through the mental aspects of that. Obviously we think that she is capable of that and we think she will have a great career here."

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Adams named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week

11/3/2004
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling

Tori Adams (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for the week of October 26-November 1.

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.

Adams won a gold medal at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and was named Outstanding Wrestler in the women’s division at the Sunkist Kids/ASU International Open in Tempe, Ariz., October 29-30. The tournament was conducted under the new rules of international wrestling.

In the gold-medal finals, Adams defeated 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials runner-up Alaina Berube(Escanaba, Mich./New York AC), in two straight periods, 2-1 and 3-1.

Adams won four matches to claim the title, sweeping three matches in just two periods and winning the other bout by pin.

She opened the tournament with a 1:10 pin of Brenna Larkin (Forest Grove, Ore./Pacific Univ) In the quarterfinals, she defeated 2004 Olympian Tela O’Donnell (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC), 1-1 and 3-2. Her semifinal victory was over veteran Canadian wrestler Helen Hennick, 1-1 and 1-1.

Adams was sixth in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. She is a former Junior World medalist, and has been a member of Women’s Team USA in the past.