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OCU signs Simmons to wrestling team

5/15/2007

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University has added Melissa Simmons to its women’s wrestling team.
Simmons, from Ridgefield, Wash., joins the Stars after being a seven-time national champion in her high-school career. She was a high-school all-American.
OCU coach Archie Randall anticipates Simmons being the Stars’ team captain in their first season of competition in 2007-08. Simmons will compete at 158 pounds.
She has been training at the U.S. Olympic center in Michigan.
“She’s a stud,” Randall said. “She pinned her way through Junior Nationals two years ago. She will be our captain, she is that good.”
Simmons suffered an injury that kept her from continuing her run to get on the 2008 Olympic team.
“Her goal was to make the Olympic team in 2008, but she has been sidetracked,” Randall said. “Her goals now include academics as well as making the Olympics in 2012.”

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Berube celebrates birthday with gold medal at Pan American Championships in El Salvador

Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
05/20/2007

SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR – It was a very happy 23rd birthday for Alaina Berube (Escanaba, Mich./New York AC).

Berube won a gold medal at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., the lone American champion in the Pan American Women’s Wrestling Championships on Saturday, May 19. The Pan American nations are from North, Central and South America.

Berube, a student at the Univ. of the Cumberlands, won four matches on the way to the gold medal. It was her second career Pan American Championships title, to go along with a gold medal in 2004.

Berube opened up with victories over Caroline De Lazer of Brazil and Yoselin Rojas of Venezuela. In the semifinals, she defeated 2001 Junior World champion Tara Hedican of Canada, 1-0, 4-0. In the championship finals, Berube needed three periods to defeat C. Sardin De Armas of Cuba.

The top eight finishers in each of the four Olympic weights for women qualify their countries for July’s Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Based upon their performance, the United States will have a full team of four women wrestlers in the Pan American Games.

The United States won four medals in the women’s division at the Pan American Championships. Claiming a silver medal was Elena Pirozhkov (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. Winning bronze medals were Sara Fulp-Allen (El Granada, Calif./New York AC) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. and Ashley Sword (Colorado Springs, Colo./unattached) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.\

Pirozkhov, who came to the USA from Russia as a youth and received her citizenship this year, won her first international medal for the United States. She had a 3-1 record in a five-athlete roundrobin to capture her silver medal. Victories were against Elsa Sanchez of the Dominican Republic, Gloria Zavala of Venezuela and Graysi Alajo of Mexico. Her only loss came to 2005 World silver medalist Martine Dugrenier of Canada. Pirozkhov is a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete.

Fulp-Allen, a student at Menlo College, won two of her three bouts in the tournament. She opened with a 2-6, 6-1, 3-0 win over Isabel Martinez of Puerto Rico. In the semifinals, she was beaten by eventual champion Mayelis Caripa of Venezuela, 0-1. 1-1, 4-6. In the bronze-medal bout, she stopped Daney Cespedez Rojas of Peru, 1-1, 7-0. It was Fulp-Allen’s second career Pan American medal, to go with her gold medal in 2004.

Sword also finished with a 2-1 record. She started with a 2-0, 1-0 win over Wendi Carrillo of El Salvador, 2-0, 1-0. Her semifinal loss came to eventual champion Jerasmit Weffer of Venezuela, 0-1, 0-3. She defeated Dinorah Arce Perez of Mexico in the bronze-medal round.

Placing fifth for the United States were Jessica Medina (Pomona, Calif./New York AC) at 51 kg/112 lbs., Brandy Rosenbrock (Harrison, Mich./Michigan WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Othella Lucas (San Diego, Calif./New York AC) at 59 kg/130 lbs.

The U.S. women’s team featured the champions from the Body Bar Women’s University Nationals in Colorado Springs, Colo. in April. The Pan American Championships team was coached by USA Wrestling Women’s Developmental Coach Vladislav “Izzy” Izboinikov and Kevin Black of River Falls, Wis.

It marked the first time that Cuba has entered women wrestlers at a Pan American Championships. Cuba is a world power in men’s wrestling in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. Cuba is also a world power in women’s judo. Cuba entered three athletes in the Pan American Women’s Championships, led by silver medalist C. Sardin De Armas at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.

The men’s freestyle competition will be held on Sunday, May 20, the final day of the tournament.

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PAN AMERICAN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS

At San Salvador, El Salvador, May 19

48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Gold – Mayelis Caripa (Venezuela)
Silver – Lyndsey Rushton (Canada)
Bronze – Sara Fulp-Allen (USA)
Bronze – Ingrid Medrano (El Salvador)
5th – Daney Cespedez Rojas (Peru)
5th – Yuliana Alzate (Colombia)

51 kg/112 lbs.
Gold – Maria Sarmiento (Venezuela)
Silver – Katiuska Toaza (Ecuador)
Bronze – Meybi Ramirez (El Salvador)
Bronze – Genevieve Haley (Canada)
5th – Jessica Medina (USA)
5th – Nayeli Hernandez (Mexico)

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Jackeline Renteria (Colombia)
Silver – Marcia Andrades (Venezuela)
Bronze – Britanee Laverdure (Canada)
Bronze – Tamara Barron (Mexico)
5th – Joice Silva (Brazil)
5th – Brandy Rosenbrock (USA)

59 kg/130 lbs. (athlete names not currently available)
Gold – Canada
Silver – Venezuela
Bronze – Mexico
Bronze – Colombia
5th – Othella Lucas (USA)
5th – Puerto Rico

63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Gold – Alaina Berube (USA)
Silver – C. DeArmas Sardin (Cuba)
Bronze – Mabel Fonseca (Puerto Rico)
Bronze – Yoselin Rojas (Venezuela)
5th – Luz Vasquez (Argentina)
5th – Tara Hedican (Canada)

67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Gold – Martine Dugrenier (Canada)
Silver – Elena Pirozkhov (USA)
Bronze – Gloria Zavala (Venezuela)
4th – Elsa Sanchez (Dominican Republic)
5th – Graysi Alajo (Mexico)

72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Gold – Jerasmit Weffer (Venezuela)
Silver – Pam Wilson (Canada)
Bronze – Ashley Sword (USA)
Bronze – Rosangela Conceicao (Brazil)
5th – Dinorah Arce Perez (Mexico)
5th – Lissei Hechevarria Med (Cuba)

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TheMat.com U.S. Senior Women's rankings

Date Ranked:05/17/2007
Ranked By TheMat.com

48 kg (105.5 lbs.)
1. Stephanie Murata, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
2. Mary Kelly, Mahomet, Ill. (USOEC/New York AC)
3. Clarissa Chun, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
4. Sara Fulp-Allen, El Granada, Calif. (New York AC)
5. Alyssa Lampe, Tomahawk, Wis. (USOEC)
6. Liz Short, Lombard, Ill. (USOEC)
7. Rachel Holthaus, Little Falls, Minn. (Sunkist Kids)
8. Aquilla Hills, Charlotte, N.C. (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
9. Nicole Woody, Odenton, Md. (New York AC)
10. Sadie Kaneda, Honolulu, Hawaii (USOEC)

51 kg (112 lbs.)
1. Patricia Miranda, New Haven, Conn. (Sunkist Kids)
2. Jenny Wong, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
3. LeAnn Barney, Austin, Texas (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
4. Julieta Okot, New York, N.Y. (New York AC)
5. Jessica Medina, Pomona, Calif. (New York AC)
6. Amnorina Porter, Detroit, Mich.. (unattached)
7. Cheryl Wong, Croton, N.Y. (New York AC)
8. Jackie Stiles, Corpus Christi, Texas (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
9. Whitney Conder, Payallup, Wash. (USOEC)
10. Katherine Fulp-Allen, El Granada, Calif. (Menlo College)

55 kg (121 lbs.)
1. Marcie Van Dusen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
2. Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
3. Sharon Jacobsen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
4. Brandy Rosenbrock, Harrison, Mich. (Central Michigan)
5. Chelynne Pringle, Hugo, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
6. Michaela Hutchison, Soldotna, Alaska (Team Alaska)
7. Amy Borgnini, Terre Haute, Ind. (USOEC/Gator WC)
8. Danyelle Hedin, Kailua, Hawaii (USOEC/New York AC)
9. Sara Peasley, Escanaba, Mich. (Cabrillo JC)
10. Cherae Pascua, Oahu, Hawaii (USOEC)

59 kg (130 lbs.)
1. Leigh Jaynes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
2. Erin Tomeo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
3. Alaina Berube, Escanaba,Mich. (New York AC)
4. Tatiana Padilla, Covina, Calif. (California Grapplers)
5. Kelsey Campbell, Oregon City, Ore. (Spartan WC)
6. Othella Lucas, San Diego, Calif. (New York AC)
7. Shyla Iokia, Wailuku, Hawaii (USOEC)
8. Samantha Phillips, Manteca, Calif. (Spartan WC)
9. Sandy Do, San Diego, Calif. (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
10. Rachel Hubbard, Gig Harbor, Wash. (Univ. of the Cumberlands)

63 kg (138.5 lbs.)
1. Sara McMann, Iowa City, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
2. Randi Miller, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
3. Tori Adams, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
4. Vanessa Oswalt, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
5. Titilope Lawani, Rialto, Calif. (Pacific University)
6. Deanna Rix, South Berwick, Maine (New York AC)
7. Kiersten Hyatt, Carmichael, Calif. (unattached)
8. Samantha Fee, Blairstown, N.J. (Missouri Valley College)
9. Emily Rinehart, Orland, Calif. (Missouri Valley College)
10. Sheila McCabe, San Diego, Calif. (San Diego Hot Beaches)

67 kg (147.5 lbs.)
1. Katie Downing, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
2. Elena Pirozkhov, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Northern Elite)
3. Stefenie Shaw, Waterford, Conn. (USOEC)
4. Amberle Ebert, Reedsville, Wis. (Missouri Valley College)
5. Ashley Sword, Colorado Springs, Colo. (unattached)
6. Sherolynn Eppinger, Warrensville, Ohio (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
7. Na’Tasha Umemoto, Portland, Ore. (Sunkist Kids)
8. Bethany Harris, Valley Center, Calif. (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
9. Lauren Knight, Vallejo, Calif. (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
10. Marina Piccolotti, Pacifica, Calif. (Spartan WC)

72 kg (158.5 lbs.)
1. Kristie Marano, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
2. Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
3. Stephany Lee, Honolulu, Hawaii (Missouri Valley)
4. Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minn. (Univ. of Regina)
5. Jenna Pavlik, Lewes, Del. (USOEC)
6. Lacy Novinska, Fennimore, Wis. (Missouri Valley)
7. Natasha Phinney, Fresno, Calif. (Spartan WC)
8. Jaimie Trentadue, Twin Lakes, Wis. (Menlo College)
9. Rachel Billerbeck, Plugerville, Texas (Missouri Valley)
10. Melissa Simmons, Ridgefield, Wash. (USOEC)

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