CHANDLER, Ariz. – LeAnn Barney headlined Oklahoma City University’s debut in women’s wrestling by finishing runner-up at 51 kg in the Sunkist International Open on Saturday.

Barney, a sophomore from Austin, Texas, lost a 2-0, 5-1 decision to Mary Kelly of New York AC in the 51 final. Barney opens the season ranked second among collegiate women at her weight.

Ashley Sword, a junior from West Palm Beach, Fla., was OCU’s other placing wrestler. Sword finished fourth at 67. Sword lost in a pin to Megan Buydens of Canada 2-0, 1:47. Sword is ranked third among collegiate women.

The Stars finished sixth at the tournament in the team standings.

OCU wrestles next in ranking matches on Nov. 6 in El Reno, Okla. OCU opens the season against defending national champion Cumberlands (Ky.) on Nov. 10 at Abe Lemons Arena. It will be the first women’s college wrestling dual ever in Oklahoma.

Results

Issue date: 9/12/07 Section: Sports

This year, OCU became one of the first schools in the country to offer women's wrestling.

The move puts OCU ahead of the game, Coach Archie Randall said.

"We were looking to add opportunities for women athletes," he said. "Right now there are only six colleges with women's wrestling, but in four or five years, there will be about 30 in the nation.

"It was an opportunity for us to get ahead of the game."

There are 25 women on the team. They are from across the country, including states as far away as California and Maryland.

The team features eight girls named All-Americans on the high school level, and five girls ranked in the top eight in the country.

Randall said he hopes to have 15 women compete at the Olympic trials this summer in Las Vegas.

The team opens their home schedule Nov. 10 against Cumberland College (Ky.), the defending national champions. They are confident that they will be competitive.

"We're very excited and a little nervous," said Emma Mercer, English education freshman. "We're the first team, so no matter how we do, it's a success, but we think we're going to be very good."

Mercer is one of many on the team coming from out of state and moving was an adjustment, she said.

"Coming from Kansas, it's a long way from home, but now that I'm here I really love the school and I'm so excited about all the girls we have on the team," she said.

"I wrestled on my boy's high school team. Getting the chance to wrestle in college was definitely the reason I chose to attend OCU."

LeAnn Barney, business administration/studio art sophomore, is one of three team captains. She also has high expectations for the team.

"I'm expecting our team to beat out Cumberland," she said. "I think we can win every duel and go undefeated if everyone pushes hard. I want to shut out every team we duel."

The women work just as hard in the classroom as on the mat, Coach Randall said.

"We have a great group of girls here," he said. "We have girls from all kinds of majors.

"These girls are very driven and are going to be successful at whatever they do."

Wrestling World Cup champion Xu wins 55kg title at Chinese City Games

09:29, October 31, 2007

Newly-crowned World Cup champion Xu Li of Hefei took the women's 55kg freestyle wrestling gold at the 6th Chinese City Games in Wuhan on Tuesday.

Xu, who won the World Cup champion in March, got a quick win of1-0, 3-0 over Yang Senlian, the 59kg gold medallist at 20th Asian wrestling championships last May.

Yang, who lost weight to take part in 55kg class match, was unable to ward off Xu's throws.

Xu entered the final after eliminating world junior champion Li Songni in the semifinals.

"To be honest, I didn't play my best in the City Games," said Xu. "My coach told me that the goal is to gain more experiences here."

"I thought the key to win today was that I did not think too much of the gold medal. I think it was the difference between Yangand me. We played against each other for many times. She was a tough opponent."

The gold was Hefei's first in women's wrestling and third wrestling title. Su Ersa won Greco Roman's 60kg class on Friday and Liu Gang took the men's 74kg freestyle on Monday.

The bronze went to Ma Ningning of Yan'an, northwest China's Shaaxi Province.

Women's Wrestlers Open At Sunkist Kids

Summary:

A new look Pacific women's wrestling squad has a tough go of it against top-ranked international competition as the Boxers opened the season at the Sunkist Kids International

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CHANDLER, Ariz. - A new look Pacific women's wrestling program received a rocky welcome to the start of the 2007-08 season Saturday as five Boxers participated in the Sunkist Kids International Tournament held at the Rawhide Pavillion.

The Boxers went a combined 1-10 against a loaded field that included the top college programs in the United States, national teams from Canada and Russia and a number of hopefuls for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team.

Newcomer Jazzy Green (Fr., Santa Monica, Calif.) was the only Pacific wrestler to win a match.  Green picked up a win by fall over Oklahoma City's Jennifer Peabody after losing in the second round to eventual third place finisher Jessica Bondy of Canada.

The event proved a challenge as the freestyle format of the tournament was a change from the team's training so far this year.  "We have been training in folkstyle as we will be wrestling as a member of the NWCA," Pacific Head Coach Scott Miller said, "so our women didn't have as much preparation for this tournament as we have in the past.  We took four freshmen to this tournament, a challenging way to start your college career."

Valerie Prise (Sr., Diamond Bar, Calif.) was the only upperclassmen to attend the tournament.  Prise went 0-2 in the 48 kg. class, falling in the second round to Alyssa Lampe of the host Sunkist Kids club.

Former Pacific women's wrestler Sally Roberts finished second in the 59 kg. weight class, losing in a three-round decision to Anastasia Bratchikova of Russia.

SUNKIST KIDS INTERNATIONAL
TEAM SCORES: Canada 34, Sunkist Kids 28, Russia 24, New York AC 19, Gator WC 14, Oklahoma City 11, Army Arm 6, Cumberlands (Ky.) 3, Menlo 1.

PACIFIC INVIDIDUAL RESULTS
NOTE: Individual match scores were not made available

VALERIE PRISE (48 kg., 0-2, DNP)
1st Round: Bye
2nd Round: Lost to #3 Alyssa Lampe (Sunkist Kids)
Consolation: Lost to Jackie Stiles (New York AC)

JAZZY GREEN (51 kg., 1-2, DNP)
1st Round: Bye
2nd Round: Lost to #3 Jessica Bondy (Canada)
Consolation: Beat Jennifer Peabody (Oklahoma City), Fall
Consolation: Lost to #2 Jessica Medina (New York AC)

ARIELLA ING (55 kg., 0-2, DNP)
1st Round: Bye
2nd Round: lost to Erica Torres (Oklahoma City)
Consolation: Lost to Chelynne Pringle (Minnesota Storm)

SAMANTHA STYCH (63 kg., 0-2, DNP)
1st Round: Bye
2nd Round: Lost to #1 Sara McCann (Sunkist Kids)
Consolation: Lost to Marina Piccolotti (Oklahoma City)

JADE ANDERSON (67 kg., 0-2, DNP)
1st Round: Lost to Sherolynn Epping (New York AC)
Consolation: Lost to Briana Conway (Oklahoma City)