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Title IX gang-tackled by fear, resentment, lawsuits

MYRIAM MARQUEZ ,Orlando Sentinel 4/13/2001

My husband may have spoken for a lot of men when he said, "If there's no Jell-O, coleslaw or mud, I'm not interested."
We were talking about women's wrestling in college athletics, and hubby was quick to note that he was just joking.

I'm not so sure.

This is a serious matter for a lot of men. Not the joke of bad-girl mud wrestling at bars, but the "bad" that Title IX has done to diminish men's wrestling and other sports, particularly at universities and colleges.

Congress passed that law in 1972 to ensure that qualified girls and women would no longer be denied the same opportunity as boys and men for an education -- slots in law or medical schools, for instance. The law also ensured that females could participate in school activities, such as sports, that males had enjoyed as an exclusive right.

Now, three decades after Title IX began helping narrow the gap between male and female athletic programs, some coaches and male players are crying foul.

They believe the law has turned out to discriminate against the guys.

Their feelings of betrayal, frustration and anger are understandable. Several male college athletes have filed "reverse" discrimination lawsuits. They say administrators, trying to comply with Title IX requirements by using quotas created by bureaucrats and judges, have slashed spending on male athletics. This has resulted in placing caps on male teams to limit the number of athletes or doing away entirely with sports, such as men's wrestling or baseball, on college campuses.

That never was the intent of the law.

The problem is the laissez-faire attitude that coaches and campus administrators have adopted these past 30 years to comply barely with the law. If they had done their job of opening doors to women athletes -- aggressively recruiting players and hustling for money through corporate sponsors and boosters, as is done for many men's sports -- those administrators now wouldn't be having to shut doors to men.

Consider what happened at one California State University System campus when it was hit by a 1993 lawsuit claiming discrimination against female athletes because colleges lacked programs for women that they offered men. A court found that the system hadn't done enough to expand opportunities, and so it pushed for a "proportionality test."

A wrestling coach, who feared his men's team might get axed because of the lawsuit, decided to create a women's team on his campus. The coach found the number of female wrestlers in high schools had doubled the previous five years, he told Reason magazine in this month's issue.

Unfortunately, the coach's initiative came a couple of decades too late. Administrators did away with the men's team.

The numbers targets create all sorts of resentment, and for good reason.

Title IX gives schools several ways to provide equal opportunity without playing a numbers game.

Schools can show they are meeting the "interests and abilities" of women on that campus without having girls teams in proportion to the population of female students. Schools also can show they have a history of expanding opportunities for female sports programs without meeting a proportionality test.

In truth, what's guiding administrators today is fear, not reason. It's fear of lawsuits from women's groups that have exposed the double standards that remain on some campuses.

The gap between high schools and college campuses explains a lot.

Before Title IX, there were 12 boys for every one girl playing sports in high schools nationwide. Last school year, there were 2.7 million girls and 3.8 million boys playing sports. Now, for every two girls playing high-school sports, there are three boys. The gap has been closed considerably.

Yet in college intramural sports, the gap is much greater, with males making up nearly eight in 10 athletes.

It's no secret, too, that sports money on most campuses flows to the all-mighty football program.

As more and more money is spent on football, less is left to spread out among other male and female sports. And because most schools still lag behind on the number of women who are participating in sports, administrators, fearing lawsuits, have opted to cut back on other men's teams, such as wrestling, to reach parity.

It seems to be the easy way out, but it's not.

Why would administrators want to rely on a remedy that serves only to create bad feelings between the sexes, to divide instead of finding common ground?

It ought not take another law to bring common sense to this.

Women don't want men treated unfairly any more than we want to go back to the bad old days. Or mud wrestling.

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WRESTLER SETS HER SIGHTS ON BIG MEETS

The Boston Globe 4/8/2001

Tri-County Regional (Franklin) junior Danielle Bowen, who has turned heads
the past couple of winters with her success on the boys' wrestling team, is
proving nearly unbeatable on the girls' side of the sport.

Since her high school season ended, Bowen has compiled a record of 27-4 in
open girls' tournaments, including titles in state competitions in Ohio and
New York, and a second-place in Pennsylvania. In Ohio she was named the
meet's Most Outstanding Wrestler.

Bowen, a South Attleboro resident, will try out for the Women's World
team in June in Dayton, Ohio. NEWTON'S VELLO GETS A LUCKY BREAK

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Sandy Stevens named 2000 USA Wrestling Woman of the Year

4/13/01
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling

Sandy Stevens of Glen Ellyn, Ill. has been named the 2000 Woman of the Year by USA Wrestling. This award recognizes an outstanding woman for her contributions to the sport of wrestling.

Stevens is a journalist, by trade, but has been able to travel the world as a public address announcer for wrestling. She has worked hundreds of events ranging from high school dual meets to the Olympic Games. Her most recognizable assignment has been as the voice of the Asics Tiger Junior Nationals.

Sandy got involved as an annoucer to support her husband, Robert "Bear" Stevens. Sandy and Bear are graduates of Northern Iowa, where he wrestled for Hall of Famer Bill Koll. Bear was the first head coach at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The first home meet was a quadrangular and the coach needed an announcer. Sandy volunteered.

In their third year at Kennedy, the school played host to the USA Wrestling district freestyle tournament. After she announced that, she was invited by Bob Siddens to work the state freestyle event. Next, Iowa coaches Dave McCuskey and Gary Kurdelmeier asked her to call the first Junior Nationals at the University of Iowa. That led her to announcing Iowa dual meets, and began her association with USA Wrestling.

Stevens has worked 29 of the 30 Asics Tiger Junior Nationals events since it was created in Iowa City, Iowa in 1971.

Her announcing career has included many of the most important events in the sport. After calling Division III and Division II NCAA tourneys, she joined Ed Aliverti at the Division I nationals in 1982 and they have been the premiere collegiate announcing team ever since. They worked together at the Olympic Games of 1984 in Los Angeles and again in 1996 at Atlanta.

On her own, she has announced Cadet, Junior, Espoir and Senior World Championships, the Pan American Games of 1987, the Midlands Championships since 1985, all of the National High School Folkstyle tournaments in Pittsburgh and Delaware, state high school tournaments including Florida, Arizona and California, and a host of regional, national and international events.

She has worked USA Wrestling nationals at all levels, along with Olympic and World Team Trials.

Sandy was chosen by the Distinguished Members of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame to receive the 1998 Order of Merit, one of the most prestigious honors in wrestling. Stevens has also been inducted into the Illinois Wrestling Hall of Fame.

USA Wrestling will be announcing major award winners each day this week on TheMat.com, the official web page of the Amateur Wrestling Alliance.

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2001 U.S. National Championships - Women's Results

4/13/01
Meredith Witulski/USA Wrestling

Wt 46
Championship Second Round
15 #1 Tricia Saunders (Sunkist) DEC Laura Obuhanych (Rainbow Wahine) M 11-0
16 #5 Erica Dye (Unattached) DEC Tanya Miyasaki (Unattached) M 15-6
17 Barbara Cruse (Cumberland) WBF Jessica Dougherty (Concord) F 2:29
18 #6 Lindsay Torrance (Forest Grove) DEC Candice Takamatsu (Rainbow Wahine) M 14-3

Championship Quarter-Finals
66 #1 Tricia Saunders (Sunkist) DEC Rachel Bernardes (MVC) M 10-0
67 #5 Erica Dye (Unattached) DEC #4 Sandra Padron (MVC) D 7-4
68 #2 Clarissa Chun (MVC) WBF Barbara Cruse (Cumberland) F 1:54
69 Julie Gonzalez (DSWC) DEC #6 Lindsay Torrance (Forest Grove) M 11-0

Championship Semi-Finals
127 #1 Tricia Saunders (Sunkist) DEC #5 Erica Dye (Unattached) M 10-0
128 Julie Gonzalez (DSWC) DEC #2 Clarissa Chun (MVC) D 9-8

3rd - Clarissa Chun, Kapolei, Hawaii (Missouri Valley College) won by tech. fall over Erica Dye, Elizabeth, W.Va. (unattached), 12-2, 3:29
5th - Sandra Padron, Marshall, Mo. (Missouri Valley) pin Tanya Miyasaka, Kaneohe, Hawaii (Rainbow Wahines), 0:51

Finals - First Place
163 #1 Tricia Saunders (Sunkist) DEC Julie Gonzalez (DSWC) M 8-0

Wt 51
Championship Second Round
19 #1 Stephanie Murarta (Sunkist) DEC Annie Whipple (NYAC) M 12-0
20 Marianne Vollher (US Marines) DEC Jessica Acosta (US Marines) M 14-6
21 #4 Melina Hutchinson (Alaska) DEC Malinda Ripley (DSWC) D 7-2
22 #5 Mary Kelly (Unattached) WBF Sandra Szendrey (MVC) F 0:42
23 #2 Patricia Miranda (DSWC) WBF Lisa Ward (Team Washington) F 2:23
24 #7 Miriam Jenkins (Unattached) DEC Trish Clayton (Hot Shots) D 4-0
25 Danielle Hobieka (Unattached) WBF #6 ShellyAnn Tomita (MVC) F 5:35
26 #3 Jamie Wong (Sunkist) DEC Katie Kunimoto (Cumberland) M 11-0

Championship Quarter-Finals
70 #1 Stephanie Murarta (Sunkist) DEC Marianne Vollher (US Marines) M 11-0
71 #5 Mary Kelly (Unattached) DEC #4 Melina Hutchinson (Alaska) D 8-5
72 #2 Patricia Miranda (DSWC) DEC #7 Miriam Jenkins (Unattached) M 10-0
73 #3 Jamie Wong (Sunkist) WBF Danielle Hobieka (Unattached) F 2:34

Consolation Third Round
90 #6 ShellyAnn Tomita (MVC) DEC Katie Kunimoto (Cumberland) M 10-2
91 Lisa Ward (Team Washington) DEC Trish Clayton (Hot Shots) M 10-0
92 Malinda Ripley (DSWC) WBF Sandra Szendrey (MVC) F 5:25
93 Jessica Acosta (US Marines) WBF Annie Whipple (NYAC) F 1:06

Championship Semi-Finals
129 #1 Stephanie Murarta (Sunkist) DEC #5 Mary Kelly (Unattached) D 7-1
130 #3 Jamie Wong (Sunkist) WBF #2 Patricia Miranda (DSWC) F 3:10

3rd - Patricia Miranda, Saratoga, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC) won by tech. fall over Mary Kelly, Mahomet, Ill. (unattached), 13-2, 2:24
5th - Melina Hutchinson, Soldotna, Alaska (Alaska WC) pin Miriam Jenkins, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marines), 4:33

Finals - First Place
164 #1 Stephanie Murarta (Sunkist) DEC #3 Jamie Wong (Sunkist) D 9-3

Wt 56
Championship First Round
1 Leigh Jaynes (MVC) WBF Ginela Marquez-Lee (South Sound) F 1:13
2 #8 Cathilee Albert (Fairview) WBF Sarah Hayes (Cumberland) F 5:04
3 #1 Tina Wilson (Sunkist) DEC Laureen Mancuso (DSWC) M 11-0
4 Jill Remiticado (Forest Grove) DEC Katie Ross (UM-Morris) D 14-12
5 #5 Carrie Birge (MVC) WBF Mariza Collazo (Unattached) F 0:52
6 Jamie Alvesteffer (MVC) DEC Katrina Wirgit (Rainbow Wahine) D 4-0
7 #2 Erin Tomeo (Sunkist) WBF Cheryl Wong (DSWC) F 1:57
8 Heather Alojado (CSUF) DEC Lisa Neuberger (Minn Storm) D 8-1
9 #7 Jessi Shirley (Northmor) DEC Crytal Metz (UM-Morris) D 5-0
10 Shoni Plagmann (Lebanon) WBF Cathy Migita (Unattached) F 2:12
11 Stacia Anderson (BTB SanDiego) DEC Cari Renehan (Elite) M 11-0

Championship Second Round
27 #8 Cathilee Albert (Fairview) DEC Leigh Jaynes (MVC) D 10-7
28 #1 Tina Wilson (Sunkist) DEC #9 Lisa Bisers (TAPS) M 11-1
29 #5 Carrie Birge (MVC) WBF Jill Remiticado (Forest Grove) F 1:04
30 Tela O'Donnell (Alaska) WBF Jamie Alvesteffer (MVC) F 5:55
31 #2 Erin Tomeo (Sunkist) DEC Heather Alojado (CSUF) D 8-2
32 #7 Jessi Shirley (Northmor) DEC Kiersten Hyatt (MVC) M 12-1
33 Shoni Plagmann (Lebanon) DEC #3 Cheryl New (MVC) M 12-2
34 #6 Grace Magnossen (MVC) WBF Stacia Anderson (BTB SanDiego) F 1:09

Consolation First Round
52 Sarah Hayes (Cumberland) DEC Ginela Marquez-Lee (South Sound) M 15-5
53 Katie Ross (UM-Morris) WBF Mariza Collazo (Unattached) F FORFEIT
54 Cheryl Wong (DSWC) WBF Lisa Neuberger (Minn Storm) F 4:15

Consolation Second Round
55 Sarah Hayes (Cumberland) WBF Stacia Anderson (BTB SanDiego) F 2:56
56 #3 Cheryl New (MVC) WBF Laureen Mancuso (DSWC) F 5:44
57 Kiersten Hyatt (MVC) WBF Katie Ross (UM-Morris) F 2:27
58 Katrina Wirgit (Rainbow Wahine) DEC Heather Alojado (CSUF) D 5-3
59 Jamie Alvesteffer (MVC) WBF Cheryl Wong (DSWC) F 4:39
60 Jill Remiticado (Forest Grove) WBF Crytal Metz (UM-Morris) F 2:33
61 #9 Lisa Bisers (TAPS) DEC Cathy Migita (Unattached) M 12-0
62 Leigh Jaynes (MVC) WBF Cari Renehan (Elite) F 0:33

Championship Quarter-Finals
74 #1 Tina Wilson (Sunkist) DEC #8 Cathilee Albert (Fairview) M 11-0
75 #5 Carrie Birge (MVC) WBF Tela O'Donnell (Alaska) F 5:45
76 #2 Erin Tomeo (Sunkist) DEC #7 Jessi Shirley (Northmor) D 9-4
77 #6 Grace Magnossen (MVC) DEC Shoni Plagmann (Lebanon) D 6-4

Consolation Third Round
94 #3 Cheryl New (MVC) WBF Sarah Hayes (Cumberland) F 0:39
95 Kiersten Hyatt (MVC) WBF Katrina Wirgit (Rainbow Wahine) F 0:23
96 Jill Remiticado (Forest Grove) DEC Jamie Alvesteffer (MVC) M 11-1
97 #9 Lisa Bisers (TAPS) WBF Leigh Jaynes (MVC) F 5:07

Consolation Fourth Round
112 #3 Cheryl New (MVC) DEC Tela O'Donnell (Alaska) D 10-8
113 #8 Cathilee Albert (Fairview) DEC Kiersten Hyatt (MVC) M 11-0
114 Shoni Plagmann (Lebanon) DEC Jill Remiticado (Forest Grove) M 14-2
115 #9 Lisa Bisers (TAPS) WBF #7 Jessi Shirley (Northmor) F DEFAULT

Championship Semi-Finals
131 #1 Tina Wilson (Sunkist) WBF #5 Carrie Birge (MVC) F 4:30
132 #2 Erin Tomeo (Sunkist) DEC #6 Grace Magnossen (MVC) M 16-4

Consolation Quarter-Finals
143 #8 Cathilee Albert (Fairview) WBF #3 Cheryl New (MVC) F 2:41
144 #9 Lisa Bisers (TAPS) WBF Jill Remiticado (Forest Grove) F 1:49

Consolation Semi-Finals
155 #6 Grace Magnossen (MVC) WBF #8 Cathilee Albert (Fairview) F 4:22
156 #9 Lisa Bisers (TAPS) DEC #5 Carrie Birge (MVC) M 12-3

3rd - Lisa Bisers, Allison Park, Pa. (TAPS) dec. Grace Magnussen, Walnut Creek, Calif. (Missouri Valley College), 10-4
5th - Carrie Birge, Omaha, Neb. (Missouri Valley College) pin Cathilee Albert, Boulder, Colo. (Fairview WC), 3:36

Finals - First Place
165 #1 Tina Wilson (Sunkist) WBF #2 Erin Tomeo (Sunkist) F 3:16

Wt 62
Championship First Round
12 Alexandra Augustin (Unattached) DEC Dina Tavera (Pajaro Valley) M 10-0
13 #4 Lauwa Smith (MVC) DEC Cindy Herceg (Spartak) D 8-2
14 #7 Peggy VanDeMaik (Minn Storm) WBF Julia Furniss (Messiah) F 0:44

Championship Second Round
35 Kate Zeitler (Cumberland) WBF Alexandra Augustin (Unattached) F 5:04
36 #1 Sarah McMann (Sunkist) WBF Lisa Walker (MVC) F 1:53
37 #4 Lauwa Smith (MVC) WBF Heidi Bixler (Messiah) F 1:57
38 #5 Tori Adams (MVC) WBF Jody Geare (Aptos HS) F 0:25
39 #7 Peggy VanDeMaik (Minn Storm) WBF Kim Shimamoto (Rainbow Wahine) F 1:54
40 #2 Tonya Evinger (Unattached) WBF Joy Warren (Cumberland) F 1:20
41 #6 Jimi-Dawn Hornbuckle (Unattached) WBF Emilee Murphree (Napa Valley WC) F 2:36
42 #3 Tina Arnds (MVC) DEC Sarah Tolin (Wyoming) M 11-0

Consolation Second Round
63 Sarah Tolin (Wyoming) WBF Dina Tavera (Pajaro Valley) F 2:47
64 Cindy Herceg (Spartak) DEC Joy Warren (Cumberland) D 4-0
65 Jody Geare (Aptos HS) DEC Julia Furniss (Messiah) D 6-4

Championship Quarter-Finals
78 #1 Sarah McMann (Sunkist) DEC Kate Zeitler (Cumberland) M 10-0
79 #5 Tori Adams (MVC) WBF #4 Lauwa Smith (MVC) F 2:24
80 #2 Tonya Evinger (Unattached) WBF #7 Peggy VanDeMaik (Minn Storm) F 1:17
81 #6 Jimi-Dawn Hornbuckle (Unattached) DEC #3 Tina Arnds (MVC) D 4-2

Consolation Third Round
98 Emilee Murphree (Napa Valley WC) DEC Sarah Tolin (Wyoming) M 10-0
99 Cindy Herceg (Spartak) WBF Kim Shimamoto (Rainbow Wahine) F 4:23
100 Heidi Bixler (Messiah) DEC Jody Geare (Aptos HS) D 3-2
101 Alexandra Augustin (Unattached) WBF Lisa Walker (MVC) F 3:20

Consolation Fourth Round
116 #4 Lauwa Smith (MVC) WBF Emilee Murphree (Napa Valley WC) F 4:05
117 Cindy Herceg (Spartak) DEC Kate Zeitler (Cumberland) D 9-2
118 Heidi Bixler (Messiah) WBF #3 Tina Arnds (MVC) F 0:44
119 Alexandra Augustin (Unattached) WBF #7 Peggy VanDeMaik (Minn Storm) F 4:14

Championship Semi-Finals
133 #1 Sarah McMann (Sunkist) DEC #5 Tori Adams (MVC) M 11-0
134 #2 Tonya Evinger (Unattached) WBF #6 Jimi-Dawn Hornbuckle (Unattached) F 2:42

Consolation Quarter-Finals
145 Cindy Herceg (Spartak) DEC #4 Lauwa Smith (MVC) D 2-0
146 #3 Tina Arnds (MVC) WBF Alexandra Augustin (Unattached) F 1:53

Consolation Semi-Finals
157 #6 Jimi-Dawn Hornbuckle (Unattached) WBF Cindy Herceg (Spartak) F 1:43
158 #5 Tori Adams (MVC) DEC #3 Tina Arnds (MVC) D 4-1

3rd - Tori Adams, Amarillo, Texas (Missouri Valley College) dec. Jimi Dawn Hornbuckle, Poteau, Okla. (unattached), 4-2, ot, 5:27
5th - Tina Arnds, Scottsdale, Ariz. (Missouri Valley College) dec. Cindy Herceg, Los Angeles, Calif. (Spartak), 5-2

Finals - First Place
166 #1 Sarah McMann (Sunkist) WBF #2 Tonya Evinger (Unattached) F 4:18

Wt 68
Championship Second Round
43 Hillary Broad (Rainbow Wahine) DEC Rachel Glogowski (Messiah) D 11-10
44 #1 Kristie Marano (ATWA) DEC Megan Williams (MVC) M 10-0
45 #5 Melanie Macari (MVC) WBF Kelly Devin (Mercer) F 2:27
46 Angel Pina (Unattached) WBF Cecily Powers (Unattached) F 4:36
47 #2 Toccara Montgomery (Sunkist) WBF Mollie Kieth (MVC) F 1:34
48 #3 Sandy Bacher (DSWC) DEC Stephanie Bolton (Cumberland) M 10-0

Championship Quarter-Finals
82 #1 Kristie Marano (ATWA) WBF Hillary Broad (Rainbow Wahine) F 1:57
83 #5 Melanie Macari (MVC) WBF #4 Katie Downing (UM-Morris) F 5:13
84 #2 Toccara Montgomery (Sunkist) WBF Angel Pina (Unattached) F 0:10
85 #3 Sandy Bacher (DSWC) WBF #6 Kaci Lyle (MVC) F 5:37

Consolation Third Round
102 Mollie Kieth (MVC) WBF Cecily Powers (Unattached) F 0:40
103 Rachel Glogowski (Messiah) WBF Megan Williams (MVC) F 4:28

Championship Semi-Finals
135 #1 Kristie Marano (ATWA) WBF #5 Melanie Macari (MVC) F 2:23
136 #2 Toccara Montgomery (Sunkist) DEC #3 Sandy Bacher (DSWC) D 9-6

3rd - Katie Downing, Pendleton, Ind. (UM-Morris) dec. Kaci Lyle, Eureka, Calif. (Missouri Valley College), 3-2
5th - Sandra Bacher, San Jose, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC) dec. Melani Macari, Fremont, Calif. (Missouri Valley College), 9-3

Finals - First Place
167 #2 Toccara Montgomery (Sunkist) DEC #1 Kristie Marano (ATWA) D 8-3

Wt 75
Championship Second Round
49 #1 Satrinina Vernon (MVC) WBF Emily Barna (Messiah) F 2:32
50 #4 Alicia Mena (Minn Storm) WBF Anne Waddell (Cumberland) F 0:27
51 #7 Elena Mena (Minn Storm) DEC Alicia Wilson (Santana) D 9-6

Championship Quarter-Finals
86 #1 Satrinina Vernon (MVC) DEC Cassandra Inmann (Unattached) D 6-0
87 #4 Alicia Mena (Minn Storm) WBF #5 Donnell Bradley (MVC) F 1:03
88 #2 Iris Smith (Sunkist) DEC #7 Elena Mena (Minn Storm) M 11-1
89 #3 Dominique Smalley (MVC) WBF Samanthe Branha (UM-Morris) F 5:34

Championship Semi-Finals
137 #1 Satrinina Vernon (MVC) WBF #4 Alicia Mena (Minn Storm) F 3:23
138 #2 Iris Smith (Sunkist) WBF #3 Dominique Smalley (MVC) F 2:37

3rd - Dominique Smalley, Iowa City, Iowa (Missouri Valley College) pin Alicia Mena, St. Paul, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 1:34
5th - Elena Mena, St. Paul, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) pin Donell Bradley, Aiei, Hawaii (Missouri Valley College), 1:17

Finals - First Place
168 #2 Iris Smith (Sunkist) WBF #1 Satrinina Vernon (MVC) F 5:20

Quotes from the champions

101.25 lbs. - Tricia Saunders

“This means a lot to me. I got sick a few weeks ago. I didn’t think I was completely ready. I got a bit tired. The national titles never get old for me.”

112.25 lbs. - Stephanie Murata

“This meant more to me than some of the others. It was a lot harder, due to injuries. The road back is sweeter. I want to thank all those who helped me. I have to work harder to stay on top. My goal is to win the Worlds. I would be much nicer here in the U.S.”

123.25 lbs. - Tina Wilson

“This feels great. I have been waiting for this, year after year. I am thankful I finally got it. This is the thing I needed for my confidence. I have always been close, but I never sealed the deal. I wanted every one else to know that I could do it.”

136.5 lbs. - Sara McMann

“I’m very excited to win a national championship for the second time, because every match against Tonya has been a real dog fight. I’m so glad that all the pounding by the guys at Lock Haven University has finally paid off.”

“This has been a long year of good tournaments for me. It’s nice to win, with all the hard work. My goal is to win the World Championships. Wrestling is my life.”

149.75 lbs. - Toccara Montgomery

“I feel great. I have been training and working hard. I want to thank all my coaches. This is the second time I have beaten her. I used my conditioning and speed to my advantage. I’m finally getting respect.”

165.25 lbs. - Iris Smith

“First of all, I thank God for this victory. With strong family support, determination and hard work, you can accomplish anything. My second national championship is sweeter because the competition keeps getting tougher.”

Tons of great pictures from 2001 national championshipsfrom themat.com

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