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Preview of the Women's competition at the Senior World Team Trials in Cincinnati

4/23/01
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling

The U.S. Women’s World Team claimed the World Team title in 1999, and has been a major force on the international scene for over a decade. America’s best women wrestlers will be battling for a spot on the U.S. team that will compete in the World Championships n New York City in September.

Four-time World Champion Tricia Saunders is among the top-seeded athletes heading into the World Team Trials, set for Cincinnati, Ohio, June 22-24. U.S. Nationals Outstanding Wrestler Toccara Montgomery beat two past World Champions to claim her first nationals title. The competition is expected to be fierce in the women’s division at the World Team Trials.

101.25 pounds

Four-time World Champion Tricia Saunders remains unbeaten against American opponents, winning a record 11th U.S. Nationals title and maintaining her position as the best ever in U.S. women’s wrestling. In the finals, she defeated veteran Julie Gonzalez by a 9-0 margin, one of the closer matches Gonzales has had against Saunders. College star Clarissa Chun, who wrestled in the 2000 U.S. Nationals, lost a wild match against Gonzalez but came back to capture third place. Chun was also the University Nationals champion this year.

High school star Erica Dye of West Virginia proved that she belonged on the Senior level with a strong fourth-place finish. College wrestler Sandra Padron was fifth, and emerging high school talent Tanya Miyasaka from Hawaii grabbed the final All-American position. Also earning places in the Challenge Tournament were Rachel Bernardes and Laura Obuhanych.

112.25 pounds

Stephanie Murata continued her dominance over American opponents, claiming her sixth U.S. Nationals title. Like Saunders, she was unable to compete in last year’s World Championships due to injury. Murata was in control in the championship finals, defeating University Nationals champion Jenny Wong, 9-3. Wong made the finals by upsetting 2000 World silver medalist Patricia Miranda by pin in the semifinals. Miranda wrestled back to take third place, and will remain a serious threat in the World Team Trials.

High school star Mary Kelly of Illinois entered her first Senior event at this weight class and placed a strong fourth. Another prep standout, Melina Hutchison of Alaska, finished fifth. The final All-American spot was claimed by Miriam Jenkins, a product of the new U.S. Marines women’s team. Others who have qualified for the Challenge Tournament include Shelley Ann Tomita and Danielle Hobeika.

123.25 pounds

After making three U.S. World Teams, Tina Wilson captured her first U.S. Nationals title with an impressive showing in Las Vegas. She pinned high school standout Erin Tomeo of Pennsylvania in the championship finals. Both Wilson and Tomeo were University Nationals champions, but Tomeo dropped down to this weight class. Another Pennsylvania high school star, Lisa Bisers, claimed third place.

College stars Grace Magnussen and Carrie Birge placed fourth and fifth respectively. Magnussen is a veteran who can be dangerous in big events. Colorado prep star Cathilee Albert placed sixth, earning All-American status. Also qualifying for the Challenge Tournament were Cheryl New and Jill Remiticado.

136.5 pounds

Sara McMann continued her dominance at this weight class, winning her second consecutive U.S. Nationals title. McMann has been winning tournaments all season, and pinned National Team member Tonya Evinger in the finals. Evinger’s teammate at Missouri Valley College, Tori Adams, had her best Senior performance, placing third in the weight class in Las Vegas.

Veteran Jimi-Dawn Hornbuckle, a former national champion, continued to be a threat by placing fourth. College wrestler Tina Arnds was fifth, and an emerging talent, Cindy Herceg, was sixth. Also earning a spot in the Challenge Tournament were Lauwa’e Smith and Alexandra Augustin.

149.75 pounds

The most exciting new star in women’s wrestling is Ohio high school sensation Toccara Montgomery, who was named Outstanding Wrestler at the U.S. Nationals. Montgomery defeated 1999 World Champion Sandra Bacher in a wild semifinal match. In the gold-medal finals, her offense proved too much for 2000 World Champion Kristie Marano. Montgomery had defeated both athletes earlier this season, but claiming wins on the big stage at the U.S. Nationals showed that she has arrived as a true international force.

Marano was also second at last year’s U.S. Nationals, but came back to win the World Championships. College wrestler Katie Downing, who has been impressive all season, came through with a strong third-place finish, and another college star, Kaci Lyle, was fourth. Bacher claimed fifth place, while Melani Macari grabbed the final All-American position by taking sixth. Also earning spots in the Challenge Tournament were Devin Kelly and Stephanie Bolton.

165.25 pounds

Winning a second straight U.S. Nationals title was Iris Smith, who pinned Satrinina Vernon in the gold-medal finals. Vernon had a pair of wins over Smith earlier in the season, but Smith peaked well for the U.S. Nationals. Claiming third was veteran Dominique Smalley, the 2000 Junior World Champion and a regular challenger at this weight division.

The next two spots went to the Mena sisters of Minnesota, with Alicia capturing fourth and Elena placing fifth. Alicia has been at this weight class for awhile, while Elena moved up just a short time ago. The final All-American placing went to college wrestler Donell Bradley, who finished sixth. Also qualifying for the Challenge Tournament in Cincinnati were Samantha Branka and Cassandra Inman.

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Chun's title leads Lady Vikings at University Nationals

MVC 4/3/2001

EVANSTON, Ill. - The competition at the Women's University National Wrestling Championships last Wednesday through Saturday in Evanston, Ill., fell under the weight of the Missouri Valley College program.

Typically, the Lady Vikings had the largest contingent in the field. That wouldn't have been enough, however, without some wins. That they accomplished, putting together enough victories in pool play to place 20 wrestlers into the 36 trophy-round slots - including five finalists encompassing four of the six weight classes.

However, only one Valley entry walked away with a gold medal: sophomore Clarissa Chun of Kapolei, Hawaii, the defending U.S. Collegiate Nationals champion who went undefeated in the 46-kilogram class - including an 11-0 technical fall over teammate Sandra Padron in the finals.

Third place at 46 Kg went to freshman Audrey Carasco of Mississauga, Ontario, also winning by technical fall over a fellow Lady Viking, sophomore Rachel Bernardes, 10-0.

Valley had entries in all three medal rounds at 51 Kg, but the only winner was freshman Marianne Vollmer of Grayling, Mich. She defeated Miriam Jenkins of the All-Marine Wrestling Club for third place, 9-8.

In the championship bout, the Sunkist Kids' Jenny Wong handed sophomore Shelley-Ann Tomita a 10-0 setback. Assistant coach Angela Hesener defaulted her fifth-place contest against Katie Kunimoto of Cumberland (Ky.) due to injury.

Although the Lady Vikings had no finalists at 56 Kg, they locked up the remaining four positions. Sophomore Cheryl New of Bonanza, Ore., downed senior Grace Magnusson for third place, 14-8. And sophomore Carrie Birge of Omaha, Neb., was awarded fifth place by the injury default of her teammate, sophomore Aimee McNab.

Freshman Tonya Evinger of Bates City lost a narrow 7-4 decision to the Sunkist Kids' Erin Tomeo in the 62 Kg title match. But freshman Tori Adams of Amarillo, Texas - who took the "most falls" award with three pins in 9:12 - stopped Cumberland's Kate Zeitler in 3:41 for third place. And sophomore Lau'wae Smith of Honolulu, Hawaii, also pinned a Lady Indian, Joy Warren, in 1:44 of the fifth-place bout.

Valley swept the third through sixth spots at 68 Kg. Freshman Kaci Lyle of Eureka, Calif., won the bronze medal by beating freshman Mollie Keith, 10-5. And fifth place went to sophomore Tina Arnds of Scottsdale, Ariz., an 11-3 winner over freshman Megan Williams.

Junior Dominique Smalley got to the 75 Kg finals, but ran into Iris Smith of the Sunkist Kids, who scored a 10-1 decision. Sophomore Melani Macari reached the fifth-place match, but withdrew because of injury.

On the men's side, one MVC contestant got to a trophy round in the freestyle competition: sophomore Rafael Maturino. But Maturino had to pull out of the seventh-place duel at 167.5 pounds due to injury.

The Lady Vikings' schedule heats up a little bit as the weather turns warmer. Their next outing is scheduled for April 12-14 at the U.S. Open Championships in Las Vegas, Nev.