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Valley tops first women’s college rankings

10/25/01
By Chris Allen/Sports Editor

Three years ago, the University of Minnesota at Morris was alone among U.S. colleges in boasting a women’s wrestling team.

In 1999, Missouri Valley and Cumberland (Ky.) joined the Lady Cougars in the fray – with the Lady Vikings quickly establishing dominance among the three by not only winning the two University Nationals, but taking on and usually beating established club programs like the Sunkist Kids and Dave Schultz Wrestling Club.

However, the competition will be stiffer during the 2002 campaign, with at least a dozen schools now having women affiliated with their wrestling programs. The sport’s expansion – fueled by the addition of women’s freestyle wrestling to the Olympics, beginning with the 2004 Games at Athens, Greece – has reached the stage where TheMat.com, which has long rated grapplers in the Senior Women’s class, has launched its first U.S. College Women’s rankings.

As expected, Valley heads the list, with two No. 1 wrestlers among the six weight classes: junior Clarissa Chun of Kapolei, Hawaii – ranked second on the USA Wrestling national team – at 46 kilograms (101.25 pounds) and junior Nina Vernon of Rodeo, Calif., at 75 Kg (165.25 lbs.).

In all, the Lady Vikings hold 16 of the 48 spots. Following Chun at 46 Kg are junior Rachel Bernardes (No. 2), sophomore Audrey Carrasco (4) and freshman Jessica Dougherty (5). Joining 75 Kg leader Vernon are junior Donnell Bradley (3) and freshman Hillary Leith (8).

Although Valley has no ranked 51 Kg wrestlers, there are multiple entries in the remaining three classes. Senior Malissa Sherwood is second and junior Carrie Birge third at 56 Kg, with junior Leigh Jaynes at No. 8. Sophomores Tonya Evinger and Tori Adams and junior Tina Arnds hold the second through fourth spots at 62 Kg, with freshman Ashley Sword eighth. And junior Melanie Macari is third and sophomore Mollie Keith fifth at 68 Kg, where former MVC wrestler – Pacific (Calif.) sophomore transfer Kaci Lyle – is at No. 4.

There are a couple of familiar names at the new Lock Haven (Pa.) program, propelling it to No. 2 in the team rankings. Freshman Erin Tomeo, formerly of TAPS, is rated first at 56 Kg and senior Sara McMann – a member of the U.S. women’s world team with the Sunkist Kids – leads at 62 Kg.

Cumberland freshman Toccara Montgomery, another world team member from the Sunkist Kids, tops the 68 Kg charts and Stanford senior Patricia Miranda – No. 1 at 51 Kg – was the 2000 world silver medalist for Dave Schultz.

Minnesota-Morris is third in the poll and Cumberland fourth, followed by new programs at Pacific (Calif.), Neosho County (Kan.) Community College, Menlo (Calif.), America International (Mass.), Messiah (Pa.) and the University of Hawaii.