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WOMEN

USA Wrestler Sept/Oct 2001

The United States has developed one of the
world's elite Women's freestyle wrestling
teams, with a 1999 World Team Title in the
record book. Three members of that 1999
World Championship team have qualified to
compete in New York, and aim to bring home
some more hardware for the host United
States.
Leading the effort is four-time World
Champion Tiicia Saunders, the greatest U.S.
women's wrestler in history. Saunders
claimed World gold medals in 1992, 1996,
1998 and 1999, and also boasts a World
silver medal. Saunders has never lost to an r-'
Amefican opponent after a dozen years on the
Senior level.
The other members of that 1999 World
Championship team are Stephanie Murata of
the Sunkist Kids at 112.25 pounds and Tina
George of the Sunkist Kids at 123.25 pounds.

Murata competed in four World
Championships, with her best performance
being her fourth place finish in 1998 and
1999. She qualified for last year's World
team, but was unable to compete due to
injury. Her six straight U.S. Nationals show a
dominance against domestic competition.
George will be competing in her fourth
straight World Championships, with her sixth
place in 1999 as her best performance. She
captured her first U.S. Nationals title this
year, and cruised to victory in the World
Team Trials.
Two other team members also boast World
Championship experience as members of the
2000 U.S. Women's World Team: Sara
McMann of the Sunkist Kids at 136.5 pounds
and Iris Smith of the Sunkist Kids at 165.25
pounds.
McMann has improved dramatically, and
looks to make a move up in the World
standings. She has captured two straight U.S.
Nationals titles, and placed ninth in the 2000
World Championships. This season, she has
been very active on the international scene
and has dominated most of the competition.
Smith also has claimed two straight U.S.
Nationals crowns, and earned a seventh-place
finish in the 2000 World meet. Like
McMann, Smith has stepped up her
performance against the international field.
She has claimed gold medals at the Pan

American Championships for two straight years.

Toccara Montgomery and Kerry McCoy participate in a press conference in New York City.

The final member of the U.S. women's
team is the exciting 18-year-old Toccara
Montgomery of the Sunkist Kids, who has
come on like a runaway train at I -
pounds. Montgomery had to beat two past
World Champions t0 make the U.S. squad,
2000 World Champion Kristie Marano and
1999 World Champion Sandy Bacher.
Montgomery graduated from high school in
Ohio this spring, and will be attending
Cumberland College this fall.
Although the U.S. team is experienced,
Saunders is the only past World medalist
among the six team members. Two members
of the team defeated World medalists to make
the squad, Murata and Montgomery . i
The key to this U.S. team will be how
successfully the talented young Americans
prepare to move up into the medal rounds in
their weight divisions. When the U.S.
claimed the World Team title in 1999, all six
team members placed in the top six of their
weight class, and the U.S. captured three
medals.
In 2000, with an inexperienced team, the
USA placed fifth in the World
Championships. The 2001 team has more
experience, and will look to use the home
field advantage to help win the close bouts
that separate champions from also-rans. This
is the first time that Women's Team USA
will compete at the World level in the United
States, and their performance should be an
inspiration for fueling growth in the sport all
over the nation.