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Montgomery wins 2001 Championship Belt Series for Senior women
12/25/2001
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
Women's World silver medalist Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) has won the 2001 Championship Belt Series on the Senior level for women's freestyle wrestling. She claimed the Championship Belt Series on the Senior level for the first time.
The series is sponsored by USA Wrestling and honors the top point scorers among U.S. wrestlers, based upon actual success in competition during the year. The point system is based upon results from events on the regional, national and international levels and gives greater credit for success in the major competitions. The top point scorer in the series for each style receives a handsome plaque.
USA Wrestling will announce all eight 2001 Championship Belt Series winners, with one champion announced per day, from Christmas Eve through New Years Eve.
Women's champion - Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
Montgomery, who placed second in the World Championships at 149.75 pounds, won the Women's Belt Series, scoring 422 points, placing 48 points ahead of runner-up Clarissa Chun (Kapolei, Hawaii/Missouri Valley). It was the second year in a row that Chun placed second in the Championship Belt Series.
Besides her World silver medal, Montgomery claimed seven gold medals at major women's events. She won the Yasar Dogu Tournament in Turkey, the Manitoba Open in Canada and the Sunkist Kids International in the USA. She was also the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials champion, as well as the Hoover/Geller Keystone Open champion and the University Nationals champion. Montgomery won Outstanding Wrestler awards at the U.S. Nationals and the Sunkist Kids Open.
Chun was again one of the most active wrestlers on the Women's circuit. She won gold medals at the Klippan Open in Sweden, the Manitoba Open in Canada, the University Nationals and the Sunkist Kids International Open. She was second in the World Team Trials, third at the U.S. Nationals and the Manitoba Open in Canada and fourth at the Women's World Cup.
2001 Women's Championship Belt Series Top Ten
1. Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio, Sunkist Kids, 149.75 pounds, 422 pts.
2. Clarissa Chun, Kapolei, Hawaii, Missouri Valley College, 101.25 pounds, 374 pts.
3. Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids, 165.25 pounds, 322 pts.
4. Jenny Wong, Stillwater, Minn., Sunkist Kids, 123.25 pounds, 320 pts.
5. Katie Downing, Pendleton, Ind., UM-Morris, 149.75 pounds, 301 pts.
6. Tonya Evinger, Bates City, Mo., Missouri Valley College, 136.5 pounds, 296 pts.
7. Sara McMann, Lock Haven, Pa., Sunkist Kids, 136.5 pounds, 290 pts.
8. Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids, 123.25 pounds, 250 pts.
9 Erin Tomeo, Volant, Pa., Sunkist Kids, 123.25 pounds, 244 pts.
10. Julie Gonzalez, Vallejo, Calif., Peninsula Grapplers, 101.25 pounds, 231 pts.
CHAMPIONSHIP BELT SERIES HISTORY
Women
1994 - Shannon Williams, Ontario, Calif., Sunkist Kids, 116.5 pounds
1995 - Tricia Saunders, Ann Arbor, Mich., Sunkist Kids, 103.5 pounds
1996 - Jackie Berube, Evanston, Ill., Wildcat WC, 125.5 pounds
1997 - Lauren Wolfe, Okemos, Mich., Michigan WC, 136.5 pounds
1998 - Stephanie Murata, Minden, Nev., Sunkist Kids, 112.25 pounds
1999 - Sara McMann, Lock Haven, Pa., Sunkist Kids, 123.25 pounds
2000 - Sara McMann, Lock Haven, Pa., Sunkist Kids, 136.5 pounds
2001 - Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio, Sunkist Kids, 149.75 pounds
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Erica Dye wins 2001 Women’s age-group Championship Belt Series
12/26/2001
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
USA Wrestling has developed an award within the Championship Belt Series to recognize the efforts of women wrestlers on the age-group levels.
The Women’s Age-Group Championship Belt Series honors the achievements of female wrestlers on the FILA Cadet, FILA Junior and University levels. Included are USA Wrestling age-group national and international events.
At this time, the award will combine all three age levels together. As the schedule for each age group is expanded in the future, a separate award program may be developed for each age level. The top point scorer in the series receives a handsome plaque.
USA Wrestling will announce all eight 2001 Championship Belt Series winners, with one champion announced per day, from Christmas Eve through New Years Eve.
Women’s age-group champion - Erica Dye, Elizabeth, W.Va.
Winning the 2001 Women’s age-group Championship Belt Series was Erica Dye (Elizabeth, W.Va.) who scored 216 points, edging runner-up Brandi Rosenbrock (Warren, Mich./Shamrocks) by just two points.
Dye placed fourth at the 2001 FILA Junior World Championships at 94.5 pounds. She claimed gold medals at the FILA Junior National Championships and the FILA Cadet National Championships. In addition, she won a gold medal and was named Outstanding Wrestler at the Klippan Cadet Cup in Sweden. Dye is a senior this year at Wirt County High School
Rosenbrock also won titles at the FILA Junior National Championships and the FILA Cadet National Championships. She placed eighth at the FILA Junior World Championships at 127.75 pounds. She also added silver medals at the Klippan Cadet Cup and the Klippan Senior Cup in Sweden. Rosenbrock is a senior this year at East Detroit High School.
The Belt Series is based upon a point system, rewarding athletes for actual success in competition. Athletes who place in the major USA Wrestling events scored points in the series.
Each event is weighed according to importance and difficulty, in order to determine the most successful wrestler during the season. A wrestler also receives points for receiving the Most Outstanding Wrestler award and Most Falls award at the events.
2001 Women’s Age Group Championship Belt Series Standings
1. Erica Dye, Elizabeth, W.Va., 216 pts.
2. Brandi Rosenbrock, Warren, Mich., Shamrocks, 214 pts.
3. Sara Fulp-Allen, El Granada, Calif., Peninsula Grapplers, 175 pts.
4. Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio, Sunkist Kids, 172 pts.
5. Brooke Bogren, Carbondale, Kanas, 160 pts.
6. Tori Adams, Amarillo, Texas, Missouri Valley College, 154 pts.
7. Clarissa Chun, Kapolei, Hawaii, Missouri Valley College, 148 pts.
8. Keristen LaBelle, Davison, Mich., Lapeer WC, 135 pts.
9. Jenny Wong, Stillwater, Minn., Sunkist Kids, 126 pts.
10. Erin Tomeo, Volant, Pa., Sunkist Kids, 100 pts.
Past Women’s Age-Group Belt Series Champions
2001 - Erica Dye, Elizabeth, W.Va.
2000 - Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
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Missouri Valley College claims top spot in TheMat.com North American Women’s College Wrestling Poll for December
12/26/2001
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
TheMat.com, the official web page of the Amateur Wrestling Alliance, has released the North American Women’s College Wrestling Rankings for teams and individuals for December 2001.
Missouri Valley College, an NAIA school from Marshall, Mo., was voted as the top North American women’s wrestling team in December. Missouri Valley, which was ranked No. 2 in the November pre-season ranking, received 94 points and one first place vote. Missouri Valley College is currently the top team in the U.S. college rankings. The Vikings are the defending champion at the USA Wrestling Women’s Senior Nationals and the USA Wrestling University National Championships.
Two colleges are tied for second in the December rankings: Brock Univ. of Ontario, Canada and Simon Fraser Univ. of British Columbia, Canada. Both teams received 92 points, and both teams also had two first-place votes each.
Brock Univ. competes in the CIS in Canada, and recently received the No. 1 team ranking among CIS women’s wrestling teams. Canadian NAIA school Simon Fraser Univ., which has sponsored the successful Burnaby Mountain Wrestling Club for many years, has made its women’s wrestling team a varsity this season.
Fourth in the voting is NCAA Div. I school Lock Haven Univ. in Pennsylvania with 86 points, and fifth is the defending CIS National champions, the Univ. of Calgary, with 84 points. Calgary was the No. 1 ranked team in the North American pre-season rankings in November.
Rounding out the Top 10 teams are the Univ. of Minnesota-Morris, Lakehead Univ., the Univ. of Alberta, Cumberland College and Pacific Univ.
The team ranking poll is elected by a panel of women’s college coaches, three from Canada and two from the United States. Eligible for ranking are college varsity and club women’s wrestling programs.
Women’s wrestling is a growing sport in Canada and the United States on the college level. The International Olympic Committee has named women’s freestyle wrestling as the newest sport added to the Summer Olympic Games program. The United States and Canada are among the most successful women’s wrestling nations in the world.
The individual rankings are selected by TheMat.com, with assistance from the panel of coaches. Athletes who are considered for ranking are eligible full-time college students, and are members of their college women’s varsity or club program, or a member of their college men’s wrestling team.
This month, athletes are ranked in the six international wrestling weight classes, used at the Senior World Championships and at major women’s open wrestling tournaments. CIS Canadian colleges compete in seven recognized weight classes, but also wrestle at the international weight classes in some major events.
FILA, the international wrestling federation, has changed the women’s weight classes for the Senior level, starting with January 1, 2002. The new weight classes will be 48 kg (105.6 lbs.), 51 kg (112.2 lbs.). 55 kg (121 lbs.), 59 kg (129.8 lbs.), 63 kg (138.6 lbs.), 67 kg (147.4 lbs.), 72 kg (158.4 lbs.). TheMat.com will use these new weight classes for the North American college rankings starting with the next ranking on January 25.
All six athletes ranked No. 1 in the November selections have retained their top ranking. They include Carol Huyhn of Simon Fraser Univ. (46 kg/101.25 lbs.), Patricia Miranda of Stanford Univ. (51 kg/112.25 lbs.), Tonya Verbeek of Brock Univ. (56 kg/123 lbs.), Sara McMann of Lock Haven Univ. (62 kg/136.5 lbs.), Toccara Montgomery of Cumberland College (68 kg/149.75 lbs.) and Jenna Pavlik of Lock Haven Univ. at 75 kg/165.25 lbs.
Complete individual and team rankings are posted on TheMat.com, in the rankings section.
TheMat.com North American College Women’s Wrestling rankings will be published monthly on the following dates: Nov. 28; Dec. 26; Jan. 25; Feb. 25; March 25; April 25; May 25
TheMat.com has created a composite schedule for women’s college wrestling, which includes events from the U.S. and Canadian programs. Results from these events will be posted on a regular basis throughout the season.
Media outlets may reproduce these rankings only if they identify them as TheMat.com North American College Women’s Wrestling individual rankings.