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Wrestler hopes for Olympic shot; Ian Hamilton
Regina LeaderPost 04-12-2005
Ali Bernard has a long list of accomplishments from the 2004-05 season.
And she isn't done."There's always senior worlds," the University of Regina Cougars
wrestler said Monday after returning to the Queen City from San Diego, where she
won a United States junior title Sunday. "I just want to accomplish more."
It's hard to imagine Bernard -- a product of New Ulm, Minn., who turned
19 on Monday -- doing any more than she already has this season.
She won Canada West and CIS titles at 80 kilograms and was named the
female rookie-of-the-year and outstanding female wrestler at both meets.
At the U of R's awards ceremony Thursday, she was named MVP of the
women's wrestling team, the female rookie-of-the-year and the outstanding
female athlete.
Three days later, Bernard won her second U.S. junior title when she
dominated the women's 72kg weight class.
"I've always wrestled up (an age group)," she said. "Now that I'm
older, I'm wrestling people who are my age or younger. I expect myself to do well
against them."
On Sunday, Bernard pinned all four of her opponents in a total of four
minutes 35 seconds to win the Gorrarian Award, which goes to the
wrestler at the U.S. junior meet who has the most falls in the least amount of
time.
She pinned California's Georgette Laman in 1:08, Missouri's Brittany
Jones in 59 seconds, New York's Toni Copeland in 58 seconds and Kentucky's
Tabetha Golt in 1:30.
"I had wrestled those girls before," Bernard said. "I think they were a
little intimidated by me."
Bernard won her first U.S. junior crown in 2003 and went on to claim a
world junior title that season. Winning on Sunday gave her a spot on the
American team for the 2005 world junior championships, July 5-10 in Lithuania.
Bernard, who won a U.S. senior title in 2004, also is to compete at the
'05 U.S. senior nationals April 28 in Las Vegas. The way things have gone
for Bernard this season, a top-three finish -- or perhaps a top-one finish
-- in Vegas could be in the offing.
"I'm sure it'll hit me one day when I get older," Bernard said when
asked if she realizes how impressive her season to date has been. "Right now,
I'm not going to let it go to my head."
"She's just a country girl from a small town who loves sports and loves
life," Cougars head coach Leo McGee added, referring to Bernard's
low-key reaction. "She's the nicest kid you'd ever meet."
Except when she gets on the wrestling mat. Bernard's drive could help
her achieve her goal of making the U.S. team for the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing, China.
"She has improved incredibly," said McGee, who recruited Bernard while
she was competing for her high school's boys team in Minnesota.
"What's really neat is she's getting better every day. Her fitness
level has really increased. She's maturing and getting physically strong.
Athletically, wow, she's scary. She's just a stud -- and she's going to
be good for a long time.
"She has a tremendous will to win, but she fully understands that will
to win is worth nothing without preparation. She works at it."
In San Diego, Bernard wrestled under the Cougars banner and she's to do
the same in Las Vegas. As a result, her showings on the American stage
could help a Canadian university.
"What it's doing for us is saying, 'Hey, we're more than just a men's
program,' " McGee said. "We've always been labelled a men's program
with an old-school coach. In the past, there was a hesitancy for women to come
here because they'd have to work hard. Now, thanks to (Bernard), they
understand.
"This has put the U of R on the map in the States. They know there's a
wrestling team here -- I was even approached by a couple of kids on the
weekend -- and they like it."
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4/26/05
Community rallied behind young wrestler
The Pohren family of Mount Vernon would like to thank those who helped send Alysia Pohren to two national girls' wrestling tournaments.
Pohren, a sixth-grader, placed second at the United States Girls Wrestling Association Folkstyle Championships on March 30 in Lake Orion, Mich., and second in the USA Wrestling Girls Freestyle Nationals on April 9 in San Diego.
Those helping Pohren were Dan Mitzel and Associates; Swinomish People and Vincent Wilbur of the Northern Lights Casino; Steelclaw Wrestling Club; Karl's Paint; Wal-Mart; Sims Honda; KarMart Nissan; Kiwanis of Mount Vernon; Rotary of Mount Vernon/Skagit Charitable Association: Foley RV; Rouw Insurance; Dr. Pete Fochesato; Triple T Concrete; Valley Farm Center and RV; Blake Chevrolet; Brad Methner, State Farm Insurance; Steel Dreams; J.C. Pawn Shop Inc.; Joseph Bowen, attorney at law; El Gitano; Vanessa's Heads Up Barber Shop; The Valley Gallery; Bob's Burger and Brew; Skagit Ford Subaru; Dr. Raish; Holboy Automotive; Angel of the Winds casino; Budget Towing; Kiwanis of Burlington-Edison; Masonic Lodge of Anacortes; Sedro-Woolley Rotary Club; Soroptimist International of Burlington; Soroptimist International of La Conner; Skagit County Sheriff's Department; Salem Lutheran Church; friends and neighbors.
Kent Pohren
Mount Vernon
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U.S. Nationals preview at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. in women’s freestyle wrestling
4/26/2005
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
The dominant athlete at this division in recent years has been Toccara Montgomery of the New York AC, a two-time World silver medalist and member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic team. Montgomery has shown an ability to compete with anybody in the world, and has held an edge at this division over all U.S. rivals since she moved up in weight three seasons ago. She is coming off a tough experience at the Olympics, where she drew Japan’s superstar Kyoko Hamaguchi in the first round and lost, and did not wrestle back well. Montgomery was injured this winter and has not competed for many months. It is very possible that she will not be ready in time for U.S. Nationals, and will not be there to defend her title.
This weight class may be the most devastated by injuries, as the top three ranked wrestlers in the nation have been out all winter. Kristie Marano of the New York AC, the two-time World champion who missed weight at 63 kg at the Olympic Trials and placed second at 72 kg instead, has been recovering from injury. If Marano is able to compete at U.S. Nationals, she is expected to drop down in weight.
Stephany Lee of Missouri Valley placed second behind Montgomery in the U.S. Nationals, and lost to Marano to place third at the Olympic Team Trials. Lee was a University World champion last year, and has shown great promise in recent seasons. She pinned Olympic silver medalist Gouzel Marianova of Russia in a dual meet in Russia this winter, then got injured on the tour and has not been able to wrestle since. Like the others, she may not be ready to compete yet, throwing this weight class wide open for others.
An athlete who might be favored to win this division under the current circumstances is Ali Bernard of Rolling Thunder, who was the U.S. Nationals champion at 67 kg last year. Bernard wrestled at 72 kg and 80 kg for the Univ. of Regina this winter, and won the 72 kg division at the FILA Junior Nationals just a few weeks ago. Bernard was a Junior World champion at 67 kg in 2003, and will return at this division to try to win it again in 2005. But in Las Vegas, we may see Bernard down at 67 kg again.
Former U.S. Nationals champion and World Team member Iris Smith of the U.S. Army had a few down seasons recently, placing fourth at the Olympic Team Trials and the U.S. Nationals last year. Smith has not competed since the Olympic Trials, but may be back on the mats this year in Las Vegas. Nina Vernon of the Gator WC, a former U.S. Nationals runner-up, placed fifth at the U.S. Nationals and sixth at the Olympic Team Trials last year. Like Smith, she also has not competed yet this season. You can’t really count on either of these athletes at this point in the season.
A former star at this division is young Samantha Lang of the Sunkist Kids, who has placed as high as second at the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials in the past. Lang has had problems making this weight class in the past year or so. She was unable to qualify for the Olympic Trials, missing weight at the final Olympic Regional qualifier last spring. Although she has been training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center this year, she still has not been down to scratch weight at 72 kg. If Lang is prepared and on weight, she could be the U.S. Nationals champion with a good performance in this field. However, until she has been to 72 kg again, there is no way to know how well she can do again.
Two USOEC resident athletes with experience are Donell Bradley and Randi Miller. Both wrestled on the college scene for a number of years, placing at the national level a number of times in the past. However, neither has moved high on the medal lists yet at the major tournaments. It will be interesting to see if they have made any progress since joining the University resident program at Northern Michigan this year.
The top high school talent is Juanita Russell of TNT, a former Junior World team member at this division. At this year’s FILA Junior Nationals, Russell moved up to 77 kg, a weight that is not contested at the World meet, and placed second behind Lang. A veteran at this division is Elena Mena of Minnesota, who has placed numerous times at the national level. She was seventh at the U.S. Nationals in 2004, and continues to train and compete. Misty Stalley of Menlo College was eighth at the U.S. Nationals last year, but has not wrestled at all this season.
A talented newcomer on the college scene is Tabitha Golt of Cumberland College, who was second behind Bernard at the FILA Junior Nationals this year. A few athletes who are just becoming eligible from the high school ranks who may make an impact if they show up in Las Vegas are Junior Nationals champion Melissa Simmons of SW Washington and Junior Nationals runner-up Toni Copeland of Shamrock. In the bronze-medal match at the FILA Juniors this year, Copeland defeated Simmons. Both have the ability to compete for All-American honors on the Senior level, if not this year, sometime very soon in the future.
There should be other athletes who, if they win a few matches in Las Vegas, could sneak into the medal rounds at this division. However, this would probably be a result of many of the top stars not being there this year, and an opportunity opening for them to step up.
With names like Montgomery, Marano and Lee in the rankings of this weight class, it looks like a strong field on paper. However injuries may keep many big names out of the U.S. Nationals this year. If Ali Bernard chooses to move up to this division this season, she has a legitimate chance to take it all. Iris Smith will need to return to form of a few years ago, and Samantha Lang will have to prove that she can get down to weight and still wrestle with skill and dominance. The only thing certain about the 72 kg division this year is that it remains very uncertain days prior to weighins. The title may end up going to the last woman standing…
2004 U.S. NATIONALS RESULTS
1st - Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio (New York AC) dec. Stephany Lee, Honolulu, Hawaii (Missouri Valley), 3-1
3rd -Katie Downing, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 4-2
5th - Nina Vernon, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) dec. Randi Miller. Arlington, Texas (Dave Schultz WC), 3-2
7th -Elena Mena, St. Paul, Minn. (West Side) pin Misty Stalley, Atherton, Calif. (Menlo), 1:36
THEMAT.COM RANKINGS FOR APRIL 1, 2005
1. Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio (Cumberland College)
2. Kristie Marano, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
3. Stephany Lee, Honolulu, Hawaii (Missouri Valley)
4. Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
5. Samantha Lang, Tualatin, Ore. (Sunkist Kids)
6. Donell Bradley, Aiea, Hawaii (USOEC)
7. Randi Miller, Arlington, Texas (USOEC)
8. Juanita Russell, Galway, N.Y. (TNT)
9. Elena Mena, St. Paul, Minn.
10. Tabitha Golt, Chesapeake, Va. (Cumberland College)
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Sara McMann named 2004 USA Wrestling Women’s Wrestler of the Year
4/26/2005
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
Sara McMann (Lock Haven, Pa./Sunkist Kids) has been named the 2004 Women’s Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling. It is the first time that McMann has won this prestigious award.
McMann won the Olympic silver gold medal in women’s freestyle wrestling at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. at the Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. She was one of two U.S. women wrestlers to claim a medal during the Athens Games, and the highest placement of the U.S. women wrestlers. It was a historic performance as women’s freestyle wrestling was contested at the Olympic Games for the first time.
McMann was impressive in reaching the gold-medal finals, scoring pins in two of her first three bouts. In her opening match, she pinned 2001 World champion Lili Meng of China in 2:01. Her second bout was a 5-2 loss to Canadian Viola Yanik, but McMann’s pin over Meng allowed her to win the pool and advance. In the semifinals, she pinned Stavroula Zygouri of Greece in just 50 seconds, silencing the pro-Greek crowd and guaranteeing McMann a medal at the Olympics.
In the gold medal finals, facing her archrival, McMann lost a very close 3-2 decision to two-time World champion Kaori Icho of Japan.
McMann earned her spot on the U.S. Olympic Team, winning the title at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling in Indianapolis, Ind in May. She defeated Alaina Berube (Escanaba, Mich./New York AC) in the championship series, two matches to zero.
McMann also won a gold medal at the Olympic Testing Event held in Athens, Greece in February. She won a gold medal at the Manitoba Open in Canada, and a bronze medal at the Dave Schultz Memorial International in Colorado Springs, Colo. McMann won her match at the Titan Games in Atlanta by pin. She was a silver medalist at the U.S. Nationals in Las Vegas, Nev.
McMann attended Lock Haven Univ., where she was a member of the men’s wrestling team. She began her college career at the Univ. of Minnesota-Morris. She is originally from Marion, N.C.
USA Wrestling will be announcing major award winners each day this week on TheMat.com.
PAST WOMEN'S WRESTLER OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS
2004 - Sara McMann, Lock Haven, Pa., Sunkist Kids
2003 - Patricia Miranda, Colorado Springs, Colo., Dave Schultz WC
2002 - Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y., ATWA
2001 - Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio, Sunkist Kids
2000 - Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y., ATWA
1999 - Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1998 - Kristie Stenglein, Albany, N.Y., ATWA
1997 - Sandra Bacher, San Jose, Calif., Dave Schultz WC
1996 - Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1995 - Vickie Zummo, Hamburg, N.J., New York AC
1994 - Shannon Williams, Ontario, Calif., Sunkist Kids
1993 - Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
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Pre-Seeds announced for U.S. Senior Nationals in Greco-Roman, men's freestyle and women's freestyle
4/26/2005
John Fuller/USA Wrestling
WOMEN’S FREESTYLE
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
1. Sara Fulp-Allen, El Granada, Calif. (Menlo College)
2. Malinda Ripley, Colorado Springs, Colo.(Sunkist Kids)
3. Laura Felix, Bakersfield, Calif. (Cal-Bakersfield)
4. Caitlyn Chase, Hanover Park, Ill. (Gator WC)
5. Sadie Kaneda, Honolulu, Hawaii (Missouri Valley)
6. Rachel Holthaus, Little Falls, Minn. (High Flyers)
7. Jessica Medina, Pomona, Calif. (Cumberland College)
8. Katie Kunimoto, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
51 kg/112.25 lbs.
1. Stephanie Murata, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
2. Jenny Wong, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
3. Mary Kelly, Mahomet, Ill. (New York AC)
4. Kapua Torres, Kahuku, Hawaii (Pacific)
5. Debbi Sakai, Miliani, Hawaii (New York AC)
6. Maika Watanabe, Napa, Calif. (Missouri Valley)
7. Cheryl Wong, Croton, N.Y. (unattached)
8. Tanya Miyasaki, Kaneohe, Hawaii (Missouri Valley)
55 kg/121 lbs.
1. Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
2. Marcie Van Dusen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
3. Sharon Jacobsen, El Cajon, Calif. (USOEC)
4. Danyelle Hedin, Honolulu, Hawaii (USOEC)
5. Chelynne Pringle, Hugo, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
6. Tina Pihl, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
7.Clarissa Calibuso, Waipahu, Hawaii (Missouri Valley)
8. Amy Borgnini, Terre Haute, Ind. (USOEC)
59 kg/130 lbs.
1. Sally Roberts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
2. Tela O'Donnell, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
3. Brandy Rosenbrock, Harrison, Mich. (USOEC)
4. Suekoiyla Shelly, Hurst, Texas (New York AC)
5. Brooke Bogren, Burlingame, Kan. (Missouri Valley)
6. Deanna Rix, South Berwick, Maine (SMT)
7. Amberle Montgomery, Skillicom, Wash. (Toro)
8. Leigh Jaynes, Burlington, N.J. (New York AC)
63 kg/138.5 lbs.
1. Alaina Berube, Escanaba,Mich. (New York AC)
2. Kaci Lyle, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
3. Stefenie Shaw, Waterford, Conn. (KT Kidz)
4. Jackie Cataline, Corona, Calif. (Cataline’s Wildcats)
5. Na’Tasha Umemoto, Portland, Ore. (Sunkist Kids)
6. Ashley Sword, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
7. Vanessa Oswalt, Mount Vernon, Ohio (SW Force)
8. Othella Lucas, San Diego, Calif. (New York AC)
67 kg/147.5 lbs.
1. Kristie Marano, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
2. Katie Downing, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
3. Heather Martin, Wellington, Ohio (New York AC)
4. Kelly Branham, Apache Junction, Ariz. (Missouri Valley)
5. Shelly Ruberg, Williamsburg, Ky. (Cumberland College)
6. K’uu Johnson, Honolulu, Hawaii (USOEC)
7. Cindy Herceg, Los Angeles, Calif. (Spartak)
8. Melissa Simmons, Ridgefield, Wash. (SW Washington)
72 kg/158.5 lbs.
1. Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minn. (Univ of Regina)
2. Samantha Lang, Tualatin, Ore. (Sunkist Kids)
3. Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
4. Randi Miller, Arlington, Texas (USOEC)
5. Elena Mena, St. Paul, Minn. (Westside/Westend)
6. Donell Bradley, Aiea, Hawaii (USOEC)
7. Toni Copeland, McDonough, N.Y. (Shamrock)
8. Tabitha Golt, Chesapeake, Va. (Cumberland College)