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WORLD TEAM TRIALS NOTES – George takes extension of Championship Series due to injury; Olympic medalist McMann enters competition; Olympic medalist Abas does not enter
6/17/2005
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), the No. 1 seed at 55 kg/121 lbs. in women’s wrestling, has received an extension on her Championship Series for the U.S. World Team due to injury.
George notified USA Wrestling on Thursday of her injury, and will not participate in the World Team Trials in Ames, Iowa, June 18-19. Because she notified USA Wrestling by the deadline, she did not have to weigh-in for this event. George said she had both hand and knee injuries.
Replacing George as the No. 1 seed in the competition, and moving directly into Saturday’s Championship Series at the weight class, will be 2005 U.S. Nationals runner-up Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids).
The winner of the Championship Series at this division does not earn a spot on the World Team, and will have to wrestle George in a best-of-three series at a date and location to be determined prior to the World Championships.
*****
2004 Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann (Iowa City, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) has entered the World Team Trials in Ames, Iowa at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., her first competition since winning her historic Olympic medal in Athens, Greece last summer.
McMann will be entered in the Challenge Tournament portion of the competition on Saturday, because she did not participate at the U.S. National Championships in Las Vegas, Nev. She qualifies for the competition as a past World and Olympic Team member. McMann received the No. 1 seed in the Challenge Tournament at this division.
The 2005 U.S. Nationals champion who is automatically in the Championship Series is Alaina Berube (Escanaba, Mich./New York AC). McMann defeated Berube in two straight matches in the final series of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Indianapolis, Ind. last May.
****
2003 World bronze medalist Jenny Wong (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) dropped a weight class down to the lowest division, 48 kg/105.5 lbs., in her quest to make the U.S. World Team. She received a No. 1 seed in the Challenge Tournament at the weight class.
Wong won her World medal at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., and placed third at the 2005 U.S. Nationals at that weight class. In 2004, in an attempt to make the U.S. Olympic team at one of the four Olympic weight divisions, Wong competed up at 55 kg/121 lbs. in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
2004 Olympic bronze medalist Patricia Miranda (New Haven, Conn./Sunkist Kids) has not competed since her medal performance at the Athens Olympic Games, leaving the 48 kg/105.5 lbs division up for grabs.
The 2005 U.S. Nationals champion is Sara Fulp-Allen (El Granada, Calif./Sunkist Kids), who has advanced to Sunday’s Championship Series. Also entered in the tournament at this division is 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials runner-up Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC), who did not compete at the U.S. Nationals due to injury. Chun received the No. 2 seed in the division at the Challenge Tournament.
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Final seeds for 2005 U.S. World Team Trials
6/17/2005
Maggie Hendricks and Tricia Turley/USA Wrestling
WOMEN’S FREESTYLE
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
U.S. Nationals Champion - Sara Fulp-Allen, El Granada, Calif. (Menlo College)
Challenge Tournament Seeds:
#1 – Jenny Wong, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
#2 – Clarissa Chun, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
#3 – Hana Askren, Los Angeles, Calif. (Santa Monica WC)
#4 – Katie Kunimoto, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
#5 – Laura Felix, Bakersfield, Calif. (Cal-State Bakersfield)
#6 – Joey Miller, Woodward, Okla. (Unattached)
#7 – Rachael Holthaus, Little Falls, Minn. (Hi-Flyers)
#8 – Liz Short, Lombard, Ill. (USOEC)
51 kg/112.25 lbs.
U.S. Nationals Champion - Stephanie Murata, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
Challenge Tournament Seeds:
#1 – Malinda Ripley, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
#2 – Mary Kelly, Mahomet, Ill. (New York AC)
#3 – Maika Watanabe, Napa, Calif. (Missouri Valley)
#4 – Caitlyn Chase, Bloomingdale, Ill. (Gator WC)
#5 – Chandra Peterson, Lake Mills, Iowa (Unattached)
55 kg/121 lbs.
U.S. Nationals Champion - Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) – injury delay
U.S. Nationals Runner-up – Marcie Van Dusen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
Challenge Tournament Seeds:
#1 – Sharon Jacobson, El Cajon, Calif. (USOEC)
#2 – LeAnn Barney, Austin, Texas (Rock Wrestling)
#3 – Chelynne Pringle, Hugo, Minn. (Minn. Storm)
#4 – Amy Borgnini, Terre Haute, Ind. (USOEC)
#5 – Tina Pihl, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
59 kg/130 lbs.
U.S. Nationals Champion - Sally Roberts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
Challenge Tournament Seeds:
#1 – Tela O'Donnell, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
#2 – Suekoilya Shelley, Hurst, Texas (New York AC)
#3 – Leigh Jaynes, Burlington, N.J., (New York AC)
63 kg/138.75 pounds
U.S. Nationals Champion - Alaina Berube, Escanaba, Mich. (New York AC)
Challenge Tournament Seeds:
#1 – Sara McMann, Iowa City, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
#2 – Kaci Lyle, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
#3 – Stefenie Shaw, Waterford, Conn. (KT Kidz)
#4 – Erin Tomeo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
#5 – Brandy Rosenbrock, Harrison, Mich. (USOEC)
#6 – Rachel Billerback, Pflugerville, Texas (Missouri Valley)
#7 – Na'Tasha Umemoto, Portland, Ore. (Sunkist Kids)
#8 – Laurin Daniels, Vashin Island, Wash. (Menlo College)
#9 – Laura McDonald, Colorado Springs, Colorado (U.S. Air Force)
67 kg/147.5 lbs.
U.S. Nationals Champion - Kristie Marano, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
Challenge Tournament Seeds:
#1 – Katie Downing, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
#2 – Ashley Sword, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
72 kg/158.5 lbs.
U.S. Nationals Champion - Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
Challenge Tournament Seeds:
#1 – Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minn. (Univ. of Regina)
#2 – Heather Martin, Wellington, Ohio (New York AC)
#3 – Randi Miller, Arlington, Texas (USOEC)
#4 – Donell Bradley, Aiea, Hawaii (USOEC)
#5 – Tabitha Golt, Chesapeake, Va. (Cumberland College)
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U.S. World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champions quotes
6/18/2005
Maggie Hendricks and Tricia Turley/USA Wrestling
Women’s Freestyle Quotes
48 kg
Jenny Wong, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist
“This is my first time at 105 [pounds]. I had surger in the fall and I came back smaller so I talked to the doctor, a dietician and Terry [Steiner] and they all thought it was okay for me to do.”
“Every tournament I’m in is the most important tournament. They’re all stepping stones to make me a better wrestler and everyone here is trying to do that.”
51 kg
Mary Kelly, Mahomet, Ill., USOEC/NYAC
On Malinda Ripley, today’s opponent:
“This is the third match we’ve wrestled and my first time beating her. This is the first I made the finals so it feels really good.”
On preparation:
“My favorite thing in practice is to go through situations. My teammates hate it but it was a big payoff today.”
On clinch:
“It’s important to be able to scramble because no one has momentum, so you have to be able to scramble out of it.”
55 kg
Chelynne Pringle, Hugo, Minn. Minnesota Storm
On moving up from junior to senior level:
“The girls are a lot tougher and last longer, and are stronger.”
On tomorrow’s matches with Marcie Van Dusen
“I’ve never wrestled Marcie before but I have to go out there and wrestle my own style, don’t give up near the end.”
On seeding:
“It doesn’t matter what your seed is, you have to go out and wrestle hard. A nine seed needs to wrestle just as hard as a number one.”
59 kg
Tela O’Donnell, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist
On relatively few wrestlers in her weight class:
“The weight class dispersal is odd. It’s always fun to get matches – it’s why I wrestle – I have fun with matches.”
On strengths and weaknesses:
“I get taken down a lot but I can fight back from that. I need to not get taken down so much.”
On moving weight classes:
“There are great competitors at both weights. This is my regular weight. A lot of what I is not about strength or weight, it’s about leverage.”
63 kg
Sara McMann, Iowa City, Iowa, Sunkist
Declined comment
67 kg
Katie Downing, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist
On tomorrow’s opponent, Kristie Marano
“We had a really good match. It was really close. I need to step it up.”
On weight classes:
“The weight classes are crazy. A lot of people are moving to different weights and some of it is surprising.”
72 kg
Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minn., University of Regina
On what she has been working on since US Nationals in Las Vegas, Nev.:
“I’ve been working off the 2-on-1, working on double legs. Basically everything I can do that I did wrong in Vegas.”
On her first year wrestling at the Senior level:
“I haven’t yet beat anyone that I’m not supposed to beat. Hopefully, I can pick it up tomorrow. I’m battling her experience tomorrow.”
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U.S. World Team Trials champions quotes
6/19/2005
Maggie Hendricks and Tricia Turley/USA Wrestling
Women’s Freestyle Quotes
48 kg
Jenny Wong, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids
On moving down weight classes to 48 Kg:
“It happened kind of naturally [as a result of surgery], but it gives the team more depth. It was good for the team and for me.”
On having Patricia Miranda in her corner:
“Patricia is so great a friend. She’s not only helped me with my wrestling but with the mental stuff. It’s so great I get to wrestle for her.”
51 kg
Stephanie Murata, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids
On competing at a non-Olympic weight last year:
“I don’t really think that I was cheated out. Sure I would have preferred to be on the team, but those girls did a great job and it was great for the sport. Women’s freestyle in the Olympics helped our wrestling program as a whole.”
On her status as a veteran in Women’s Freestyle and if she’s currently at her peak:
“It’s a challenge. People are getting better each year. Actually I don’t think there’s a peak for anyone as far as age goes. I go by how I feel. Sometimes I think I should have retired yesterday, but I still feel good. I’ve been wrestling ten years.”
“I think I’m one of the last ones around of that were wrestling when things started rolling. I think what has changed the most is technique. The women are getting better. You need to be more technical than you used to be. The gap between everyone is closing.”
55 kg
Marcie Van Dusen, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids
On world championships:
“I am excited to go out and wrestle. Let’s do it.”
59 kg
Sally Roberts, Colorado Springs, Colo., Gator WC
On the differences in women’s freestyle since 2003:
“Since 2003, the biggest difference out there was the competition level has risen.”
On her workout partner, Tela O’Donnell, moving up a weight class:
“Was I concerned as a friend no. There was a little more tension athlete to athlete. The biggest tension was that there was a competitor that knew me so well. It really pushed me to work harder each day in practice.”
On winning in two matches:
“It was important because that’s what I knew I could do. So when I go to Worlds I know I can win.”
On competing at a weight class that is currently not an Olympic weight:
“I’m training to be the best at this weight class. I’m not planning on yo-yoing up and down weight classes.”
63 kg
Sara McMann, Iowa City, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
Declined comment.
67 kg
Katie Downing, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids
On beating Kristie Marano:
“For the last 3-4 years I had to wrestle her at some point and I knew it would be here that I’d have to beat her to accomplish my goal of wrestling at Worlds.”
On the pin in the first match:
“It broke the seal I’ve been trying to break for a couple years.”
On wrestling in front of a home crowd at the 2004 Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, Ind.:
“It felt so good to come home and see friendly faces in the crowd, so it made it all the more disappointing when I didn’t make the team.”
72 kg
Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo., U.S. Army
On teaching younger wrestlers:
“It’s great to see girls out there who are young and coming up. I’m more than willing to help out anyone who needs it.”
On U.S. Army WCAP team:
“We are a close team but we’re soldiers first and we are one. There is no better program because I get to represent my country as an athlete and a solider.”