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2001 Missouri Valley Women's International Open Set for Jan. 27
1/23/01
Heather Van Peursem/USA Wrestling
2001 Missouri Valley Women’s International Open at
Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo. set for January 27
The 2001 Missouri Valley Women’s International Open will be January 27 on the campus of Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo. Many top U.S. clubs will bring their wrestlers to compete against some international teams in freestyle wrestling .
This is the first year that international teams will be represented. Last year, Missouri Valley held a tournament which only brought about 30 U.S. wrestlers together.
“We have made big improvements from last year,” said Kent Sherrow, Missouri Valley Head Women’s Wrestling Coach. “The number of wrestlers will be much larger, and will be much more competitive. We also have a number of special guests coming to speak to the girls. 1996 Olympic Gold Medal Gymnastics team member Jaycie Phelps will be here to promote the tournament, as well as USA Wrestling National Coaches Education Program gold-level wrestling coach Beasey Hendrix.”
Clubs from the United States planning to compete are: the Sunkist Kids, Dave Schultz WC, Cumberland College, Pacific Univ., American International College and Missouri Valley College. Approximately 80 women wrestlers from the United States are expected to attend.
“A lot of girls in high school are coming, those that are of senior level age,” said Sherrow. “They want to come to compete and also to learn about the school and the campus.” The Senior age group includes those women born 1981 or before, plus 1982-1984 with a medical certificate.
International teams planning to attend include Canada and El Salvador. The team representing Canada will be Simon Fraser University, a major NAIA University. Canada placed fourth in the 2000 World Championships as a team, behind third place United States.
The competition will be held at the Georgia Burns Athletic Center on the campus of Missouri Valley College.
For more information please contact Heather Van Peursem of USA Wrestling at 719-598-8181 or Kent Sherrow of Missouri Valley at 660-831-4235.
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New York AC Christmas Open
12/17/00
New York, N.Y.
Entered by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Team Scoring
Results By Weight
Women's freestyle
101 - 1st - Andrea Diamucozzi, Springfield, Mass. (American International College)
112 - 1st - Lindsay Rushton (Brock/Canada) won by tech. fall over Jillian Yost, Springfield, Mass. (American International College)
123 - 1st - Tonya Verbeek (Brock/Canada) won by tech. fall over Julia Furniss (Mesa College), 11-0
150 - 1st - Laura Jones (Brock/Canada) won by tech. fall over Jessica Russo, Springfield, Mass. (American International College), 12-2
It was the first year that all three international styles of wrestling were conducted at the New York AC Christmas Tournament, as a women's freestyle division was also contested. Three of the four individual women's champions were Canadian athletes from Brock University: Lindsay Rushton at 112 pounds, Tonya Verbeek at 123 pounds and Laura Jones at 150 pounds. Claiming the title at 101 pounds was Andrea Diamucozzi (Springfield, Mass./American International College).
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Gord Garvie Memorial Festival
1/6/01
Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Entered by Doug Reese, UM-Morris coach
Team Scoring
1. Brock University
2. University of Minnesota-Morris
3. MacMaster University
4. Lakehead University
5. Northwest Ontario Wrestling Club
6. University of Manitoba
7. Niagara University.
Results By Weight
53 kg
1st - Heather Sweezey (Brock) pinned Gayle Zelinsky (NWO) 1:15
3rd - Jo Devlin (NWO) dec. Mel Anderson (NWO) 13-7
57 kg
1st - Alissa Overand (Brock) pinned Leane Loney (Lakehead) 1:52
61 kg
1st - Megan Dolin (Brock) pinned Katie Ross (UMM) 4:25
3rd - Jennie Brown (Lakehead) pinned Therese Traynor (MacMaster) 1:05
65 kg
1st - Trish Liebel (NWO) pinned Christine Calver (Lakehead) 1:05
3rd - Stephanie Looney (UMM) dec. Jennifer Veirros (MacMaster) 6-4
70 kg
1st - Katie Downing (UMM) pinned Laura Jones (Brock) 0:50
3rd - Lulu Burstyn (MacMaster) pinned Michelle Araya (NWO) 2:12
77 kg
1st - Pamela Wilson (MacMaster) pinned Mary Kleinendorst (Brock) 4:07
3rd - Samantha Branka (UMM)
UM-Morris women's team places second in Gord Garvie Memorial Festival in Canada
1/8/01
Doug Reese/UM-Morris coach
The University of Minnesota-Morris Women's Wrestling Team wrestled to a second place finish in the 11th Annual Gord Garvie Memorial Wrestling Festival hosted by Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada on Janaury 6.
Junior Katie Downing (Pendleton, Ind.) celebrated her 21st birthday with a tournament championship in the 70 kilo/154 pound weight class. Downing notched three pins during the tournament. She pinned Michelle Araya of the Northwest Ontario Wrestling Club in 1:56, pinned Lulu Burstun of MacMaster University in 1:05, and pinned Laura Jones of Brock University in the championship finals in 50 seconds. This is the third time this season Downing has won the championship title in tournament action.
Freshman Katie Ross (Greensboro, N.C.) placed second at 61 kilos/134 pounds. Ross produced her best performance of the season. Ross won by technical fall versus Therese Traynor of MacMaster University 11-0, and won by fall over Jennie Brown of Lakehead University in 1:20. In the championship finals, Ross lost a 10-0 technical superiority to Megan Dolan of Brock University.
Junior Stephanie Looney (Portsmouth, Va.) and sophomore Samantha Branka (Lincoln Park, Mich.) placed in third place in the tournament. Looney wrestled at 65 kilos/143 pounds and Branka in the 77 kilo/169 pound division.
The tournament was won by Brock University, followed by the University of Minnesota-Morris, MacMaster University, Lakehead University, Northwest Ontario Wrestling Club, University of Manitoba, and Niagara University.