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TheMat.com/ASICS Girls High School Wrestling All-American Team formed
Gary Abbott on April 10, 2001
USA Wrestling and ASICS is pleased to announce the creation of the first TheMat.com/ASICS Girls High School Wrestling All-American Team.
TheMat.com/ASICS Girls High School Wrestling All-American Team will be selected by a nationwide panel of wrestling experts, and is expected to become the top honor in girls high school wrestling. It is the only national all-star team for which high school wrestlers competing on all four grade levels are eligible.
These two organizations have worked together on the Asics Tiger High School All-American Team for boys, which has recognized the best high school wrestlers in the nation for 15 years.
ASICS is the official National Team equipment sponsor for USA Wrestling and has been a major supporter of wrestling, from youth programs through the Senior level.
TheMat.com is the official webpage of the Amateur Wrestling Alliance, which includes USA Wrestling, the National Wrestling Coaches Association and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum.
“The ASICS Tiger Corporation is proud to be sponsor for the first All-American wrestling team for girls,” said Neil Duncan, vice-president for TW Promotions, which is affiliated with ASICS. “We see this sport as having a huge potential for growth, and look forward to the day when many high schools and colleges offer wrestling for the female athlete.”
“USA Wrestling is pleased to assist in the creation of TheMat.com/ASICS Girls High School Wrestling All-American Team,” said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director. “Women’s wrestling is one of the fastest growing segments of the sport, and the time has come to recognize our top high school stars.”
The team will recognize the achievements of high school girls, including honors won during the scholastic season as well as the major post-season folkstyle and freestyle tournaments.
Each athlete will be considered based upon the following achievements: High School Folkstyle Achievements competing against boys; High School Folkstyle Achievements competing against girls and International freestyle achievements competing against girls.
All deserving high school females are encouraged to send in an application and a photo, for consideration on the team. A copy of the application will be found on TheMat.com, in the Coaches Corner section.
In addition, any athlete, coach or parent can have a copy of the application sent to them via fax or mail by contacting Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling, 6155 Lehman Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80918; FAX- (719)598-9440; email - gabbott@usawrestling.org; Phone - (719)598-8181, ext 641
A student-athlete can also send in an athletic resume, or any other supporting materials, which can be considered by the selection panel.
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Add girls division to Kids tournaments
by Dave Storm, Spencer, Iowa
I started a girls wrestling program here in Spencer, Iowa this year. Iowa does not have girls wrestling as a high school sport yet. I did something this year that no one around has done to help promote girls wrestling. If other programs would do this, girls wrestling would take off like a shot in states that do not have girls wrestling as a high school sport.
After starting the girls club, I needed a way to get them to wrestle in competition. When we had our little kids youth tournament, I added a middle school and high school division for girls at this tournament. Without knowing what kind of turn out I would have, I figured that if nobody showed up we weren’t out anything, because the little kids were wrestling any way. I was a little late getting this going, but none the less, we got the flyers out and promoted it with some word of mouth.
I have 20 girls on my 7th-12th team. That day, we had 46 girls show up to wrestle. It was great. Everyone had at least two or three matches, because we went round-robin format.
Now, you have to understand, that this was the first tournament of this type in the state that I know of. I had a lot of people wondering how the turnout would be. I had a lot of naysayers before the girls hit the mat, but once the wrestling started, 90% of the eyes were on the girls at our end of the gym. After it was over, there were countless times that people came up to me and said it was great.
My point is that people should add these girls divisions along with their little kids tournament. We have kids tournaments every weekend everywhere in Iowa. We have some towns that have a girl or two that do wrestle with the boys, but they could also add an all-girls division to their little kids tourney.
There are not that many tournaments for these girls to wrestle in, without having to drive hours to get to them. I think girls wrestling will grow even faster if they could hit the mat more often.
The other positive that came out of this for us is that our boys wrestling club made $460 more than if they hadn’t added the girls division.
Maybe other people are doing this in other states, but it is a helpful idea to get girls more mat time and help build the sport for girls.
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USA Wrestling/Themat.com Senior Women's Rankings
Released 4/6/01
Ranked by USA Wrestling Committee
46 kg/101.25 lbs.
Rank Name Record
1. Tricia Saunders (Phoenix, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) 0-0
2. Clarissa Chun (Kapolei, Hawaii/Missouri Valley) 13-4
3. Mary Kelly (Mahomet, Ill./Unattached) 0-0
4. Julie Gonzales (Vallejo, Calif./Peninsula Grapplers) 8-4
5. Sandra Padron (Marshall, Mo./Missouri Valley) 3-4
6. Danielle Hobeika (Cambridge, Mass./Dave Schultz Wc) 1-1
7. Lindsay Torrance (Grass Valley, Callif./Unattached) 0-0
8. Lisa Ward (Woodinville, Wash./USA Everett) 3-3
51 kg/112.25 lbs.
Rank Name Record
1. Stephanie Murata (Williamsbrug, Ky./Sunkist Kids) 0-0
2. Patricia Miranda (Saratoga, Calif./Dave Schultz Wc) 10-2
3. Jenny Wong (Minneapolis, Minn./Sunkist Kids) 15-1
4. Melina Hutchinsonn (Soldotna, Alaska/Unattached) 3-1
5. Shelley-Ann Tomita (Honolulu, Hawaii/Missouri Valley) 5-6
6. Jessica Shirley (Cleveland, Ohio/Monster Squad) 0-0
7. Marianne Vollmer (Grayling, Mich./Missouri Valley) 7-4
8. Miriam Jenkins (Quantico, Va./All Marine WC) 2-2
56 kg/123.25 lbs.
Rank Name Record
1. Tina Wilson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) 9-1
2. Erin Tomeo (Grove City, Pa./TAPS) 6-1
3. Tela O'Donnell (Homer, Alaska/Alaska WC) 3-1
4. Katrina Betts (Milan, Mich./Wolverines) 3-1
5. Cheryl New (Bonanza, Ore./Missouri Valley) 5-5
6. Grace Magnussen (Walnut Creek, Calif./Missouri Valley) 12-5
7. Carrie Birge (Omaha, Neb./Missouri Valley) 6-4
8. Aimee McNab (Missouri Valley) 7-7
62 kg/136.5 lbs.
Rank Name Record
1. Sara McMann (Lock Haven, Pa./Sunkist Kids) 14-0
2. Tonya Evinger (Bates City, Mo./Missouri Valley) 9-4
3. Tina Arnds (Scottsdale, Ariz./Missouri Valley) 9-5
4. Lauren Lamb (Troy, N.Y./Michigan WC) 0-0
5. Tori Adams (Amarillo, Texas/Missouri Valley) 7-4
6. Cathilee Albert (Boulder, Colo./Unattached) 5-2
7. Kate Zeitler (Cumberland College) 2-2
8. Lauwa'e Smith (Missouri Valley) 6-5
68 kg/149.75 lbs.
Rank Name Record
1. Kristie Marano (Albany, N.Y./ATWA) 2-2
2. Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) 15-1
3. Katie Downing (Pendleton, Ind./UM-Morris) 16-3
4. Sandra Bacher (San Jose, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) 3-6
5. Melani Macari (Fremont, Calif./Unattached) 6-1
6. Kaci Lyle (Eureka, Calif./Missouri Valley) 10-5
7. Mollie Keith (Missouri Valley) 2-2
8. Rachel Glogowski (Mechanicburg, Pa./Messiah WC) 3-1
75 kg/165.25 lbs.
Rank Name Record
1. Satrinina Vernon (Rodeo, Calif./Missouri Valley) 12-2
2. Iris Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) 8-4
3. Elena Mena (St. Paul, Minn./Minnesota Storm) 4-5
4. Dominique Smalley (Iowa City, Iowa/Missouri Valley) 5-5
5. Alicia Mena (St. Paul, Minn./Minnesota Storm) 5-2
6. Samantha Branka (Lincoln Park, Mich./UM-Morris) 7-7
7. Anne Waddell (Cumberland College) 2-2
8. Donell Bradley (Aiea, Hawaii/Missouri Valley) 1-2
Rankings to be published in December, January, February, March, April, May and July. The 2000-01 season begins October 15. Records include both domestic and international matches. Copyright 2001, USA Wrestling