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Toccara Montgomery named 2001 USA Wrestling Women’s Wrestler of the Year
4/20/2002
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) has been named the 2001 Women’s Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling. It is the first time that Montgomery has received this prestigious award.
Montgomery won a silver medal at 68 kg/149.75 lbs. at the Women's World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, Nov. 22-25. She was one of two U.S. silver medalists, leading the USA to a seventh-place team finish. It was her first Senior World Championships appearance.
Her only loss at the World Championships came in the gold-medal finals to six-time World Champion Christine Nordhagen-Vierling of Canada, 4-1. She pinned her other four opponents in the tournament.
During the 2001 year, Montgomery claimed seven gold medals at major Senior women's events. She won three major international events, the Yasar Dogu Tournament in Turkey, the Manitoba Open in Canada and the Sunkist Kids International in the USA.
Domestically, 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 International Open.
During the 2001 season, Montgomery defeated three past Women's World Champions. She beat Nordhagen-Vierling in the finals of the Sunkist Kids International Open in October. Montgomery also defeated 2000 World Champion Kristie Marano of the United States at both the U.S. Nationals and the World Team Trials. She also scored a victory over 1999 World Champion Sandra Bacher of the United States at the U.S. Nationals.
Montgomery also claimed a silver medal at the Junior World Championships. She qualified for the U.S. Junior World Team by winning the FILA Junior Nationals title, her second straight Junior World team appearance.
She was named the 2001 International Women's Wrestler of the Year by FILA, the international wrestling federation. Montgomery was the first U.S. women's wrestler to win this prestigious award and only the third American to win a FILA International Wrestler of the Year honor, joining men freestyle wrestlers John Smith (1995) and Stephen Neal (1999).
Montgomery also received a number of other top wrestling honors. She was named 2001 USOC Female Wrestler of the Year. She received the 2001 USA Wrestling Championship Belt Series for Senior women, recognizing the most successful and active women's wrestler on the Senior level. She was also the winner of the 2001 TheMat.com/ASICS Girls High School Wrestler of the Year award, recognizing the top U.S. high school female wrestler.
Montgomery is now a freshman at Cumberland College in Kentucky, competing on its women's varsity wrestling team. In June, she completed her high school career at East Technical High School in Cleveland.
USA Wrestling will be announcing major award winners each day this week on TheMat.com, the official web page of the Amateur Wrestling Alliance.
PAST WOMEN'S WRESTLER OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS
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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UM-Morris adds some new talent to an already talented team
Morris, MN - Five very talented high school seniors have made decisions to attend the University of Minnesota-Morris next fall, announced head wrestling coach Doug Reese.
Texas State Champion and Most Outstanding Wrestler in the State Tournament, Tabithia Ramsey of Lanier High School in Austin has committed to wrestle at the University of Minnesota-Morris next season |
Tabithia Ramsey from Lanier High School in Austin, Texas will be joining the Cougar women next season. Ramsey was the 2001 Texas State Champion at 110 pounds and was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the Texas Women's State Championships.
"Tabithia will be a great addition to our team," said Reese. Ramsey placed 5th in the USGWA Nationals and posted a 38-2 record this season. In her three year high school career, Ramsey notched a 84-11 record. "We feel very blessed to have Tabithia join us. She is a great wrestler and is a person of outstanding character, she is just what we are looking for," noted Reese.
Ramsey, who is a member of the National Honor Society, is planing to major in Elementary Education, will jump into the 112 pound weight class next season.
Also joining the ranks is Marcie Van Dusen of Marina, California. Van Dusen competed in the Cadet World Championships in both England and Poland, winning two bronze medals. Van Dusen is expected to do some damage nationally at 121 pounds.
"Van Dusen is a talent," said Reese. "She is tough as they come on in mat wrestling - she impressed me years ago. Marcie knows how to win. I am just glad we had a opportunity to recruit her to UMM." Van Dusen is a veteran of tough competition. She won four Cadet National Championships and has been part of USA Wrestlings Tour du Monde to New Zealand and Australia.
Ranea Faaborg of Radcliffe, Iowa joins the team at 129 pounds for next season. Faaborg according to Reese is a tough, driven individual who is not even close to achieving her potential. "Ranea is going to shine in our training environment. Ranea has some qualities which I really like. She is a focused and determined person. She will make a mark here," said Reese.
Sharon Jacobson of El Cajon, California will join the team at 138 pounds next season. The Valhalla High School senior is a three year wrestler who placed first in league, country, and state competition. Jacobson placed 5th in the USGWA Nationals in 2002 at 134 pounds.
"What I like most about Sharon is the hunger and desire she had to be a part of our team here at UMM. Sharon is a talent, has a great work-ethic and works to reach her goals. She is a great athlete and person with strong morals and character. She is exactly what we look for in an athlete," said Reese.
Jacobson will major in either Theatre Arts or Psychology.
Megan Goldsmith of Merrillan, WI will be wrestling at 158 pounds next seasons. Goldsmith is a very talented wrestler winning the Wisconsin USGWA title, and the Minnesota USGWA title this season. She placed second in the 2002 USGWA National Championships at 165 pounds.
"We are excited to have Megan join us. She has been wrestling since grade school and she is a very talented wrestler who should move right into the national rankings as a freshman," said Reese.
Goldsmith is a member of the National Honor Society and plans to pursue Pre-Med.
Coach Reese thus far is pleased with his recruiting effort, but is nowhere near done for the year. "There are a few more talented wrestlers we are pursuing," noted Reese. "But we are nowhere near done, there are about four more wrestlers I am working. Hopefully soon they will make there decision to join us."
The Cougars look to be tougher in 2002-2003, only losing one wrestler to graduation - World Silver Medalist and World Cup Champion Katie Downing.
"I could coach for 20 more years and not find someone to replace her," said Reese. "Downing is a once in a life-time gem. You just have to learn to enjoy and be thankful for what you have, when you have it. We have been blessed with a champion of champions in Katie."
