Julio's sister wrestles too!

A reversal of fortune

River Forest's Cisneros is wrestling on scholarship at Missouri Valley College

BY BRIAN WADDLE Times Sports Writer
Posted on Tuesday, March 12, 2002

COLLEGE WRESTLING

It might sound strange to you, but not Becky Cisneros.

Wrestling is a family tradition, and despite being a female, she just went with the flow. It was really the only way she knew.

You can thank her brother, Julio, a former River Forest wrestler and assistant coach at Griffith, for getting the fire going. Or you can credit the majority of her cousins around the area -- names like Escobedo, Hernandez and Bedoy -- for sparking the interest.

It's obviously paid off.

Cisneros, a 2001 River Forest grad, is part of the women's wrestling program at Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo.

"I wrestled in high school and loved it," said Cisneros, a freshman 112-pounder. "I wanted to stay with it, so I looked into what colleges offered it."

Cisneros wrestled both her sophomore and junior seasons at River Forest at 103 and 112. However, she hurt her hip running cross country her senior season and sat out to get healthy and concentrate on track.

Only six American universities and colleges have varsity women's wrestling teams. However, Cisneros is a member of the nation's top-ranked program. It might not sound like much, but not many people can say they're a reserve on the country's No. 1 team.

"It's tough, but it's also fun," Cisneros said. "Right now I have four girls in my weight class. One of the girls is ranked (in the nation), and I usually work out with her. She's been teaching me a lot of things."

Cisneros, who is on scholarship at the NAIA school, hasn't yet cracked the starting lineup for the Vikings, but has had the opportunity to travel as far as Canada for open tournaments, which guarantee her chances to get out on the mat.

Cisneros placed fifth at 112 at the NAIA Coaches Women's North American Championships in Havre, Mont., on March 2.

"You can tell she comes from a wrestling family," Missouri Valley coach Mike Machholz said of Cisneros. "She just needs to get into the weight room and get stronger.

"She's a lot like the young ones; they don't have a lot of freestyle experience. The women's (college) circuit is all freestyle. You have to change those folkstyle habits. But we think by the end of the year, she'll be better."

Missouri Valley College is about a nine-hour drive from the Region, a tough commute for a homesick freshman. But Cisneros said she had a chance to come home for the holidays and spent some much-appreciated time with her family.

The women's wrestling season runs from November until the end of April. With only six U.S. schools operating as women's college teams (some run as clubs), and 12 in Canada, traveling is part of the game for Cisneros and the rest of her teammates.

Trips to Winnipeg, Manitoba; Guelph, Ontario; and Oregon are on the team's 2002 schedule.

Machholz, who heads both the men's and women's teams, started both programs at the 1,300-student private college. The men's program began in 1991, while the women's has been going strong for three years.

The women's program was the first in the country to offer scholarships, and Machholz said he did a "little recruiting to get in touch" with Cisneros, after hearing she did fairly well in high school.

Running both programs isn't the easiest job in the world, but Machholz, a native of Marshall, the college's hometown, doesn't play favorites or treat the men or women much different.

"Wrestling's still wrestling," Machholz said. "I tell everybody I don't coach men or women, I coach wrestling."

------------------------------------------

Eighth-grade girl doesn't mind gender disadvantage

'Devoted to wrestling'
Eighth-grade girl doesn't mind gender disadvantage

HOMETOWN

By KEN BRADFORD
Tribune Staff Writer 2/28/02

Mariah Eberhart, an eighth-grader at John Young Middle School, hopes to make her mark in wrestling, traditionally a boys' sport.
Mariah Eberhart learned to love wrestling from a distance.

"I've been watching my brothers wrestle since before I was in kindergarten," the Young Middle School eighth-grader said.

Nowadays, her brothers sometimes watch her.

She's the only girl on the Young wrestling team, and she holds a dream of wrestling the next four years at Mishawaka High School.

"I'm totally devoted to wrestling," she said. "Wrestling is practically all I think about and all I do."

This devotion runs in the family. Her five older brothers and stepbrothers all have spent some time wrestling.

Two were on this year's Mishawaka team. Dylan Eberhart, a sophomore, was a regional qualifier at 135 pounds and Jason Francis, a freshman, qualified for the semistate at 112.

They provide the extra boost she needs. "Sometimes after a match, they'll show me a move that would have worked for me," she said.

Mariah has been training for several years at the Michiana Wrestling Academy. By now, she knows she is at a physical disadvantage in a sport that mainly attracts boys.

Genetically, girls have greater flexibility but boys have much stronger muscles. The only way she can overcome that is with talent and experience, Mariah said.

"A lot of boys may have been wrestling longer," she said, "but I've been studying it longer."

She gets no breaks for being a girl, and she feels comfortable on the Young team.

"I think I have more guy friends than girls," she said. "Some girls don't approve of my wrestling."

Greg Smith, the Young wrestling coach, said Mariah is the first girl on the team in his five seasons.

Her participation hasn't caused a lot of changes. He needed to get a different kind of uniform for her and, because wrestlers typically shed all their clothes at weigh-ins, she is weighed after the boys are done.

So far, she hasn't wrestled in the big conference matches, but that's mainly a testament to the strength of the team.

This group of eighth-graders has never lost a match, this year or last. And, as seventh-graders last year, Young had 10 of the 18 individual conference champions.

"It's tough getting a chance to wrestle on this team," Smith said.

At 110 pounds, Mariah would have to beat Kurt Cauffman, who could very well be a conference champ this year. He's prevailed in all the head-to-head challenges with her.

Smith isn't going to discourage Mariah from competing. Part of his job is to get wrestlers prepared for high school, and there's no way to predict how students will grow and which ones will contribute there.

"A lot of kids from last year's teams moved up four or five weight classes already," he said.

Mariah's stepfather, John Francis, wrestled at Mishawaka High School in the mid-1970s and has encouraged Mariah all the way.

"Our older kids have wrestled," he said. "It builds character and self-esteem.

"We like that it's a one-on-one sport. It's either you beat your guy or he beats you."

She's at a disadvantage whenever she wrestles against a boy. "They have the advantage in strength," Francis said. "You have to know the moves better."

And there's the other issue. Boys have an extra incentive when they face her. "They don't want to get beat by a girl," he said.

Still, the popularity is growing among girls. "There are 20 colleges now that have scholarships for women's wrestling," he said.

As for the bumps and black eyes she gets along the way, it won't bother Francis if it doesn't bother Mariah.

"She knows it's a rough sport," he said.

----------------------------

High school girls grapple for 'All-American' status

By BRET FORBES 4/24/02
News-Journal correspondent

A pair of Pine Ridge students recently grabbed national recognition in a sport for which they have quickly excelled -- wrestling.

Katie Parker, a senior at the Deltona school, and Yoileana Jimenez, a junior, placed among the top grapplers in the nation at the U.S. Girls Wrestling Championship at Lake Orion, Mich. on March 23-24. More than 500 girls from around the country competed in this event.

Parker finished eighth in the 118-pound class, earning her All-American status. She won four matches and lost three during the two-day competition, placing her eighth in the entire country for her weight class.

As a senior this year, however, Parker hasn't decided whether she wants to continue her wrestling career after graduation.

"I've joined the Army reserves," she said. "I'm undecided as to whether I'm going to wrestle anymore."

Parker's past wrestling experience includes placing third in the state competition for the previous two years. She also finished eighth in the 126-pound weight class at nationals last year.

Jimenez won three matches and lost three at the national folkstyle championship last month, which ranked her 10th in the country for the 114-pound weight class. She earned All-American status as well.

"All-American means best in the nation," Jimenez said.

Both girls' paths to nationals were recently paved after they finished among the top three contenders in the state for their respective classes.

Parker claimed the title of Florida state folkstyle champion in the 118-pound class. Jimenez finished third of all 114-pound wrestlers. The state competition was in Kissimmee Feb. 2. This was the qualifier for the national event in Michigan last month.

"Yoileana started wrestling this year and blossomed right away," said J. J. Semrad, Pine Ridge wrestling coach.

"I used to watch WWF with my brothers and wrestle at home, but my Dad told us we couldn't do it anymore, so I joined high school wrestling," Jimenez said.

She also said that she is looking forward to performing even stronger as a folkstyle wrestler next season. Right now she is competing in freestyle wrestling.

"This was my experience year," said Jimenez. "Now, I know what to expect."

"It was a lifelong experience for both of them," Semrad said

--------------------------------------

Around the Northwest

Thursday, May 2, 2002

Sally Roberts, a Pacific University junior from Federal Way, has been invited to a residential short camp for the first USA Wrestling women's national team starting May 15 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Roberts won the 145-pound title at the U.S. Girls Wrestling Association college freestyle championships in March. She also took fifth last weekend at the USA Wrestling National Championships and will compete in the U.S. world team trials June 20-23.

----------------------------------------

Tawas Area female wrestler is state champion

By John Morris
Iosco County News Herald
Posted: 15 April 2001

Who says wrestling is a boys sport?

Certainly not Valerie Wetzel, a Tawas Area High School senior, in
northeastern Michigan. Wetzel, who wrestles at 160 pounds, is the girls
state champion at the weight. She also finished eighth in the nation
last month for her weight class which qualifies her for All-American status.

The tournaments were held at Lake Orion. The state meet attracted more
than 150 girls while the national tournament had more than 500 girls from
across the United States including Alaska and Hawaii and at the college and
high school levels.

Wetzel, who also has beaten her fair share of boys on the mat, said she
had tough competition at both the state and national meets.

Tawas Area senior Valerie Wetzel won the state girls wrestling
championshipand finished eighth in the nation last month which gave her
All-Americanstatus. -

She began wrestling in eighth grade and now has five years of
experience under her belt. Asked if she got into wrestling because she has older
brothers who bothered her, Wetzel said no, she has a younger brother.

“It was my Dad who got me involved,” she said. “The coaches wanted me
to do it and my Dad said ‘just go to one practice and see if you like it.’

“So I went to the first practice and I was hooked.”

She is thankful to her family, her coaches and to fellow Tawas wrestler
Buster Morgan, who gave her the encouragement to wrestle at the state
and national tourneys. She is the daughter of Jay and DuWan Wetzel of East
Tawas.

Wetzel is unclear whether she will continue her wrestling career at the
collegiate level as just six universities across the county offer
women’s wrestling. However, she’s really glad she had the opportunity to
participate in the sport.

“The best part of it is the six minutes during a match and all the work
toward it,” she said. “It takes all of your energy.”

------------------------------

TheMat.com interview with Jenny Wong, the 2002 U.S. Nationals women's freestyle champion at 51 kg

6/3/2002
Gary Abbott/TheMat.com

Jenny Wong of the Sunkist Kids claimed her first U.S. Nationals title in 2002, taking the gold medal at 51 kg. She was second at the 2001 U.S. Nationals, and has been a top age-group athlete in USA Wrestling programs.

One of four women wrestlers on the Lock Haven University men’s teams, Jenny is seeking her first spot on a U.S. Senior World Team. TheMat.com caught up with Jenny as she was training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs in preparation for this month’s World Team Trials.

TheMat.com: Explain your thoughts and feelings about winning your first national title this year. What was the key to winning the tournament for you?
Wong: I have been working toward that for a number of years. It was nice to move up each year and see my progress. I didn’t wrestle to my best, but it was enough to win. Danielle Hobeika has improved a lot and I have to give her credit. I felt going in that I had to fight it out, keep going and going all the time. My second period in the finals was awful, though. It was rewarding to win, definitely. It does show me how much farther I have to go to be where I want to be.”

TheMat.com: Let’s talk about college. You first went to Wisconsin then transferred to Lock Haven. How have things worked out for you?
Wong: At Wisconsin, when I was in the room, it was a good workout. It was challenging. There wasn’t anybody there at my level. It was very hard. I didn’t feel quite welcome in the room. It’s a big thing, the atmosphere in the room and feeling supported. When it didn’t work out for me, I went to Lock Haven. It has been great. The small school atmosphere helped me; the teachers all know that you are an athlete and help out. The coaches were great, too. They didn’t have to help me, but they chose to. They wanted to see me be successful. The guys at Lock Haven are supportive. They will work out with you if you need it. You just have to ask. Having girls there is also good, too. It has been a good situation for me.”

TheMat.com: Now that coach Carl Poff has retired, do you expect things to change with new coach Rocky Bonomo?
Wong: It will be quite similar. Rocky was with Carl for many years. We are still waiting to see who the new assistant coach will be. Rocky has said that he expects to do things like Carl did with the program.

TheMat.com: Has it helped you to train with men in a college wrestling room?
Wong: Wrestling guys is different than the girls. It’s good, but you also have to get the workouts in with the girls, too. Some things won’t work with guys that you can do with the girls, because of how our bodies are built, especially with flexibility. The guys, because many have wrestled since they were five years old, have more technique that they can teach us.

TheMat.com: What do you feel you need to improve in order to reach your goals in international wrestling?
Wong: I’m working on being more offensive, working on my setups and getting after my opponents. I would like to keep the pressure on constantly, and not give them any rest time. I am also working on cleaning up my technique.

TheMat.com: What coaches and individuals have made a difference in your career?
Wong: I’d say Ed Kane and Dan Chandler. I started in Minnesota, and was coming into the freestyle and Greco-Roman room for practice. They helped me and made me feel like I was worth their time. That meant a lot to me. Coming out of a guys wrestling room, you are not always the priority. They taught me so much and made me feel like my time was worthwhile.

TheMat.com: How is your preparation for the World Team Trials, and are you excited about the possibility of making your first Women’s World Team?
Wong: I’m not quite thinking about the matches at the Trials. I am concentrating on getting prepared. I don’t want to get ahead of myself. I’m not thinking about the Worlds; I am concentrating on the Trials. My coaches tell me to take them one match at a time.

TheMat.com: How has the Sunkist Kids club helped you as an elite athlete?
Wong: Art Martori and Joe Corso are so great. It is awesome how supportive they are to women’s wrestling. It’s like a family. You can ask any Sunkist coach to coach you and they will help. It is nice to be on a girls team. With the caliber of the athletes they choose, it made me feel like it was a huge honor to be with the Sunkist Kids. I treasure that and am grateful about that every day.

----------------------------------------

2002 World Team Trials preview for 51 kg in women's freestyle wrestling

6/3/2002
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling

After placing second a year ago at the U.S. Nationals, Jenny Wong of the Sunkist Kids claimed her first career Senior National crown this year with a 9-4 win over veteran Danielle Hobeika of the Dave Schultz WC in the gold-medal finals at 112 pounds. Wong has been one of USA Wrestling’s top age-group stars, and has improved each season on the way to her first national title. She is one of four talented female athletes who trained at Lock Haven Univ. with the men’s team this year. Her progress has also been enhanced through international competition and training with the Sunkist Kids.

The United States has won a World silver medal at this weight class the last two years, but neither athlete is competing at this division any more. 2000 World silver medalist Patricia Miranda has gone down to 105.5 pounds, and 2001 World silver medalist Stephanie Murata has jumped to 121 pounds. This is one of the three women’s weight classes that will not be contested in the Olympic Games in 2004. In addition, the winner at the World Team Trials from non-Olympic weights may be challenged for the spot on the World Team during training camp by a medalist from the Olympic weight classes. Based on those facts, it’s hard to tell which athletes will be in the field at this weight class at any specific time.

Hobeika has had her greatest season to date by making the U.S. Nationals finals and giving Wong a very competitive bout. She got her start on the national scene by training with the Harvard program and getting hooked up with the Dave Schultz WC. Hobeika is one of the most dedicated athletes on the Senior circuit, and her hard work and commitment is beginning to pay dividends.

Placing a surprising third at the U.S. Nationals was Jillian Yost of the New York AC, a student at American International College who hails from Connecticut. A raw talent, Yost should continue to improve with more competition and access to good coaching. Placing fourth was another surprising athlete, Audrey Pang of PWF, a student at Princeton Univ. who was one of the pioneer women athletes in the Princeton room. Both of these athletes were no-names coming into this season, and have emerged as young hopefuls with a future.

Placing fifth in Las Vegas in this division was Katie Kunimoto from Pacific Univ., one of eight athletes who stayed with the Pacific program this season and improved steadily as a group all year. She defeated sixth-place Kera Pemberton of the Dave Schultz WC in the medal round. Pemberton, who attends Neosho County CC, competed at 105.5 pounds during the college season, but may have outgrown that weight division.

Also qualifying for the World Team Trials by placing at this division is Sarah Hayes of Cumberland College and Laura Obuhanych of the Hawaii Rainbow Wahines, who were seventh and eighth respectively.

Two athletes who did not medal in Las Vegas could make a big impact in the Challenge Tournament. Mary Kelly, the high school sensation from Illinois, did not attend the U.S. Nationals but qualified through a Regional Tournament. Kelly was a placewinner at the 2001 U.S. Nationals, and has a number of age-group World medals to her credit. She comes from a wrestling family, with father Jerry a top college star and uncle Billy a NCAA Div. I champion. Kelly might choose to drop to 105.5, but has been at this division most of the time recently.

The other person to watch is Marianne Vollmer of Missouri Valley, who competed in Las Vegas but did not place. It was an off performance for Vollmer, who had looked impressive in a number of big tournaments during the college season. She received a high seed in Vegas, but was upset early and did not recover. She gets into the World Team Trials by winning a medal at an international tournament, the kind of performance that makes her an athlete who could make an impact in Saint Paul and in the future.

Going into the World Team Trials, Jenny Wong has the momentum and experience to claim the No. 1 position. She will have to deal with the special pressure of being the favorite for the first time in her Senior-level career, a good test for an emerging talent. Danielle Hobeika hopes to take the Challenge Tournament for another shot at Wong. One of the other athletes will need to step up if they are to make the finals series, but anything is possible in this unpredictable division. And if some of these wrestlers flee to go into one of the Olympic weight classes, it could be a truly unexpected result.

51 kg (112 lbs.) qualifiers
National champion - Jenny Wong, Stillwater, Minn. (Sunkist Kids)
U.S. Nationals #2 - Danielle Hobeika, Cambridge, Mass. (Dave Schultz WC)
U.S. Nationals #3 - Jillian Yost, Manchester, Conn. (New York AC)
U.S. Nationals #4 - Audrey Pang, Princeton, N.J. (PFW)
U.S. Nationals #5 - Katie Kunimoto, Kaneohe, Hawaii (Pacific)
U.S. Nationals #6 - Kera Pemberton, Manhattan, Kan. (Dave Schultz WC)
U.S. Nationals #7 - Sarah Hayes, Aurora, Colo. (Cumberland College)
U.S. Nationals #8 - Laura Obuhanych, Ewa Beach, Hawaii (Rainbow Wahines)
Junior World medalist - Mary Kelly, Mahomet, Ill. (unattached)
Medalist at Group A tournament -Marianne Vollmer, Grayling, Mich. (Missouri Valley)

Women’s Freestyle criteria: 1. Top eight at the 2002 Senior National Championships; 2. Current National Team Member - Top three; 3. Top three Finisher in a FILA A Championship in the past three years, including the Pan Ams, but not Sunkist; 4. 2002 University National Champion; 5. Past World Team Member; 6. 2002 Regional Tournament Champion from the Northeast and Northern Plains Regionals; 7. Medalist at Junior World Championships in the past two years

Note 1: Some athletes qualified in more than one way, although just one is noted in this list.
Note 2: Other wrestlers who meet qualifying criterion may identify themselves, and will be added to this list leading up to the event. Some of the anticipated qualifiers may choose not to attend.

Starting on May 30, TheMat.com will feature a daily interview with one of the 2002 U.S. Nationals champions, as well as a preview of that weight class for the upcoming World Team Trials, set for Saint Paul, Minn., June 21-23. Visit TheMat.com daily to read about America’s best international athletes and learn about the exciting action expected at this year’s World Team Trials.

--------------------------------------------

Alaska Sports Digest

(Published: May 5, 2002)

Girls folkstyle tournament

Thirty participants took part in the second annual United States Girls Wrestling Association Tournament at Wasilla High School on Saturday. Last year, the folkstyle event drew 10 girls.

Anchorage's Iris Mucha won the 129-pound division in the high school division. Outside wrestlers Brandy Rosenbrock (143 pounds) and Anna Jenkins (148 pounds) from Michigan also picked up titles.

United States Girls Wrestling Association Tournament at Wasilla High
Saturday's Results (top 3)

Elementary School Division

44 pounds -- 1) Brig Shell, Houston. 64 -- 1) Victoria Douglas, Wasilla; 2) Danni Trudeau, Wasilla; 3) Cassie Fowner, Anchorage. 75 -- 1) Sage Shell, Houston; 2) Kellee Torrey, Wasilla; 3) Aurora Warrior, Wasilla.

Middle School Division

102 -- 1) Leah Bachert, Fairbanks; 2) Stefani Kazmar, Fairbanks. 121 -- 1) Elizabeth Perkins, Kenai; 2) Remington Stevens, Eielson; 3) Trisha Jenkins, Michigan;

High School Division

111 -- 1) Chelsea Hoffman; 2) Candice Parsons; 3) Veronica Lynch. 116.2 -- 1) Rachel Bachert; 2) Misti Dyas. 129 -- 1) Iris Mucha, Anchorage; 2) Amy Goodwin, Eielson; 3) Nikki McNeal, Fairbanks. 143 -- 1) Brandy Rosenbrock, Michigan; 2) Natasha Douglas, Wasilla; 3) Brittany Shell, Anchorage. 148 -- 1) Anna Jenkins, Michigan; 2) Tracy Faulker, Bethel; 3) Bonnie Groat, Anchorage.

-----------------------------------------------

Marshwood sweeps

BELFAST, Maine — Marshwood opened its season on a perfect note Saturday
as the Hawks swept matches over Belfast (52-30), Gardner (63-6) and
Winslow (50-20).

The highlight of the day came when Deanna Rix (119 pounds), daughter of
Marshwood coach Matt Rix, pinned Belfast’s Mike Ames at 1:57 of the
first period. Ames is the defending champion at 112 pounds and chose to
wrestle up a class in order to take on Rix.

The Hawks had seven grapplers go undefeated on the afternoon. Pat
Howard (130 pounds), Greg Griffin (125), Rix (119), Cody Lightfoot (215), Noah
Conte (160), Colby Lamson (145) and Ben Conte (140) all came away with
3-0 records.

Winning two matches on the day were Jake Smith (112), Shane Holton
(152) and Tad Butterfield (160).

Marshwood (3-0) travels to Kennebunk on Wednesday.

York places fifth

-----------------------------------

U.S. Lineups Set For 5th World University Championships June 21-25 in Edmonton, Canada

6/3/2002
John Fuller/USA Wrestling

The 5th World University Championships will take place in Edmonton, Canada from June 21 to June 25.

This event will feature some of the brightest young amateur wrestling stars from around the world at the University level. The event is open for age levels between 17-28 years old. The event will feature men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman as well as women’s freestyle competition.

“It’s a great opportunity developmentally for us,” said Mitch Hull, USA Wrestling Director of National Teams. “It’s an opportunity to get the international matches that don’t normally come to this age group. I fully expect that most of these athletes that are going to wrestle at this event will wrestle for us at the Senior level.”

This marks the first time that women will compete at the World University Championships.

“This is very important for Universities. The hardest thing is to put this in. Now that it’s in, they are going to have a hard time taking it out. Canada looked at this opportunity and really pushed for it,” Hull said.

The freestyle team is led by U.S. Nationals placewinner and NCAA Finalist Jon Trenge (Bethlehem, Penn./Lehigh WC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Trenge’s only loss at the U.S. Nationals was to eventual champion Lee Fullhart 4-1. Other NCAA All-Americans competing for the squad include Chris Fleeger (Trout Run, Penn./DSWC) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Andrew Hrovat (Ann Arbor, Mich./Cliff Keen WC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Damion Hahn (Lakewood, NJ/Minn. Storm) at 84 kg/185 lbs. Andy Bowlby (Newburg, Ore./Orange Crush), who will compete at 120 kg/264.5 lbs., qualified for the World University Team in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, but has elected to only participate in Freestyle.

The youngest member of the freestyle team is Mike Silengo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Unatt.) at 55 kg/121 lbs. Silengo has committed to wrestle at the University of Pennsylvania next season. Jeremy Spates (Norman, Okla./Missouri) will compete at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. to round out the freestyle squad. Silengo and Spates were alternates at the University Nationals.

In Greco-Roman, six of the seven University Nationals champions will compete in the tournament. U.S. Nationals placewinners Joe Espinoza (Stockton, Calif./USOEC) and Nathan Piasecki (Minocqua, Wis./USOEC) will compete at 55 kg/121 lbs. and 60 kg/132 lbs., respectively. Both placed seventh at the U.S. Nationals in April.

Espinoza and Piasecki both train at the United States Olympic Education Center in Marquette, Mich. They will be joined on the University World Team by fellow USOEC trainees Darnell Lollis (Marquette, Mich./USOEC) and R.C. Johnson (Plymouth, Minn./USOEC). Lollis will compete at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. while Johnson will weigh-in at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

157-pound NAIA National Champion Pat Cadwallader (Anaheim, Calif./S. California) will get into international competition at 74 kg/163 lbs. Jordan Holm (Northfield, Minn./Cat Club) will wrestle at 84 kg/185 lbs.

Paul Devlin (Fort Carson, Colo./U.S. Army) is the lone alternate to become a starter. He will compete at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. after Bowlby elected to only wrestle Freestyle. Devlin placed fourth at this year’s U.S. Nationals.

In women’s freestyle competition, only four weight classes for the U.S. team have been filled. Elizabeth Short (Lombard, Ill./Minn. Storm) will compete at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. after placing third at the University Nationals. Kera Pemberton (Manhattan, Kan./DSWC) also placed third at the University Nationals after finishing sixth at U.S. Nationals. She will compete at 51 kg/112 lbs.

At 55 kg/121 lbs., Sarah Tolin (Casper, Wyo./DSWC) will take the mat for the U.S. team. Tolin was a runner-up at University Nationals.

Rounding out the current squad will be Samantha Branka (Lincoln Park, Mich./Minn. Storm), who will compete at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. Branka placed fourth at the U.S. Nationals and second at the University Nationals. Branka joins Short on the World University Team after being on the same team at UM-Morris. Pemberton and Tolin are also teammates - at Neosho Community College.

The U.S. last competed in the World University Championships in 2000. The Freestyle team placed first while the Greco-Roman team placed fifth.

The tournament saw Teague Moore, Cael Sanderson and Chad Lamer claim individual titles. Moore and Sanderson are the top seeds at the 2002 U.S. World Team Trials. Other placewinners from the 2000 World University Team that will contend for spots on this year’s World Team are Stephen Abas, Casey Cunningham, Joe Warren, Chael Sonnen and Josh Etu.

Piasecki, 8th at 54 kg/119 lbs., and Lollis, 5th at 58 kg/127.75 lbs., are the only two members of the 2002 World University Team to have placed at the 2000 World University Championships.

Members of the U.S. World University team earned their spot by capturing titles at the University National Championships in May.

Since the U.S. World Team Trials will take place June 21-23, some competitors who qualified for the Team Trials may choose to not compete in the World University Championships. In that case, the true alternate from the University National Championships was selected to represent the United States in Edmonton.

Members of the University World Teams are as follows:
Weight - Name (Hometown/Club/College)
Men’s Freestyle
55 kg/121 lbs. - Mike Silengo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Unatt./Penn)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Chris Fleeger (Trout Run, Penn./OSWC/Purdue)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jeremy Spates (Norman, Okla./Missouri/Missouri)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Andrew Hrovat (Ann Arbor, Mich./Cliff Keen WC/Michigan)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Damion Hahn (Lakewood, NJ/Minnesota Storm/Minnesota)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Jon Trenge (Bethlehem, Penn./Lehigh WC/Lehigh)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Andy Bowlby (Newburg, Ore./Orange Crush/Oregon State)
Coaches - Les Gutches (Corvallis, Ore.), Mike Hagerty, Cliff Laughlin

Men’s Greco-Roman
55 kg/121 lbs. - Joe Espinoza (Stockton, Calif./USOEC/Northern Michigan)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Nathan Piasecki (Minocqua, Wis./USOEC/Northern Michigan)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Darnell Lollis (Marquette, Mich./USOEC/Northern Michigan)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Pat Cadwallader (Anaheim, Calif./Southerm California/Embry-Riddle)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Jordan Holm (Northfield, Minn./Cat Club/Northern Iowa)
96 kg211.5 lbs. - R.C. Johnson (Plymouth, Minn./USOEC/Northern Michigan)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Paul Devlin (Fort Carson, Colo./U.S. Army)
Coaches - James Hall, Ivan Ivanov (Marquette, Mich.), Chris James

Women’s Freestyle
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Elizabeth Short (Lombard, Ill./Minn. Storm/UM-Morris)
51 kg/112 lbs. - Kera Pemberton (Manhattan, Kan./DSWC/Neosho CC)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Sarah Tolin (Casper, Wyo./DSWC/Neosho CC)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Samantha Branka (Lincoln Park, Mich./Minn. Storm/UM-Morris)
Coaches - Tadaaki Hatta (Oberlin, Ohio)

BACK