News page
11/25/2002
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
The November 2002 TheMat.com North American Women’s College Wrestling Rankings for teams and individuals has been released. This is the first ranking of the year for North American women college wrestlers.
Simon Fraser Univ. of British Columbia, Canada was named as the top North American college team in the preseason rankings. Simon Fraser received three of the four first-place votes in the balloting, and registered 97 points. Simon Fraser has traditionally competed in the NAIA, and will wrestling in the Canadian CIS competition for the first time this year. The team is coached by Mike Jones.
Ranked No. 2 is CIS power the Univ. of Calgary, from Alberta, Canada. Calgary is coached by Mitch Ostberg.
The top U.S. team in the rankings is Missouri Valley College, an NAIA school coached by Mike Machholz. Missouri Valley received one of the four first-place votes. Missouri Valley held a No. 1 ranking in the first U.S. women’s college rankings released earlier this year.
Five of the top 10 teams were from Canada, and five were from the United States. Rounding out the Top 10 were No. 4 Univ. of Minnesota-Morris, No. 5 Cumberland College, No. 6 Queens College, No. 7 Lakehead Univ., No. 8 Neosho County CC, No. 9 Brock Univ. and No. 10 Menlo College.
A total of 20 teams were ranked, and other teams receiving votes were also recognized. The entire poll can be found at:
themat.com/rankings/default.asp?CategoryID=108&RankingID=412
The team ranking poll is elected by a panel of women’s college coaches, three from Canada and two from the United States. Eligible for ranking are college varsity and club women’s wrestling programs.
Canadian athletes dominated the individual rankings, with seven of the eight No. 1 ranked wrestlers hailing from Canadian schools.
The only U.S. wrestler with a No. 1 ranking in November was Toccara Montgomery of Cumberland College at 72 kg (158.5 lbs.) Montgomery, a sophomore, was a 2001 World silver medalist and also represented the USA at the 2002 World Championships.
Five of the top-ranked college wrestlers competed for Canada at the 2002 Women’s World Championships: Carol Huyhn of Simon Fraser at 48 kg (105.5 lbs.), Lyndsay Belisle of the Univ. of BC at 51 kg (112.25 lbs.), Emily Richardson of Simon Fraser at 59 kg (130 lbs.), Tara Hedican of Guelph at 63 kg (138.5 lbs.) and Shannon Samler of the Univ. of BC at 67 kg (147.5 lbs.).
The other two top-ranked athletes were Erica Sharp of Calgary at 55 kg (121 lbs.) and Christa Walters (Queens) at 77 kg (169.5 lbs.).
The entire November 2002 North American Women’s College Individual rankings can be found at:
themat.com/rankings/default.asp?CategoryID=108&RankingID=413
The individual rankings are selected by TheMat.com, with assistance from the panel of coaches. Athletes who are considered for ranking are eligible full-time college students, and are members of their college women’s varsity or club program, or a member of their college men’s wrestling team.
Women’s wrestling is a growing sport in Canada and the United States on the college level. The International Olympic Committee has named women’s freestyle wrestling as the newest sport added to the Summer Olympic Games program. The United States and Canada are among the most successful women’s wrestling nations in the world.
Copyright 2002 by USA Wrestling and TheMat.com.
Media outlets may reproduce these rankings only if they identify them as TheMat.com U.S. Senior rankings
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TheMat.com North American Women's College Poll
Released 11/25/2002
Ranked by North American coaches
Rank/College/location/pts./final 2001-02 ranking
1. Simon Fraser Univ./British Columbia, Canada (4), 97 pts., 2 last year
2. Univ. of Calgary/Alberta, Canada, 95 pts., 3 last year
3. Missouri Valley College/Missouri, USA (1), 92 pts., 4 last year
4. Univ. of Minnesota-Morris/Minnesota, USA, 83 pts., 5 last year
5. Cumberland College/Kentucky, USA, 80 pts., 8 last year
6. Queens College/Ontario, Canada, 70 pts., 18 last year
7. Lakehead Univ./Ontario, Canada, 69 pts., 9 last year
8. Neosho County CC/Kansas, USA, 63 pts., 11 last year
9. Brock Univ./Ontario, Canada (3), 55 pts., 1 last year
10. Menlo College/California, USA, 51 pts., 19 last year
11. Univ. of Guelph/Ontario, Canada, 45 pts., 15 last year
12. Pacific Univ./Oregon, USA, 40 pts., 7 last year
13. Univ. of Regina/Saskatchewan, Canada, 30 pts., unranked last year
14. Douglas College/British Columbia, Canada, 28 pts., 14 last year
15. McMaster Univ./Ontario, Canada, 25 pts., 17 last year
16. Memorial Univ./Newfoundland, Canada, 21 pts., unranked last year
17. Univ. of New Brunswick/New Brunswick, Canada, 20 pts., unranked last year
18. (tie) Univ of British Columbia/British Columbia, Canada, 17 pts., unranked last year
18. (tie) Princeton Univ./New Jersey, USA, 17 pts., unranked last year
20. Univ. of Western Ontario/Ontario, Canada, 14 pts., 12 last year
Also receiving votes: Univ. of Saskatchewan/Saskatchewan, Canada, 12 pts.; Univ. of Alberta/Alberta, Canada, 10 pts.; Concordia Univ./Quebec, Canada, 8 pts.; Cal-State Bakersfield/California, USA, 5 pts.; Univ. of Hawaii/Hawaii, USA, 3 pts.
Selected by a panel of women’s college coaches, with three from Canada and two from the United States. Eligible for ranking are college varsity and club women’s wrestling programs.
Publication dates: Nov. 25; Dec. 25; Jan. 25; Feb. 25; March 25; April 25; May 25
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TheMat.com N. American Women College Individuals
Released 11/25/2002
Ranked by TheMat.com
48 kg (105.5 lbs.)
1. Carol Huyhn (Simon Fraser)
2. Mary Kelly (Neosho County)
3. Katrina Betts (UM-Morris)
4. Belinda Chow (Regina)
5. Krista Wells (Queens)
6. Melissa Hillaby (Alberta)
7. Patti Courtney (Brock)
8. Liz Short (UM-Morris)
51 kg (112.25 lbs.)
1. Lyndsay Belisle (Univ. of BC)
2. Terri McNutt (Western Ontario)
3. Patrice Crenshaw (UM-Morris)
4. Andrea Ross (Calgary)
5. Sara White (Simon Fraser)
6. Sarah Hayes (Cumberland College)
7. Audrey Pang (Princeton)
8. Janice Nguyen (Queens)
55 kg (121 lbs.)
1. Erica Sharp (Calgary)
2. Heather Sweezey (Brock)
3. Marcie Van Dusen (UM-Morris)
4. Amber Birney (UNB)
5. Angela Mah (Simon Fraser)
6. Kate Eckfeldt (Calgary)
7. Melina Hutchison (Menlo College)
8. Sana Kavanaugh (Concordia)
59 kg (130 lbs.)
1. Emily Richardson (Simon Fraser)
2. Breanne Graham (Calgary)
3. Jessica Shirley (Cumberland College)
4. Ellen Macro (McMaster)
5. Heidi Kulak (Alberta)
6. Kiersten Hyatt (Missouri Valley)
7. Katharine Patroch (Lakehead)
8. Jessica Peterson (Douglas)
63 kg (138.5 lbs.)
1. Tara Hedican (Guelph)
2. Viola Yanik (Saskatchewan)
3. Tina Arnds (Missouri Valley)
4. Leigh Jaynes (Missouri Valley)
5. Jill Campeau (Douglas)
6. Ceildh Boyd (Lakehead)
7. Jennica Day (Simon Fraser)
8. Alaina Berube (Cumberland College)
67 kg (147.5 lbs.)
1. Shannon Samler (Univ. of BC)
2. Megan Dolan (Brock)
3. Ashley Buchanan (Douglas)
4. Megan Buydens (Saskatchewan)
5. Ashlea McManus (Simon Fraser)
6. Mollie Keith (Missouri Valley)
7. Elena Mena (Neosho County)
8. Christine Calver (Lakehead)
72 kg (158.5 lbs.)
1. Toccara Montgomery (Cumberland College)
2. Pamela Wilson (McMaster)
3. Martine DeGrunier (Concordia)
4. Alicia Mena (Neosho County)
5. Alana Petzschler (Guelph)
6. Donnell Bradley (Missouri Valley)
7. Ashley Cross (Douglas)
8. Christie Wark (Simon Fraser)
77 kg (169.5 lbs.)
1. Christa Walters (Queens)
2. Hillary Leith (Missouri Valley)
3. Christina Wolfe (Simon Fraser)
4. Jen Hanson (Brock)
5. Jenna Pavlik (Lock Haven)
6. Kerri Everly (Memorial)
7. Tara Hall (Queens)
Selected by TheMat.com, with assistance from a panel of five college coaches. Athletes who are considered for ranking are eligible full-time college students, and are members of their college women’s varsity or club program, or a member of their college men’s wrestling team.
Publication dates: Nov. 25; Dec. 25; Jan. 25; Feb. 25; March 25; April 25; May 25