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Miranda to appear in Newsweek's "Who's Next" issue on Monday, Dec. 22
12/22/2003
/Wire Services
NEW YORK, N.Y. - In its annual "Who's Next" issue, Newsweek recaps the events of 2003 and looks ahead to the people who are going to stand out in 2004, including: New York's crusading Attorney General; an emerging powerbroker in post-Saddam Iraq; San Francisco's dashing new mayor; a black bishop and a female university president each working to steady institutions rocked by controversy; a female wrestler out for Olympic gold; and two stunning young movie stars-in-the-making.
The December 29 issue (on newsstands Monday, December 22 and on sale for two weeks) also features the annual "Perspectives" roundup, a review of the year's best editorial cartoons and quotes.
The cover features "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart, whose humor hits the target so consistently that he's becoming a political force. When John Edwards announced his presidential candidacy on the show, Stewart tells Newsweek that at first no one took it seriously. "After he said, 'I'm announcing that I'm running for president,' I said, 'I have to warn you we are a fake show, so you might have to do this again somewhere'." he says. Stewart also downplays studies that claim young people get a huge portion of their news from late-night comedy. "I just don't think it's possible," he says. "We're on channel 45-in New York! Literally on the remote-control journey you could absorb more news than you would get from our show."
The "Who's Next" lineup includes people who'll be making the headlines in the coming year in the areas of politics, education, sports, fashion, government, entertainment and international affairs. Those named include:
* Patricia Miranda, Olympic gold medal hopeful regarded by some at USA Wrestling to be the toughest competitor, man or woman, on the American team.
* Eliot Spitzer, attorney general of New York who has launched arelentless public assault on some of country's most powerful institutions, and who, Newsweek has learned, has been approached by key Democratic presidential hopefuls seeking his endorsement for '04.
* Mary Sue Coleman, the first woman president of the University of Michigan, who's writing the rule book on how to foster diversity by looking beyond the traditional definitions of affirmative action.
* Mark McClellan, FDA Commissioner who was tapped for the job in the fall of 2002 and will handle two of the hottest issues of 2004: a proposalto approve over-the-counter sales of the "morning after" contraceptive pill and the drive to import cheap prescription drugs from Canada.
* Gavin Newsome, incoming mayor of San Francisco who has already won national notice for his relentless ambition, good looks and pro-business agenda in a famously liberal city.
* Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraqi Governing Council member who is often overlooked on press rosters of Iraq's rising stars, but epitomizes the subtle complexities of Iraq's emerging politics.
* James Murdoch, younger son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch who has joined the family firm and, in November, after running the Star TV division in Asia, was hired as CEO of British Sky Broadcasting.
* Wilton Gregory, Catholic Bishop who won election as the first black president of the bishops' conference in November 2001, just before the child-sex-abuse scandal erupted.
* Larry Probst, CEO of Electronic Arts, the world's largest independent videogame publisher, with 4,400 employees worldwide generating some $2.5 billion in annual revenue.
* Kiera Knightley, actress who starred in hits "Bend it Like Beckham" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" and will play the role of Guinevere in next July's medieval epic "King Arthur."
* Gael Garcia Bernal, actor who starred in the Oscar-nominated "Amores Perros" and next year will play revolutionary Che Guevara in "Motorcycle Diaries," as well as taking on four roles in Pedro Almodovar's "Bad Education."
* The Neptunes, producers Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo who specialize in reinventing pop stars have produced a new Britney Spears single, as well as Gwen Stefani's upcoming solo debut, and are said to be negotiating J. Lo's next CD.
* Holly Dunlap, shoe designer whose "Hollywould" brand is worn by movie stars and socialites and has earned her a nomination for theprestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America award.
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Steiner, Townsend Saunders and Tricia Saunders named by USA Wrestling to coach 2004 U.S. Olympic Team in women's freestyle wrestling
12/22/2003
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
USA Wrestling has made its choice for the Olympic Coaches for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team in women's freestyle wrestling that will participate in the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
Selected to join USA Wrestling National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner of Colorado Springs, Colo. as Olympic Coaches in women’s wrestling are Tricia Saunders of Phoenix, Ariz. and Townsend Saunders of Phoenix, Ariz. This selection has been forwarded for final approval from the U.S. Olympic Committee.
This will be the first Olympic Games in which women’s freestyle wrestling will be contested. In addition, women’s wrestling is the only new sport on the program at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
Tricia Saunders and Townsend Saunders are married to each other. This is the first time that a husband and wife have been named to coach an Olympic wrestling team. Tricia Saunders becomes the first woman to serve as an Olympic coach for the sport of wrestling.
Tricia Saunders served as head coach of the historic 2003 Pan American Games women’s team, the first time that women’s wrestling was included on the program. The U.S. swept all gold medals in the women’s wrestling division. Saunders has been a member of the U.S. Women’s World Team coaching staff in 2001, 2002 and 2003. She is a club coach with the Sunkist Kids. She was one of the most successful women’s wrestler in history, winning four World Championships gold medals (1992, 1996, 1998 and 1999), as well as the 1993 World silver medal. Saunders was the first U.S. woman to win a World wrestling title.
Townsend Saunders served as head coach of the 2003 U.S. Women’s World Team, which competed in New York City, N.Y. The team placed strong second in the standings, with seven medalists and individual champion Kristie Marano. Saunders serves as a club coach for the Sunkist Kids, the nation’s most successful wrestling club. He is also the club’s Executive Director. He won a silver medal in freestyle wrestling at 149.5 pounds at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga. He was also a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic team, placing seventh at the Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.
Terry Steiner was named USA Wrestling’s full-time National Women’s Coach in April 2002. He is responsible for the training of America’s elite women freestyle wrestlers. Since becoming USA Wrestling’s National Women’s Coach, U.S. teams have turned in many outstanding performances. The United States placed second at the 2003 World Championships, with seven individual medalists. Team USA upset Japan to win the 2003 Women’s World Cup, as the world’s top dual meet team. The USA swept all four gold medals at the 2003 Pan American Games. Steiner served six years as assistant wrestling coach at the Univ. of Wisconsin and two seasons as an assistant coach at Oregon State. As an athlete, Steiner claimed second in the 1998 U.S. Nationals in freestyle and placed at the National Championships eight times.
Complete biographies of each Olympic Coach selection follows, as well as quotes from each of the coaches.
The two volunteer coaches selected as Olympic Coaches came from a group of six finalists. Saunders and Saunders were selected by the USA Wrestling Women’s Coach Selection Committee, then approved by the USA Wrestling Executive Committee. All of the finalists were interviewed by the Women’s Coach Selection Committee.
The other volunteer coaches who were finalists for the positions were Joe Corso of Des Moines, Iowa; Tadaaki Hatta of Elyria, Ohio; Chris Horpel of Stanford, Calif.; and Troy Steiner of Madison, Wis.
QUOTES FROM THE OLYMPIC COACH SELECTIONS IN WOMEN’S FREESTYLE
Tricia Saunders of Phoenix, Ariz.
“I am really excited about being a part of the first Olympic team for the sport. The goal is for every athlete on the U.S. team to win a gold medal, not just to get a uniform and attend. We can win a medal at every weight class, regardless of who makes the team. Townsend and I were very different as athletes and how we approach the sport. We are also different than Terry. To have a number of different approaches for the athletes will help the athletes improve. We have a real well-rounded coaching team, with a lot of experience.”
(about not having the chance to compete in the Olympics as an athlete)
“I enjoy my time coaching. I would have liked to have competed, if it happened in 1996. My contribution as an athlete is done. I enjoy being a coach and helping the athletes. I don’t wish I were still an athlete. I would have liked it if women’s wrestling got into the Olympics in 1992 or 1996. It is sad that it was not in the Games then. But I don’t want to be an athlete in 2004.”
(about coaching this team)
“I watched them come up as young athletes and go through what I did as an athlete. It is very rewarding to be there for them as a coach. I am as driven for them as I was as an athlete for me. If you love the sport, you can’t help to enjoy coaching it. It’s a big thrill. I am happy to be part of this team effort. I feel that I need to give back to the sport. It has given me a tremendous amount over the years.”
Townsend Saunders of Phoenix, Ariz.
“It is a goal that has come to reality. I have been thinking about getting back to the Olympics. I didn’t go in 2000, and I was fortunate to go in 1992 and 1996. As Greece came along, and the women got the chance to compete, I knew it would be history-making. I’m looking forward to working with the girls. We have a dynamite team and they are very talented. We opened eyes at the Pan Am Games and World Championships and I expect that to continue. I am ecstatic. I felt Trish was a lock. There isn’t anybody more qualified that her. I felt my chances were the same as everybody else. We had a great group of coaches who were finalists.”
(about working with Tricia and Terry)
“I remember in 1989, when I went to the women’s event in San Francisco to see my girlfriend compete. We have seen a lot happen since then. The Olympics has been a topic of discussion in our household for years. Many milestones have happened. Because of that history and knowledge, it strengthens our ability to work with the women. Terry, Tricia and I work well together. We have different styles, backgrounds and perspectives. The women should benefit from that.”
National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner of Colorado Springs, Colo.
“Our goals for Athens are very clear and very high. Last year, at the World Championships, at the Olympic weights, we earned four silver medals. We believe we can improve on that. Four golds is not out of the question. We are looking to improve at every one of those positions – and that would mean golds. We’ve established ourselves as one of the top teams in the world, and it is up to us to keep improving on that.”
(about Tricia and Townsend Saunders)
“Trish is a great addition. She has been women’s wrestling in this country. She has been a great champion. She will take those same characteristics and put the same effort towards our women’s program. It is unique and important to have a woman coach for this women’s wrestling team. Trish is a perfect fit. She has knowledge, but she also brings communication that only a woman can bring to the table. I am excited and happy to have her on board.”
“Because Townsend has been there before, he brings a knowledge of what to expect during the Olympic Games. He brings tremendous wrestling knowledge into the wrestling room to prepare our athletes. He did a great job this year with the 2003 World Team. I think the three of us work together well."
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Biographies of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Coaches in women's freestyle wrestling
12/22/2003
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
Tricia Saunders of Phoenix, Ariz.
Saunders served as head coach of the historic 2003 Pan American Games women’s team, the first time that women’s wrestling was included on the program. The U.S. swept all gold medals in the women’s wrestling division, with Patricia Miranda, Tina George, Sara McMann and Toccara Montgomery claiming titles.
Saunders has been a member of the U.S. Women’s World Team coaching staff in 2001, 2002 and 2003. She is a club coach with the Sunkist Kids. The women wrestlers for the Sunkist Kids won the 2002 and 2003 U.S. Nationals team title.
She was one of the most successful women’s wrestler in history, winning four World Championships gold medals (1992, 1996, 1998 and 1999), as well as the 1993 World silver medal. Saunders was the first U.S. woman to win a World wrestling title. She completed her international competitive career in 2001, never having lost to a U.S. competitor. She won a record 11 U.S. Nationals titles in women’s wrestling and won the World Team Trials 12 times. She was the Outstanding Wrestler at the 1992 World Championships.
Saunders is considered a pioneer in the development of women’s wrestling in the nation. She was given the 1997 USA Wrestling Woman of the Year award, the first recipient of this award. She was also the USA Wrestling Women’s Wrestler of the Year twice and the USOC Women’s Wrestler of the Year three times.
She is married to Townsend Saunders, 1996 Olympic silver medalist in men’s freestyle, and also head coach of the 2003 U.S. Women’s World team. A graduate of the Univ. of Wisconsin, Saunders is originally from Ann Arbor, Mich., where she competed on a national level in the youth wrestling programs. One of her youth club teammates was Olympic medallist Zeke Jones, who is one of the Olympic Coaches in men’s freestyle wrestling in 2004.
Townsend Saunders of Phoenix, Ariz.
Saunders served as head coach of the 2003 U.S. Women’s World Team, which competed in New York City, N.Y. The team placed strong second in the standings, with seven medalists and individual champion Kristie Marano. The U.S. did not lose a match during the first two days of competition.
Saunders serves as a club coach for the Sunkist Kids, the nation’s most successful wrestling club, since his competitive career ended in 1997. He is also the club’s Executive Director. He has also been the assistant wrestling coach at Arizona State Univ., a Div. I wrestling power.
He is married to Tricia Saunders, a four-time Women’s World Champion and one of America’s most successful female wrestlers. Townsend helped coach Tricia throughout her career. He has attended seven previous Women’s World Championships, assisting the U.S. coaching staff at each of these events.
Saunders won a silver medal in freestyle wrestling at 149.5 pounds at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga. He was also a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic team, placing seventh at the Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.
Saunders competed in the four World Championships events. He was fourth in the 1993 World Championships and eighth in the 1995 World Championships. He also competed in the 1991 and 1994 World Championships. Among his other major honors were gold medals at the 1991 and 1995 Pan American Games and a gold medal at the 1994 Goodwill Games. He also won two U.S. Nationals freestyle titles.
He began his college career at Cal-State Bakersfield, where he was a 1987 Div. II national champion. He transfered to Arizona State Univ., placing second in the 1989 NCAA Div. I Championships and third in the 1990 NCAA Div. I Championships. He was a 1985 high school state runner-up for Torrance High School in California.
National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner of Colorado Springs, Colo.
Steiner was named USA Wrestling’s full-time National Women’s Coach in April 2002. He is responsible for the training of America’s elite women freestyle wrestlers, as well as coaching women wrestlers who are involved in the U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete program. He also plays an important role in the development of women’s wrestling in the United States.
Since becoming USA Wrestling’s National Women’s Coach, U.S. teams on international tours have turned in many outstanding performances. The United States placed second at the 2003 World Championships, with seven individual medalists, one in each weight class. Team USA upset Japan to win the 2003 Women’s World Cup, as the world’s top dual meet team. The USA swept all four gold medals at the 2003 Pan American Games, the first time that women’s wrestling was contested.
Steiner completed his sixth season as an assistant wrestling coach at the Univ. of Wisconsin, working with head coach Barry Davis. He has helped develop a number of successful Div. I wrestlers, including two-time NCAA champion Donny Pritzlaff.
Steiner spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Oregon State. He was also a coach with the Hawkeye Wrestling Club in Iowa City, Iowa after his college career ended.
Since 1997, he served as one of the coaches for Wisconsin’s USA Wrestling Cadet National Team. Along with his twin brother Troy, he directed a kids wrestling club in Iowa City in 1993-94.
As an athlete, Steiner claimed second in the 1998 U.S. Nationals in freestyle and placed at the National Championships eight times. He placed fourth in the 1996 Olympic Trials and fifth in the 2000 Olympic Trials. He won a gold medal at the 1996 Pan American Championships.
He was a 1993 NCAA Div. I champion for Univ. of Iowa, coached by the legendary Dan Gable. He won three All-American honors and compiled a career record of 124-27-2. He was also voted the Outstanding Wrestler at the 1993 NCAA Championships. Originally from Bismarck, N.D., Steiner won two state titles for Century High School. Steiner earned a bachelor's degree in social work from Iowa in 1993.
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Suit alleges UCD violated Title IX
By Michael Mirer/Enterprise staff writer 12/22/03
A nearly three-year old controversy has finally made its way into the courts. Four wrestlers, all women, filed suit Thursday against UC Davis in federal court.
The complaint alleges discrimination under Title IX, a landmark federal law passed in 1972 to ensure equal access to athletic opportunites. The four women, who are either current students or plan to return to the university, seek certification for a class-action lawsuit.
"You don't drop an opportunity for women unless you're going to replace it with another opportunity, and they haven't done that," plaintiffs' attorney Kristen Galles told the Associated Press.
Defendants named in the suit include UCD chancellor Larry Vanderhoef, associate vice chancellor Bob Franks. UCD athletic director Greg Warzecka, associate athletic directors Pam Gill-Fisher and Larry Swanson.
The suit, filed on behalf of three former varsity wrestlers and another who had planned to attend UCD based on its support of women's wrestling, alleges that an imbalance on the campus was made worse by cutting women from the wrestling team.
The plaintiffs are seeking reinstatment for the female wrestlers, an increase in athletic scholarships for women and unspecified monetary damages, according to the AP.
As of Friday, UCD had not received a copy of the complaint and a spokeswoman said the university would not comment until it is served.
The case stems from the controversial decision to drop two female athletes, Chris Ng and Arezou Mansourian, from the wrestling team before the 2000-2001 season.
The women continued to practice with the team until January 2001. At that time, Mansourian injured her back, but was not treated by the UCD training staff because she was not officially a varsity athlete.
That prompted a meeting between Warzecka and the female wrestlers, from which both sides emerged with differing stories.
Wrestling coach Mike Burch said that the women were not on the roster because the athletic department had told him to leave them off.
"The roster I turned in was the roster they asked of me," Burch said then.
Athletics officials dismissed that claim.
"He can say what he wants," Gill-Fisher told The Enterprise. "We don't create these (rosters)."
That discrepancy was the basis of the complaint Ng filed April 25with U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights.
Incidentally, the day before, the UCD athletic department chose not to renew the contract of Mike Burch, who had coached the wrestling team for six seasons. That decision was not made public for another month.
Burch, one of the few coaches to work at UCD on a part-time basis, took over a program that lost every dual meet for three seasons and won 19 in his first three years. During the 2000-01 season he had guided the Aggies to a 10-7 dual meet record, the best in school history.
The athletic department, which has a policy against commenting on personnel issues, never gave a reason for Burch's dismissal. The coach of course, had his own theory.
"It's clearly retaliation," Burch told the Enterprise in May of 2001.
Burch filed a claim alleging just that with the Department of Education, saying his support of the female wrestlers cost him his job.
Meanwhile in May of 2001, Ng and Mansourian were reinstated to the team. And in October of 2001, the OCR ruled that both complaints were unfounded and it appeared the issue had been resolved.
Galles also represents Burch, who sued UCD for retaliation in September.
UCD had allowed women to be part of its wrestling team since 1991. And while no woman wrestler had ever wrestled agiainst a man during a meet, Burch added a women's division to the annual Aggie Open wrestling tournament.
The NCAA does not sponsor a championship for women's wrestling.
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Women wrestlers file suit after UC Davis pulls mat on their sport
Associated Press 12/21/03
SACRAMENTO - The University of California, Davis faces a lawsuit from women wrestlers who claim the university violated federal law and discriminated against women when it eliminated their sport.
The suit alleges that UC Davis violated the 1972 Title IX legislation that guaranteed equal sports access for women and men at schools that receive federal funds. The suit was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court by three former varsity wrestlers and one who said she was offered a scholarship to wrestle
"You don't drop an opportunity for women unless you're going to replace it with another opportunity, and they haven't done that," said attorney Kristen Galles, who filed the suit.
The suit names the university, UC Davis administrators and the University of California Board of Regents. A campus spokeswoman said Friday that the university had not reviewed the suit and could not comment.
Title IX is a frequently debated topic on college campuses. Supporters say it levels the playing field for women, while critics say it caps or eliminates men's teams to keep the numbers in check.
The law has created athletic opportunities for women in domains once exclusive to men, such as the wrestling mat. Women's wrestling has grown in popularity in the last 20 years and it will be an Olympic event for the first time at the 2004 Games in Athens.
Ironically, one of the more prominent challenges to the law came in a lawsuit from the National Wrestling Coaches Association, which complained that Title IX eliminated hundreds of sports teams. The federal lawsuit was dismissed this year, but the group said it would appeal.
UC Davis eliminated women from its wrestling program two years ago.
The suit said the school had failed to meet all three provisions of the legislation, which took effect in 1975. The suit claims the school:
_failed to match the ratio of female to male athletes to the enrollment ratio;
_has not expanded opportunities for female athletes;
_does not fully accommodate women athletes' interests or abilities.
In addition to seeking unspecified monetary damages, the suit seeks to: bar sex discrimination in UC Davis athletics; reinstate the varsity women's wrestling program; and increase athletic scholarships for women.
Galles also represents former wrestling coach Michael Burch, who claimed in a similar suit that he was fired in retaliation for supporting the women on his team.