Four of six U.S. Women Nationals champions are past winners, but the Outstanding Wrestler is newcome

Although four of the six champion are past winners, rookie champion Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) stole the show and claimed the Outstanding Wrestler award at the 2001 U.S. Women's Nationals at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, April 14. Montgomery, a high school athlete, defeated a pair of World Champions on the way to the gold medal at 149.75 pounds. In the championship finals, Montgomery defeated 2000 World Champion Kristie Marano (Albany, N.Y./ATWA), 8-3. In the semifinals, Montgomery also stopped 1999 World Champion Sandy Bacher (San Jose, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) in a wide-open match. The other new champion also grew up in the Cleveland area, and competed for the same club coaches: 123.25-pound champion Tina Wilson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids). Wilson pinned Erin Tomeo (Volant, Pa./Sunkist Kids), in 3:16 in the finals. Wilson has competed on three U.S. World Teams, but had never not won a previous U.S. Nationals gold. Two of the champions are veterans, and have won the event many times: Tricia Saunders (Phoenix, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 101.25 pounds and Stephanie Murata (Lansing, Mich./Sunkist Kids) at 123.25 pounds. Saunders, a four-time World Champion, won her record 11th U.S. Nationals gold medal. She defeated Julie Gonzales (Vallejo, Calif./Dave Schultz WC), 8-0 in the finals. Murata won the U.S. Nationals for the sixth straight year, defeating Jenny Wong (Stillwater, Minn./Sunkist Kids), 9-3 in the finals. The other two champions claimed U.S. Nationals titles for the second straight year: Sara McMann (Lock Haven, Pa./Sunkist Kids) at 136.5 pounds and Iris Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 165.25 pounds. McMann pinned Tonya Evinger (Bates City, Mo./Missouri Valley), in the gold-medal finals in 4:18. Smith also won by pin, stopping top-seeded Satrinina Vernon (Rodeo, Calif./Missouri Valley), in 5:20. The team title was one of the closest in history, with Missouri Valley College placing first with 63 points, just one point ahead of runner-up Sunkist Kids with 62 points. The Most Falls Award went to Alicia Mena (St. Paul, Minn./Minnesota Storm), with four pins in a combined 4:17.