Miranda, Miller among champions at U.S. Women’s National Championships
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by Gary Abbott
LAS VEGAS, NEV. - With the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling just weeks away, the 2008 U.S. Women's National Championships had special significance Thursday night at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The champions in the four Olympic weight classes earned a spot in the best-of-three championship series at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev., June 13-15.
Claiming a national title at an Olympic division was 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. Miranda defeated 2001 World silver medalist Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) in the championship finals, 6-0, 1-0.
In the first period, Miranda threw Murata for a three-point takedown, turned her and pressed her towards the mat, just missing a fall as time ran out. In the second period, Miranda scored the only takedown for the win. It was Miranda's seventh career U.S. Nationals title.
"I guess the sentiment is I dare to dream but you always sort of catch yourself when your mind gets too far ahead of where you are in the season," said Miranda about her victory. "But I have dared to pick up my head and look to Beijing, dream that I can be there, and dream that I can better my bronze medal finish into gold. It's such a blessing and I really appreciate all the help that's gone into it."
Miranda is competing at 48 kg for the first time at the U.S. Nationals since 2004. In 2005, she took a year off to concentrate on her first year at Yale Law School. In 2006 and 2007, she competed up at 51 kg. Miranda dropped down to 48 kg earlier this winter.
The top seven placewinners in the four Olympic weight classes (48 kg, 55 kg, 63 kg, 72 kg) and the top four placewinners in the three non-Olympic weight classes (51 kg, 59 kg, 67 kg) qualify to compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. This is the major qualifying event for the Trials.
In an upset, Randi Miller (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) defeated 2004 Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann (Gaffney, S.C/Sunkist Kids), 2-1, 4-0. It was Miller's first U.S. Nationals title. Miller was named Outstanding Wrestler for her victory.
In the first period, Miller broke a 1-1 tie with a takedown late in the period to win. In the second period, Miller controlled the action, with two takedowns and two stepouts to score all four points. Miller had beaten McMann two previous times, but not at an event of this significance.
"Winning and losing, I try to keep that out of my head. I'm going to go out there, I'm fight hard as I can, and I'm going to have fun. That's just what goes through my head before matches," said Miller. "To have a win against someone like Sara (McMann) is always going to help. Reminding yourself you can do it will always help you."
The champions in the two other Olympic weight classes were Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Ali Bernard (New Ulm, Minn./Gator WC) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Van Dusen defeated 2003 World bronze medalist Jenny Wong (Gaffney, S.C./Sunkist Kids) in the finals, It was her second U.S. Nationals title in a row.
Wong won the first period, scoring a takedown from the clinch. In the second period, Van Dusen scored a pair of takedowns in the second period to knot up the match. In the deciding third period, Van Dusen scored four takedowns and a two-point exposure for the technical fall.
Bernard defeated two-time World bronze medalist Katie Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 0-1, 2-2, 1-0. It was Bernard's second career national title. Downing won the first period, defending against the leg clinch. The second period went to Bernard on a two-point takedown. The deciding third period was won on the leg clinch, with Bernard scoring the takedown.
Both finalists defeated past World champions in the semifinals. Downing defeated two-time World champion Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) and Bernard stopped 2005 World champion Iris Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army). Smith defeated Marano in the bronze medal match.
None of the champions at the non-Olympic weight classes have previously won a U.S. Senior Nationals title. Capturing their first national crowns were Jessica Medina (Pomona, Calif./New York AC) at 51 kg/112.25 pounds, Erin Tomeo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Stefenie Shaw (Waterford, Conn./New York AC) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Medina defeated high school star Helen Maroulis (Rockville, Md./New York AC), 3-0, 3-0 in the finals. Medina won the first period with a three-point takedown from the clinch, and scored the only takedowns in the second period.
Tomeo pinned Othella Lucas (San Diego, Calif./New York AC) late in the second period. Tomeo won the first period with two takedowns. The second period was wide open, with both wrestlers putting their opponents into danger. The period was back and forth, with the score tied at 3-3, 5-5 and 6-6 before Tomeo turned and pinned Lucas with eight seconds left on the clock.
Shaw defeated Sara Hilliard (Lawrence, Kansas/OCU Stars) in the finals, 2-0, 6-0. She scored two first-period takedowns, and was able to open up the offense during the second period with a number of gut wrench exposures.
The Fulp-Allen sisters, Sara at 48 kg/105.5 pounds and Katherine at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., both won bronze medals at their weight classes.
There is one more qualifying event for women wrestlers for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, the Northern Plains Olympic Regional Trials in Waterloo, Iowa, May 8-10. The champions at each weight class at that event qualify for the Olympic Team Trials.
The champions in the four Olympic weight classes earned a spot in the best-of-three championship series at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev., June 13-15.
Claiming a national title at an Olympic division was 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. Miranda defeated 2001 World silver medalist Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) in the championship finals, 6-0, 1-0.
In the first period, Miranda threw Murata for a three-point takedown, turned her and pressed her towards the mat, just missing a fall as time ran out. In the second period, Miranda scored the only takedown for the win. It was Miranda's seventh career U.S. Nationals title.
"I guess the sentiment is I dare to dream but you always sort of catch yourself when your mind gets too far ahead of where you are in the season," said Miranda about her victory. "But I have dared to pick up my head and look to Beijing, dream that I can be there, and dream that I can better my bronze medal finish into gold. It's such a blessing and I really appreciate all the help that's gone into it."
Miranda is competing at 48 kg for the first time at the U.S. Nationals since 2004. In 2005, she took a year off to concentrate on her first year at Yale Law School. In 2006 and 2007, she competed up at 51 kg. Miranda dropped down to 48 kg earlier this winter.
The top seven placewinners in the four Olympic weight classes (48 kg, 55 kg, 63 kg, 72 kg) and the top four placewinners in the three non-Olympic weight classes (51 kg, 59 kg, 67 kg) qualify to compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. This is the major qualifying event for the Trials.
In an upset, Randi Miller (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) defeated 2004 Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann (Gaffney, S.C/Sunkist Kids), 2-1, 4-0. It was Miller's first U.S. Nationals title. Miller was named Outstanding Wrestler for her victory.
In the first period, Miller broke a 1-1 tie with a takedown late in the period to win. In the second period, Miller controlled the action, with two takedowns and two stepouts to score all four points. Miller had beaten McMann two previous times, but not at an event of this significance.
"Winning and losing, I try to keep that out of my head. I'm going to go out there, I'm fight hard as I can, and I'm going to have fun. That's just what goes through my head before matches," said Miller. "To have a win against someone like Sara (McMann) is always going to help. Reminding yourself you can do it will always help you."
The champions in the two other Olympic weight classes were Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Ali Bernard (New Ulm, Minn./Gator WC) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Van Dusen defeated 2003 World bronze medalist Jenny Wong (Gaffney, S.C./Sunkist Kids) in the finals, It was her second U.S. Nationals title in a row.
Wong won the first period, scoring a takedown from the clinch. In the second period, Van Dusen scored a pair of takedowns in the second period to knot up the match. In the deciding third period, Van Dusen scored four takedowns and a two-point exposure for the technical fall.
Bernard defeated two-time World bronze medalist Katie Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 0-1, 2-2, 1-0. It was Bernard's second career national title. Downing won the first period, defending against the leg clinch. The second period went to Bernard on a two-point takedown. The deciding third period was won on the leg clinch, with Bernard scoring the takedown.
Both finalists defeated past World champions in the semifinals. Downing defeated two-time World champion Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) and Bernard stopped 2005 World champion Iris Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army). Smith defeated Marano in the bronze medal match.
None of the champions at the non-Olympic weight classes have previously won a U.S. Senior Nationals title. Capturing their first national crowns were Jessica Medina (Pomona, Calif./New York AC) at 51 kg/112.25 pounds, Erin Tomeo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Stefenie Shaw (Waterford, Conn./New York AC) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Medina defeated high school star Helen Maroulis (Rockville, Md./New York AC), 3-0, 3-0 in the finals. Medina won the first period with a three-point takedown from the clinch, and scored the only takedowns in the second period.
Tomeo pinned Othella Lucas (San Diego, Calif./New York AC) late in the second period. Tomeo won the first period with two takedowns. The second period was wide open, with both wrestlers putting their opponents into danger. The period was back and forth, with the score tied at 3-3, 5-5 and 6-6 before Tomeo turned and pinned Lucas with eight seconds left on the clock.
Shaw defeated Sara Hilliard (Lawrence, Kansas/OCU Stars) in the finals, 2-0, 6-0. She scored two first-period takedowns, and was able to open up the offense during the second period with a number of gut wrench exposures.
The Fulp-Allen sisters, Sara at 48 kg/105.5 pounds and Katherine at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., both won bronze medals at their weight classes.
There is one more qualifying event for women wrestlers for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, the Northern Plains Olympic Regional Trials in Waterloo, Iowa, May 8-10. The champions at each weight class at that event qualify for the Olympic Team Trials.
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