OKLAHOMA CITY - The nation's top women's college wrestling athletes have weighed-in and received their seeds for the fifth annual Women's College Wrestling Association Freestyle National Championships, to be held at Abe Lemons Arena on the campus of Oklahoma City University on Saturday.
The Univ. of the Cumberlands, which has won the national tournament the last two years, enters the tournament as the No. 1 ranked team, but first-year program and host Oklahoma City University hopes to take home top honors in its first year at the tournament.
Two other strong teams return from last year's event. Missouri Valley College, which won this tournament the first two years, and Menlo University also have full squads. The U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan Univ., which is entering the tournament for the first time, has a small roster loaded with talents. Athletes from Arizona State and the Univ. of Wisconsin-River Falls are also entered.
There is only one returning champion from last year in the field, Kelsey Campbell from Arizona State. She was the champion in 2007 at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., but has received the No. 1 seed at 59 kg/130 lbs. this year.
The USOEC and Oklahoma City Univ. each have three top seeds.
Gaining No. 1 seeds from the USOEC were Sadie Kaneda at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Alyssa Lampe at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. and Amy Borgnini at 55 kg/121 lbs.
The OCU athletes with No. 1 seeds are Ashley Sword at 67 kg/147.5 lbs., Lacey Novinska at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. and Carrie Clark at 82 kg/180.5 lbs.
The top seeds from the Univ. of the Cumberlands are Melissa Girard (Univ of the Cumberlands) at 44 kg/97 lbs. and Lauren Knight (Univ. of the Cumberlands) 63 kg/138.75 lbs.
There are no seeds at 95 kg/209 lbs., which will be a roundrobin.
The champions at the seven World Championship weight classes, (48 kg, 51 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 63 kg, 67 kg and 72 kg will qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling on June 13-15 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.
The tournament starts Saturday at 9 a.m. Semifinals are expected to begin at 1 p.m., third-place matches at 4 p.m., and the championship finals at 7:30 p.m., all at Abe Lemons Arena.
"We're going to have to perform well in the light weights," OCU Coach Archie Randall said. "We have to place higher than Cumberlands at each weight. Our upper weights are really good. We can win five weights. We have a good shot to be national champions."
The tournament will be held alongside USA Wrestling's Girls Folkstyle National Championships, an exciting new event which has attracted top athletes from across the nation. On Saturday, the high school division will be contested. On Sunday, the middle school and elementary divisions will be held.
World Champion, Olympic Team Coach, and Hall of Fame wrestler Tricia Saunders will conduct a free women's wrestling technique clinic at 12:00 noon at Abe Lemons Arena sponsored by Body Bar Systems, a USA Wrestling Women's National Team sponsor.
Women's College Wrestling Association Freestyle National Championships
At Oklahoma City, Okla., March 14, 2008
Seeded wrestlers
44 kg/97 lbs.
1. Melissa Girard (Univ of the Cumberlands)
2. Lene Wood (Oklahoma City Univ.)
3. Priscilla Brownfield (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
4. Stephanie Waters (Oklahoma City Univ.)
5. Maria Henriquez (Menlo Univ.)
6. Norine Cruz (Missouri Valley College)
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
1. Sadie Kaneda (USOEC at Northern Michigan)
2. Nicole Woody (Oklahoma City Univ.)
3. Angelee Homma (Missouri Valley College)
51 kg/112.25 lbs.
1. Alyssa Lampe (USOEC at Northern Michigan)
2. Jessica Medina (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
3. Katherine Fulp-Allen (Menlo Univ.)
4. Courtney Martell (Missouri Valley College)
5. Erica Torres (Oklahoma City Univ.)
6. Shannon Reeves (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
55 kg/121 lbs.
1. Amy Borgnini (USOEC at Northern Michigan)
2. Sandy Do (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
3. Ashley Hudson (Oklahoma City Univ.)
4. Samantha Shuman (Missouri Valley College)
5. Natasha Umemoto (Oklahoma City CC)
6. Carla O'Connell (Menlo Univ.)
59 kg/130 lbs.
1. Kelsey Campbell (Arizona State)
2. Nikki Darrow (USOEC at Northern Michigan)
3. Samantha Fee (Missouri Valley College)
4. Breisja Gallo-Macera (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
5. Samantha Phillips (Oklahoma City Univ.)
6. Jessica Kalvas (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
1. Lauren Knight (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
2. Briana Conway (Oklahoma City Univ.)
3. Krystal Kiyuna (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
4. Karen Howe (Missouri Valley College)
67 kg/147.5 lbs.
1. Ashley Sword (Oklahoma City Univ.)
2. Amberlee Ebert (Missouri Valley College)
3. Bethany Harris (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
72 kg/158.5 lbs.
1. Lacey Novinska (Oklahoma City Univ.)
2. Sherolynn Eppinger (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
3. Melissa Simmons (Oklahoma City Univ.)
4. Lindsey Brooks (USOEC at Northern Michigan)
82 kg/180.5 lbs.
1. Carrie Clark (Oklahoma City Univ.)
2. Christen Paysee (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
3. Brittany Caiile (Menlo Univ.)
4. Teri Milkoff (Univ. of the Cumberlands
95 kg/209 lbs.
No seeds - Round-robin tournament
The Univ. of the Cumberlands, which has won the national tournament the last two years, enters the tournament as the No. 1 ranked team, but first-year program and host Oklahoma City University hopes to take home top honors in its first year at the tournament.
Two other strong teams return from last year's event. Missouri Valley College, which won this tournament the first two years, and Menlo University also have full squads. The U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan Univ., which is entering the tournament for the first time, has a small roster loaded with talents. Athletes from Arizona State and the Univ. of Wisconsin-River Falls are also entered.
There is only one returning champion from last year in the field, Kelsey Campbell from Arizona State. She was the champion in 2007 at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., but has received the No. 1 seed at 59 kg/130 lbs. this year.
The USOEC and Oklahoma City Univ. each have three top seeds.
Gaining No. 1 seeds from the USOEC were Sadie Kaneda at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Alyssa Lampe at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. and Amy Borgnini at 55 kg/121 lbs.
The OCU athletes with No. 1 seeds are Ashley Sword at 67 kg/147.5 lbs., Lacey Novinska at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. and Carrie Clark at 82 kg/180.5 lbs.
The top seeds from the Univ. of the Cumberlands are Melissa Girard (Univ of the Cumberlands) at 44 kg/97 lbs. and Lauren Knight (Univ. of the Cumberlands) 63 kg/138.75 lbs.
There are no seeds at 95 kg/209 lbs., which will be a roundrobin.
The champions at the seven World Championship weight classes, (48 kg, 51 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 63 kg, 67 kg and 72 kg will qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling on June 13-15 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.
The tournament starts Saturday at 9 a.m. Semifinals are expected to begin at 1 p.m., third-place matches at 4 p.m., and the championship finals at 7:30 p.m., all at Abe Lemons Arena.
"We're going to have to perform well in the light weights," OCU Coach Archie Randall said. "We have to place higher than Cumberlands at each weight. Our upper weights are really good. We can win five weights. We have a good shot to be national champions."
The tournament will be held alongside USA Wrestling's Girls Folkstyle National Championships, an exciting new event which has attracted top athletes from across the nation. On Saturday, the high school division will be contested. On Sunday, the middle school and elementary divisions will be held.
World Champion, Olympic Team Coach, and Hall of Fame wrestler Tricia Saunders will conduct a free women's wrestling technique clinic at 12:00 noon at Abe Lemons Arena sponsored by Body Bar Systems, a USA Wrestling Women's National Team sponsor.
Women's College Wrestling Association Freestyle National Championships
At Oklahoma City, Okla., March 14, 2008
Seeded wrestlers
44 kg/97 lbs.
1. Melissa Girard (Univ of the Cumberlands)
2. Lene Wood (Oklahoma City Univ.)
3. Priscilla Brownfield (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
4. Stephanie Waters (Oklahoma City Univ.)
5. Maria Henriquez (Menlo Univ.)
6. Norine Cruz (Missouri Valley College)
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
1. Sadie Kaneda (USOEC at Northern Michigan)
2. Nicole Woody (Oklahoma City Univ.)
3. Angelee Homma (Missouri Valley College)
51 kg/112.25 lbs.
1. Alyssa Lampe (USOEC at Northern Michigan)
2. Jessica Medina (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
3. Katherine Fulp-Allen (Menlo Univ.)
4. Courtney Martell (Missouri Valley College)
5. Erica Torres (Oklahoma City Univ.)
6. Shannon Reeves (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
55 kg/121 lbs.
1. Amy Borgnini (USOEC at Northern Michigan)
2. Sandy Do (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
3. Ashley Hudson (Oklahoma City Univ.)
4. Samantha Shuman (Missouri Valley College)
5. Natasha Umemoto (Oklahoma City CC)
6. Carla O'Connell (Menlo Univ.)
59 kg/130 lbs.
1. Kelsey Campbell (Arizona State)
2. Nikki Darrow (USOEC at Northern Michigan)
3. Samantha Fee (Missouri Valley College)
4. Breisja Gallo-Macera (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
5. Samantha Phillips (Oklahoma City Univ.)
6. Jessica Kalvas (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
1. Lauren Knight (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
2. Briana Conway (Oklahoma City Univ.)
3. Krystal Kiyuna (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
4. Karen Howe (Missouri Valley College)
67 kg/147.5 lbs.
1. Ashley Sword (Oklahoma City Univ.)
2. Amberlee Ebert (Missouri Valley College)
3. Bethany Harris (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
72 kg/158.5 lbs.
1. Lacey Novinska (Oklahoma City Univ.)
2. Sherolynn Eppinger (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
3. Melissa Simmons (Oklahoma City Univ.)
4. Lindsey Brooks (USOEC at Northern Michigan)
82 kg/180.5 lbs.
1. Carrie Clark (Oklahoma City Univ.)
2. Christen Paysee (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
3. Brittany Caiile (Menlo Univ.)
4. Teri Milkoff (Univ. of the Cumberlands
95 kg/209 lbs.
No seeds - Round-robin tournament
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