Three Girls events - Folkstyle Nationals, YOG Freestyle Qualifier & Junior National Folkstyle Duals - set for Oklahoma City, March 26-28

It will be a big weekend for girls wrestling, as the nation's best young female wrestlers travel to Oklahoma City for three major events.

The competitions will be held at Freede Center on the campus of Oklahoma City University (OCU). The tournaments being contested include:
- FILA Female Cadet Youth Olympic Games Qualifier, Friday, March 26
- USA Wrestling Girls Folkstyle National Championships, Friday, March 26 and Saturday, March 27
- Women's Folkstyle Junior National Duals, Sunday, March 28

For the third year, the USA Wrestling Girls Folkstyle National Championships will be hosted at OCU. This event has grown in size and prestige each year, and is expected to have a strong turnout again this year. Competition will be held on the Junior level (high school) and for Middle School (Grades 6-8) and Elementary (Grades 1-5). Weighins will be held Friday, March 26. Competition will begin on Friday night, March 26, and conclude on Saturday, March 27.

Many of the nation's top high school female wrestlers are expected again this year. Champions from last year who are eligible to return this year include Emily Webster of Missouri at 95 pounds, Alex Gomez of California at 102 pounds, Brieana Delgado of South Carolina at 123 pounds, Erin English of Ohio at 155 pounds and Marina Lambert of Virginia at 165 pounds. Gomez won the Girls Folkstyle Nationals the last two years.

Online registration via credit card is available until 6:00 PM (Central) Wednesday, March 24th for the price of $40. Entry fee for participants registering at the door is $60.

For more information and to register for the USA Wrestling Girls Folkstyle Nationals,
Click Here

The FILA Female Cadet Youth Olympic Games Qualifier is a new event, which was created for the selection of U.S. athletes who wish to compete at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, August 14-26. There are 26 sports available, and athletes from around the world will be competing.

To try out for the U.S. team, wrestling athletes must have birthdates that fall between January 1, 1993 and December 31, 1994. The U.S. qualifier for female freestyle wrestlers will be held on Friday, March 26, with weighins and competition on the same day.

There are four weight classes in women's freestyle at the Youth Olympic Games:
- 46 kg/101.25 lbs.
- 52 kg/114.5 lbs.
- 60 kg/132.25 lbs.
- 70 kg/154.25 lbs.

There are two stages in the process to determine the U.S. wrestlers for YOG. The first step is to compete in the USA Wrestling YOG qualifying event in Oklahoma City. The second step is to compete in a Pan-American qualifying event for YOG, which will be held in Monterrey, Mexico, May 3-5.

For information and to register online for the FILA Female Cadet Youth Olympic Games Qualifier,
Click here

For the first time, USA Wrestling will host a Women's Folkstyle Junior National Duals. The event will feature state-level teams, as well as additional teams which have been drawn from athletes who are from other states.

There have been informal folkstyle dual meets held during the previous two years. Based upon interest and demand, an official Women's Folkstyle National Junior Duals has been developed.

For state teams, registration is $375 per team. There is also a registration fee for individuals who wish to compete on the draw teams, at a cost of $40 per person online and $60 on site.

For more information on the historic first Girls Folkstyle National Duals,
Click here

TheMat.com will provide webcasts of the events, live from Oklahoma City, announced by USA Wrestling's Jason Bryant. Visit TheMat.com for more details.

There will be a free Body Bar Technique Clinic featuring Olympian Marcie Van Dusen at 12:00 noon on Saturday, March 26.

YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES QUALIFIER SCHEDULE
Wednesday, March 24
6:00 p.m. - Online registration deadline

Friday, March 26
8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. - Weigh-ins & Medical Check
1:00 p.m. "" Completion - Preliminaries through Finals

USA WRESTLING FOLKSTYLE NATIONALS SCHEDULE
Friday, March 26
9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. - Online Registration Weigh-in Card Pick-up - Juniors
10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. - On-site Registration - Juniors
11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. - Weigh-ins - Juniors
6:00 p.m to 10:00 p.m. - Junior Preliminary Rounds

Saturday, March 27
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon - Junior Preliminaries Rounds
9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. - Online Registration Weigh-in Card Pick Up - Elementary & Middle School
10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. - Onsite Registration - Elementary & Middle School
11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. - Weigh-in - Elementary & Middle School
12:00 noon "" Body Bar Technique Clinic featuring Marcie Van Dusen
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. "" Junior semifinals and medal matches (3rd-8th place)
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. - Elementary & Middle School Preliminary Rounds
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - Elementary & Middle School Finals and Awards
7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. - Junior Finals and Awards

WOMEN'S FOLKSTYLE JUNIOR NATIONAL DUALS SCHEDULE
Saturday, March 27
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. - Folkstyle Junior Dual Team Registration

Sunday, March 28
8:00 a.m. - Folkstyle Dual Team Weigh-in
10:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. - Folkstyle Dual Team Competition

2009 USA Wrestling Girls Folkstyle National Champions

Junior Folkstyle National Champions
95 - Emily Webster (Missouri)
102 - Alex Gomez (California)
109 - Taylor Busboom (Texas)
116 - Shauna Isbell (Arizona)
123 - Brieana Delgado (South Carolina)
130 - Randi Beltz (Missouri)
138 - Jennifer Page (California)
146 - Karra Stratton (Texas)
155 - Erin English (Ohio)
165 - Marina Lambert (Virginia)
185 - Angela Vyborny (California)
185+ - Yadinma Nwaiwu (Texas)

6th "" 8th Grade Folkstyle champions
75 - Marina Doi (California)
82 - Katie Agey (Iowa)
89 - Julia Long (Wyoming)
96 - Hope Steffensen (Alaska)
103 - Jessica McCamish (Connecticut)
110 - Lindsey Spjut (Texas)
118 - Montana Drum (Missouri)
126 - Kiera Gabaldon (Oregon)
135 - Kristina Erickson (Minnesota)
145 - Miranda Cottenmyre (Kansas)
155 - Melissa Yarrington (Wisconsin)
155+ - Katrina Abueg (California)
155++ - Alyssa Balcena (California)

1st - 5th Grade Folkstyle champions
44 - Olivia Shore (Ohio)
50 - Emily Shilson (Minnesota)
52 - Caitlin Clark (Indiana)
56 - Stephanie Sommers (Illinois)
64 - Jerzie Estrada (Colorado)
63 - Kandice Brendlinger (Pennsylvania)
65 - Faith Stoddard (Illinois)
70 - Madison Wurts (Kansas)
71 - Kennedy Jackson (Oklahoma)
75 - Gabrielle Garcia (California)
75 - Emily Newberry (Kansas)
78 - Makaea Forbes (Kansas)
79 - Madison Gines (Wyoming)
82 - Juliana Baker (Oregon)
89 - Felicity Bryant (Texas)
104 - Alyssa Lafrancis (California)
119 - Breana Marks (Indiana)