WORLD TEAM TRIALS PREVIEW: Women's freestyle at 59 kg/130 lbs.

The U.S. World Team member for the last two years at this division has been Deanna Rix of the New York AC, who placed fifth in the World Championships both times. She has shown the ability to defeat top foreign athletes, and was a Dave Schultz Memorial International champion again this winter. Rix does not come into the World Team Trials in an advantage position, because she placed third at the U.S. Open in Cleveland.

The U.S. Open champion the last two years has been Kelsey Campbell of the Sunkist Kids. Campbell lost to Rix in a close World Team Trials finals series last year. She had a huge win this winter when she won a gold at the respected Yarygin International in Russia. Campbell gets to wait for the winner of the Challenge Tournament, and only needs to win a best-of-three series to make her first U.S. World Team.

Placing second at the U.S. Open was Othella Lucas of the U.S. Army. Lucas has been away from wrestling for awhile, but has come back strong since joining the Army program. She was also a U.S. Open runner-up in 2008. She has a long list of national and international achievements on the age-group levels during her years at the Univ. of the Cumberlands.

Sitting at No. 4 from the U.S. Open is the dangerous Leigh Jaynes, who was a World Team Trials and U.S. Open champion at this weight class back in 2007. Jaynes dropped down to 55 kg in recent years, but decided to move up for this season. She had a strong winter tour season, winning medals overseas. Jaynes also has a confidence boost with a pin over Campbell in an exhibition bout at the Beat the Streets Gala in New York City in May.

The other qualifiers from the U.S. Open are from the college wrestling scene, all who have been quite successful. Schuyler Brown of the Gator WC was fifth at the U.S. Open. A past Junior World team member, Brown was also second at the WCWA Nationals this year competing up a weight for Missouri Baptist. Randi Beltz, from Missouri Valley College, was sixth at the U.S. Open, second at the WCWA Nationals and second at the University Nationals. Placing seventh at the U.S. Open was Sheila McCabe of the Gator WC/OCU, who was second at the 2009 U.S. Open competing at 67 kg.

Other qualifiers at this division is Jackie Stiles of the Univ. of the Cumberlands, who won the Northern Plains Regional, and Ashley Hudson of the Gator WC/OCU, who was the University Nationals champion.

Kelsey Campbell has the advantage as the U.S. Open champion of waiting for one athlete to face in the Championship Series in Council Bluffs. Whoever emerges, whether it is Othella Lucas, Deanna Rix, Leigh Jaynes or somebody else, will be a very competitive opponent.

2010 U.S. Open results at 59 kg/130 lbs. in women's freestyle
1st - Kelsey Campbell, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Othella Lucas, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 2-0,1-0
3rd - Deanna Rix, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Leigh Jaynes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 1-0, 1-0
5th - Schuyler Brown, Montpelier, Va. (Gator WC) dec. Randi Beltz, Saint Clair, Mo. (Missouri Valley WC), 1-4, 2-1, 5-0
7th - Sheila McCabe, El Cajon, Calif. (Gator WC) pin Roni Goodale, Bettendorf, Iowa (KWA), 6-0, 0:27

World Team Trials qualifiers at 59 kg/130 pounds in women's freestyle
U.S. Open Champion - Kelsey Campbell, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
U.S. Open, second place - Othella Lucas, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
U.S. Open, third place - Deanna Rix, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
U.S. Open, fourth place - Leigh Jaynes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
U.S. Open, fifth place - Schuyler Brown, Montpelier, Va. (Gator WC)
U.S. Open, sixth place - Randi Beltz, Saint Clair, Mo. (Missouri Valley WC),
U.S. Open, seventh place - Sheila McCabe, El Cajon, Calif. (Gator WC)
Northern Plains Trials Champion - Jackie Stiles, Williamsburg, Ky. (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
University Nationals Champion - Ashley Hudson, Wildwood, Mo. (Gator WC/OCU)