For the first time ever, a U.S. wrestler in the Veterans division placed in the voting for the U.S. Olympic Committee's Athlete of the Month Award.    Gordon Connell (Chattanooga, Tenn.), who claimed a gold medal at the 2004 Veterans Freestyle World Championships, placed in a tie for third in the voting for USOC Male Athlete of the Month for September 2004.    Connell won a gold medal in Division E at 76 kg/167.5 lbs at the 2004 Veterans World Freestyle Wrestling Championships in the Czech Republic, Sept. 10-12. Division E is for athletes 56 years and older. He wrestled in a competitive weight class and won a number of challenging bouts.     Connell scored a tight 4-1 overtime win over Magomed Badrunov of Russia in the championship match. He won four straight matches on the way to the title, including a 3-2 win over Johann Sweirkot of Germany in the semifinals. In his pool competition, Connell defeated 2003 Veterans World Champion Arnost Bohm of the Czech Republic, 8-6, and pinned Charles Boyd of the United States. It was Connell's first Veterans World title.    Connell earned 12 points in the voting, and had two first-place votes.    Winning the Male Athlete of the Month was sprinter Royal Mitchell. Mitchell (Ardmore, Pa.) won gold medals in the 100m and 400m at the 2004 Paralympic Games. He set a new Paralympic record of 10.98 in the 100m - breaking the previous mark set at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games.    Placing second was Triathlon's Matt Reed (Boulder, Colo.), won the title of U.S. National Champion by being the first U.S. finisher (second overall) at the Monster Challenge Triathlon on Sept. 5 in Boston, Mass.     Tied with Connell in third was Water skier Justin Allen (Windermere, Fla.), who captured the gold medal in Men's tricks and overall at the 2004 FISU World University Water Ski Championships, Sept. 2-4, in Balakovo, Russia.     The USOC Female Athlete of the Month was swimmer Erin Popovich. The USOC Team of the Month was U.S. Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team    September Athlete/Team of the Month Awards  Results (first place votes in parentheses)    MEN  1. Royal Mitchell, Paralympic track and field, 27 (5)  2. Matt Reed, triathlon,  21 (6)  3. Justin Allen, water skiing, 12 (1)  3. Gordon Connell, wrestling  12 (2)  Also receiving first place votes: Breaux Greer, Track & Field; Joey Mantia, Roller Skating    WOMEN  1. Erin Popovich, Paralympic swimming, 46 (12)  2. Jennifer Armbruster, goalball (1)  3. Regina Jaquess, waterskiing, (2)   Also receiving first place votes: Brittany Bowe, Roller Skating; Joanna Hayes, Track & Field; Lora Webster, Volleyball     TEAM  1. U.S. Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team 32 (6)  2. U.S. World University Water Ski Team 17 (4)  2. Karissa Whitsell/Katie Compton, Paralympic Cycling, 15 (3)  Also receiving first place votes: U.S. Men's Paralympic Archery Team, U.S. Women's Sitting Volleyball Team