Felix named Outstanding Wrestler at the Body Bar Women’s University National Championships

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
04/09/2005


After winning the gold medal at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Laura Felix (Bakersfield, Calif./Cal-State Bakersfield) was named Outstanding Wrestler at the Body Bar Women's University National Championships    The tournament featured the top female wrestlers who are between 18-24 years old and whose class has graduated high school.     Felix won a five-athlete pool in her division, winning all three of her matches. In the key bout in the round-robin, she stopped Sadie Kaneda (Honolulu, Hawaii/Missouri Valley) in the final bout, 3-0, 5-4.    The only champion able to repeat from last year's tournament was Megan Goldsmith, (Merillan, Wis./Univ. of Calgary), who won the title at 77 kg/169.5 lbs. for the second straight time. She won a best-of-three series over Alecia McCoy (Marshall, Mo./Missouri Valley) in two straight bouts. She claimed the first match 2-0, and won by pin in the second match in 1:29.    Missouri Valley College, which won the team title, had three individual champions: Brooke Bogren, (Carbondale, Kan../Missouri Valley) at 59 kg/130 lbs., Kelly Branham (Apache Junction, Ariz./Missouri Valley) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. and Brittany Jones (Marshall, Mo./Missouri Valley) at 72    Bogren defeated her college teammate Julie Duarte (Baldwin Park, Calif./Missouri Valley) in the finals, 6-0, 7-0. Bogren placed fourth last year at this tournament.    Branham won a three-athlete round-robin, all of which were members of the Missouri Valley College team. Branham was fourth last year at this event.    Jones won a four-athlete pool, with a key win over runner-up Kuu Johnson (Marquette, Mich./USOEC), 3-0, 4-0.     Three U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athletes won gold medals: 2003 World bronze medalist Jenny Wong (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Ashley Sword (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.    Wong beat Kapua Torres (Kahuku, Hawaii./Pacific Univ.), 7-0, 3-1 in the finals bout.    Van Dusen dominated Erica Chew (Houston, Texas/Missouri Valley), 8-0, 6-0 in the gold-medal match.    Sword pinned Rachel Billerbeck (Pflugerville, Texas/Missouri Valley), in 3:19 for her championship title.    For more information on The Body Bar go to:  www.bodybars.com