Sara McMann of the Sunkist Kids won a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games, the top performance of the U.S. women who competed in the inaugural Olympic competition in women's wrestling in Athens, Greece. McMann has been the top athlete in this weight division for many years within the USA, also winning a World silver medal in 2003 and securing top placements in many other major events. McMann combines tremendous strength, with quality technique and a fierce competitiveness, something that give her an edge in close matches. McMann has not wrestled since the Olympic Games ended, and many expect that she will not be on the mats in Las Vegas this year.    The defending U.S. Nationals champion at this division in two-time World champion Kristie Marano of the New York AC, who pinned McMann in the finals in Las Vegas last year. Marano did not make weight at the Olympic Team Trials, and had to go up two divisions to wrestle in the highest Olympic weight class at 72 kg. Marano, a former heavyweight, was second in the Olympic Trials there, but is expected to drop back down in weight. She comes off an injury rehabilition this winter, and has not wrestled yet this year. Nobody knows what weight class she may settle in, although she has won her World titles at 67 kg and 68 kg.    The top returning athlete who has been active so far this season is Olympic Team Trials runner-up Alaina Berube of the New York AC. McMann handled Berube rather easily in the Olympic Trials finals, but since then, Berube continues to prove that she is a top contender for the U.S. World Team spot here this year. She wrestles for the Cumberland College varsity team, the most successful college wrestler in the nation right now. Berube won gold medals at the New York AC Christmas Open and the Dave Schultz Memorial International, and a silver at the Sunkist Kids International. She is getting the competition and doing the kind of preparation that will give her a chance to challenge for a World Team spot.    A former Team USA member who has come back strong this year is Tori Adams of the Sunkist Kids, who beat Berube to win the title at the Sunkist Kids International. Adams did not have a good performance at the Olympic Team Trials last year, but seems to have gotten her focus back this season. Another veteran who is having a up-and-down season so far this year is Kaci Lyle of the Sunkist Kids, who has been a U.S. Nationals finalist in the past and is capable of being a finalist again. Lyle has the ability to beat quality opponents, and will have to if she wishes to remain in the top echelon of this deep division.    Na'Tasha Umemoto of the Sunkist Kids was a U.S. Nationals champion at 59 kg last year, but has been wrestling up at this division this season. Umemoto is a high school star, and can be excellent when she is wrestling well.  She is unafraid to throw her opponents and can score points from many positions. There has been a question of consistency with Umemoto, and it will be interesting how far she can go at this division if she is wrestling well.    Umemoto was beaten in the finals of the FILA Junior Nationals this year by unknown newcomer Jackie Catlaline, a California high school wrestler who is just getting involved in freestyle. Cataline could quickly emerge as a national contender if she competes in Las Vegas and continues knocking off well known competitors. In recent training sessions in Colorado Springs, she has shown that she is capable of wrestling at this level.    This weight class has some very talented high school stars, including Stefenie Shaw of the KT Kidz and Vanessa Oswalt of SW Force. Shaw, as a Connecticut high school junior, has a breakthrough performance at the Olympic Team Trials last year, placing a strong fourth. Shaw has wrestled up at 67 kg in recent events, so it will be interesting if she stays up there in Las Vegas. Oswalt also qualified for the Olympic Trials in 2004, by placing sixth at the U.S. Nationals, and continues to impress on the Senior level.    The depth in this weight division comes from the college ranks, led by athletes including Shelly Ruberg of Cumberland College and Rachel Billerbeck of Missouri Valley College. Ruberg has been placing in freestyle events in recent seasons, bringing some experience to the table here. Billerbeck is just a freshman in college and is learning freestyle, but has had some good showings this year. Placing eighth at last year's U.S. Nationals was Tina Arnds, who went through the program at Missouri Valley and placed a number of times on the Senior level. There could also be a few other athletes, perhaps from the college and high school ranks, who get some wins at this division this year in Las Vegas.    Anytime Sara McMann wrestles, she become the favorite at this division. If she is taking time off from wrestling, as many expect, this opens up a chance for somebody new. Kristie Marano may not decide to compete at this division, meaning the champion here could be a first-time winner. Alaina Berube has earned the right to be considered as a favorite if McMann and Marano are not in the field. Others like Kaci Lyle, Na'Tasha Umemoto and Stefenie Shaw have shown the ability to make the gold-medal finals. This division will offer drama and some excellent competition at the U.S. Nationals this year.    2004 U.S. NATIONALS RESULTS  1st - Kristie Marano, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) pin Sara McMann, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 4:52   3rd - Sally Roberts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) pin Alaina Berube, Escanaba,Mich. (Cumberland College), 5:01  5th - Kaci Lyle, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Vanessa Oswalt, Mount Vernon, Ohio (Simpson), 9-1  7th -Tori Adams, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) tech. fall Tina Arnds, Marshall, Mo. (Missouri Valley), 10-0, 5:46    THEMAT.COM RANKINGS FOR APRIL 1, 2005  1. Alaina Berube, Escanaba,Mich. (Cumberland College)  2. Tori Adams, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  3. Kaci Lyle, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  4. N'Tasha Umemoto, Portland, Ore. (Sunkist Kids)  5. Stefenie Shaw, Waterford, Conn. (KT Kidz)  6. Vanessa Oswalt, Mount Vernon, Ohio (SW Force)  7. Shelly Ruberg, Ueras, Ohio (Cumberland College)   8. Rachel Billerbeck, Plugerville, Texas (Missouri Valley)  9. Titilope Lawani, Rialto, Calif. (Pacific)  10. Jen Chu, Philadelphia, Pa. (W.O.W)