Bios of the 2005 U.S. Senior Nationals Finalists for Friday, April 29

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
04/29/2005


 MEN'SFREESTYLE    60 KG/132 LBS.  NATE GALLICK, Tucson, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)  * 2004 Sunkist Kids International champion  * Fourth in 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials  * 2004 South Olympic Regional Trials champion  * Seventh in 2003 U.S. Nationals   * 2003 FILA Junior Nationals champion  * Second at 2005 NCAA Championships for Iowa State, Fifth in 2004 NCAA Championships    MICHAEL LIGHTNER, Norman Okla. (Dave Schultz WC)  *  Second in 2005 Dave Schultz Memorial International  *  2003 NYAC Christmas International champion  *  2002-03 Sunkist Kids International Open champion  *  NCAA champion for the Univ. of Oklahoma    74 KG/163 LBS.     JOE WILLIAMS, Iowa City, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)  Born: Nov. 26, 1974  *  Fifth in 2004 Olympic Games  *  2001 World bronze medalist  *  Fourth in 1999 World Championships  *  Four-time U.S. World Team member (1999, 2001-03)  *  Four-time World Cup champion (2000-03)  *  Five-time U.S. Nationals champion (1999, 2001-04)  *  1993 and 2003 Pan American Games champion  *  2005 Ivan Yarygin Tournament champion in Russia  *  Three-time NCAA champion at the Univ. of Iowa (1996-98)  *  Member of NCAA 75th Anniversary Team, the top 15 college wrestlers of all time  *  Attended same high school (Mt. Carmel in Illinois) as Donovan McNabb and Simeon Rice  *  Member of the Illinois Wrestling Hall of Fame  *  Featured in a McDonald's commercial during the 2000 Olympic Games  *  Brothers Steve (deceased) and TJ were college wrestling national champions  *  1993 ASICS Tiger High School Wrestler of the Year    KIRK WHITE, Tacoma, Wash. (Dave Schultz WC)  Born: August 10, 1976  *  Fourth in 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials  *  Third in 2003 World Team Trials  *  Fourth in 2002 U.S. Nationals  *  Four-time U.S. Nationals placewinner  *  2003 Pan American Championships silver medallist  *  Fourth in 2003 World Cup  *  1999 NCAA champion at Boise State Univ., and three-time All-American  *  Two-time University Nationals runner-up (1996-97)  *  Employed as a high school teacher in Tacoma, Washington    96 KG/211.5 LBS.    DANIEL CORMIER, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)  Born: March 20, 1979  *  Fourth in 2004 Olympic Games  *  Fifth in the 2003 World Championships  *  2003 Pan American Games champion  *  Two-time U.S. Nationals champion (2003-04)  *  2002 Pan American Championships gold medallist  *  Thrid in 2001 and 2002 World Team Trials  *  Third in the 1995 Cadet World Championships  *  Earned a spot on the 2003 U.S. World Team in a Special Wrestleoff six weeks following the death of his 3-month old daughter  *  2001 NCAA runner-up for Oklahoma State Univ.  *  Two-time NJCAA junior college national champion for Colby CC (1998, 1999)    TOMMY ROWLANDS, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)  Born: June 3, 1981  *  Fourth in 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials  *  Fourth in 2004 U.S. Nationals  *  Second in 2000 Junior World Championships  *  Second in 2005 Yarygin Memorial International in Russia  *  2004 New York AC Christmas International champion and 2004 Sunkist Kids International champion  *  2000 FILA Junior National champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman  *  1999 Junior National champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman  *  2002 and 2004 NCAA Champion at Ohio State, and three-time All-American    MEN'S GRECO-ROMAN    60 KG/132 LBS.    JOE WARREN, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  Born: October 13, 1976  * Second in 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials  * Champion at 2004 New York AC Christmas International, 2005 Dave Schultz Memorial International and 2005 Poland Open  * Third in 2003-04 U.S. Nationals  * Fourth in 2003 World Team Trials  * Sixth in 2000 University World Championships  * 2003 Sunkist Kids International Open champion  * Two-time NCAA All-American at the Univ. of Michigan (1999-2000)  * U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete    JACOB HEY, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force)  Born: Sept. 17, 1974  * 2005 U.S. Armed Forces Champion  * Fifth in 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials  * Fourth in 1998, 2003-04 U.S. Nationals  * Fourth in 1998 and 2002 World Team Trials  * Holds rank of Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force  * 2000 East Olympic Regional Trials champion  * U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete  * Attended Illinois State Univ. for a year, then attended the Univ. of Illinois    74 KG/163 LBS.    DARRYL CHRISTIAN, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  Born: Jan. 15, 1976  * 2004 U.S. Nationals champion  *Second in 2004 U.S Team Trials  * Third in 2002-03 U.S. World Team Trials  * Third in 2002 U.S. Nationals  * 2002 World Cup silver medalist  * 2004-05 Dave Schultz Memorial International champion  * Graduated from the Univ. of Oregon with a Psychology degree  * Champion at 2004 New York Christmas International and 2005 Dave Schultz Memorial International    JACOB VOLKMANN, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)  Born: September 5, 1980  * 2004 Sunkist Kids International Open champion  * Eighth at 2005 Dave Schultz Memorial International  * Three-time NCAA All-American at Univ. of Minnesota  * Three-time Minnesota high school state champion    96 KG/211.5 LBS.    JUSTIN RUIZ, W. Salt Lake City, Utah (New York AC)  Born: Aug. 9, 1979  * 2004 U.S. Nationals champion  * 2003 U.S. World Team member  * 2003 Pan American Games silver medalist  * Two-time U.S. World Team Trials runner-up (2002-03)  * 2003 World Cup silver medallist  * 2004 New York AC Christmas International champion  * 2005 Granma Cup (Cuba) champion  * Took an Olympic Redshirt year from college in 2004  * Two-time NCAA All-American at the Univ. of Nebraska  * Served a two-year Mormon Mission in Chile (1999-2001)    ADAM WHEELER, Lancaster, Calif. (USOEC/Gator WC)  * Fourth at 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials  * Fifth at 2004 U.S. Nationals  * Member of 2004 World Cup Team  * Second at 2005 Petrov International in Bulgaria  * 10th in 2004 University World Championships  * Second in 2003 Armed Forces Championships in both styles  * Trains at U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan Univ. in Marquette, Mich.  * Competed for the U.S. Navy prior to joining USOEC program    Women's Freestyle    51 KG/112 lbs.    STEPHANIE MURATA, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  Born: Oct. 16, 1970  * Second in 2001 World Championships  * Fourth in 1998-99 World Championships  * Won World Team Trials five times (1996-99, 2001)  * Won U.S. Nationals seven straight years (1996-2002)  * Third in 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials  * Won 2004 Special Wrestle-0ff for No. 1 position at 51 kg for this year  * Second at 2004 World Cup  * Three-time Pan American Championships champion (1997, 2001, 2003)  * Attended the Univ. of California-Davis. Did not wrestle in high school  * U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete    MALINDA RIPLEY, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  Born: March 29, 1984  * 2003-04 U.S. Nationals champion  * 2004 University Nationals champion  * 2003 U.S. World Team Trials runner-up  * 2002 Junior Nationals champion  * 2002 USGWA High School Nationals Outstanding Wrestler  * 2000 Cadet Nationals champion  * 2003 Sunkist Kids International Open champion  * Second in 2005 Trophe Milone (Italy)  * U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete    59 KG/130 lbs.    SALLY ROBERTS, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)  Born: Nov. 30, 1980  Current 2004-05 Record: 19-6  * Third in 2004 U.S. Nationals Champion  * Fifth in 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials  * U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete  * 2003 World bronze medalist  * 2003 World Cup gold medalist  * 2003 U.S. Nationals champion and Most Outstanding Wrestler  * Won Special Wrestle-offs in 2003 and 2004 to become No. 1 at 59 kg in USA  * Third in 2003 U.S. World Team Trials  * 2005 Ivan Yarygin Memorial champion (Russia)  * 2003 and 2005 Dave Schultz Memorial International champion  * 2003 University Nationals champion  * Attended Pacific Univ. and the Univ. of Minnesota-Morris  * All-State swimmer at Federal Way High School in Washington    TELA O'DONNELL, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Dave Schultz WC)  Born: July 16, 1982  * Sixth in 2004 Olympic Games at 55 kg  * 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion  * 2003