The 2004 Olympic Games were just months ago, when veteran U.S. star Sara McMann of the Sunkist Kids won a silver medal in the first appearance of women wrestlers in Olympic history in Athens, Greece. McMann has not competed since her historic performance and was not at the U.S. Nationals this year. If McMann continues on the sidelines, this weight class opens up for a new athlete to carry U.S. hopes into the World Championships.    Last year, the top seed at the Olympic Trials at this division was Kristie Marano of the New York AC, the two-time World champion who pinned McMann in the 2004 U.S. Nationals finals. Marano missed weight at the Olympic Team Trials, and was forced to move up to 72 kg, where she placed second and missed her chance for the Olympic team. Marano is back on the mats after missing the winter season with an injury, but is competing up at 67 kg for the time being. It is possible that Marano may choose to drop back down to 63 kg for the World Team Trials, which would make her a strong favorite here.    2005 U.S. Nationals champion is Alaina Berube of the New York AC, a college star who was second to McMann at the 2004 Olympic Trials. Berube continues to improve on the mat, and is perhaps the top star on the college scene, competing for Cumberland College, not only beating domestic opponents but also earning wins against top foreign athletes.     In the U.S. Nationals finals, Berube  beat veteran Kaci Lyle of the Sunkist Kids for the gold. Lyle has made the U.S. Nationals finals a number of times, but still seeks her first title. Lyle is a USOTC resident athlete who has considerable international experience, including competing on the U.S. World Cup team this year. She has the ability to win this division, if she can put together a strong tournament from start to finish.    The big new surprise in women's wrestling is Jackie Cataline of Cataline's Wildcats, a high school athlete who came from nowhere to win the FILA Cadet and FILA Junior Nationals this year. Cataline then entered her first Senior level events and placed third at the U.S. Nationals, beating some quality athletes along the way. Taking fourth in Las Vegas was another top prep star, Stefenie Shaw of KT Kidz, who has been successful at the Senior level the last two seasons. Shaw placed fourth at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Indianapolis last year, the most impressive showing of any of the high school women in the field there.    Na'Tasha Umemoto, the 2004 national champion at 59 kg, has been at 63 kg this year, placing sixth at the U.S. Nationals. If she stays up here, she makes this division even tougher. Umemoto lost to Cataline in both the FILA Junior Nationals and the U.S. Nationals. When she is wrestling well, Umemoto can dominate a tournament. However, she has seemed to have consistency problems this season.    Placing fifth at the U.S. Nationals was up-and-coming college wrestler Rachel Billerbeck of Missouri Valley College. Of the newcomers to women's college wrestling, Billerbeck had one of the best seasons this year, and has great potential for improvement. Another collegian, Laurin Daniels of Menlo College, qualified for the Ames field in Las Vegas by placing seventh in the tournament. Daniels is also making a name for herself this year as a college freshman.    Tori Adams of the Sunkist Kids, who has been a  Junior World medalist and Women's Team USA member, is also in the field and will be a dangerous draw if she is wrestling at her best. Adams won the Sunkist Kids International this fall, and has considerable experience in comparison to many of the others in the division. Another qualifier for the tournament was Regional champion Bethany Harris of the No Mercy WC, a top high school prospect.     This weight class has many possibilities, starting with the unlikely return of McMann to the mats. If Marano decides to get down to this division, she becomes a strong favorite. Berube has proven to be the best wrestler in the nation at this class all year long, but should expect a strong challenge from both veterans Lyle and Adams, as well as young stars Cataline, Shaw, Billerbeck and Umemoto. Expect some interesting results and outstanding action at 63 kg this year.    2005 U.S. NATIONALS RESULTS AT 63 KG/138.75 LBS.  1st - Alaina Berube, Escanaba,Mich. (New York AC) pin Kaci Lyle, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 1-0, 1:36  3rd - Jackie Cataline, Corona, Calif. (Cataline's Wildcats) dec. Stefenie Shaw, Waterford, Conn. (KT Kidz), 3-0, 2-0  5th -Rachel Billerbeck, Pflugerville, Texas (Missouri Valley College) pin Na'Tasha Umemoto, Portland, Ore. (Sunkist Kids), 1:38  7th - Laurin Daniels, Vashon Island, Wash. (Menlo College) dec. Megan Nevill , Claire, Mich. (Cumberland College), 6-0, 4-1    QUALIFIERS FOR 2005 WORLD TEAM TRIALS AT 63 KG/138.75 LBS.  U.S. Nationals Champion - Alaina Berube, Escanaba, Mich. (New York AC)  U.S. Nationals, second place - Kaci Lyle, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  U.S. Nationals, third place - Jackie Cataline, Corona, Calif. (Cataline's Wildcats)  U.S. Nationals, fourth place - Stefenie Shaw, Waterford, Conn. (KT Kidz)  U.S. Nationals, fifth place - Rachel Billerback, Pflugerville, Texas (Missouri Valley)  U.S. Nationals, sixth place - Na'Tasha Umemoto, Portland, Ore. (Sunkist Kids)  U.S. Nationals, seventh place - Laurin Daniels, Vashin Island, Wash. Menlo College  Rocky Mountain Regional Champion - Bethany Harris, Valley Center, Calif. (No Mercy WC)  Northern Plains Regional Champion - No entry at this weight class  Olympic Team member - Sara McMann, Lock Haven, Pa. (Sunkist Kids)  Past World Team member - None at this weight class  '04 Sunkist Kids International champion - Tori Adams, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  '04 NYAC Christmas Open champion - Alaina Berube, Escanaba, Mich. (New York AC)  '05 Dave Schultz Memorial champion - Alaina Berube, Escanaba, Mich. (New York AC)  International Tour medalist (within 2 yrs) -   *'03 World Cup silver medalist - Sara McMann, Lock Haven, Pa. (Sunkist Kids)  *'04 Henri Deglane Challenge gold medalist - Tela O'Donnell, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Dave Schultz WC)  *'05 Gilbert Schaub Open bronze medalist - Stefenie Shaw, Waterford, Conn. (KT Kidz)