2005 World Champion Iris Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) received a No. 1 ranking in her weight class in TheMat.com International Wrestling Rankings for December 2005.

This was the first international wrestling rankings published by a panel of independent journalists. Athletes and teams in the three Olympic wrestling styles (men's freestyle, men's Greco-Roman and women's freestyle wrestling) were ranked by five respected international journalists.

TheMat.com International Wrestling Rankings list the top 15 wrestlers in the world in each weight class, as well as the top 15 nations in each of the wrestling styles.

Smith was the only U.S. wrestler to earn a No. 1 world ranking, taking the top position at 72 kg/158.5 pounds in women's freestyle wrestling.

She was one of 23 U.S. wrestlers who received an international ranking. Included were 11 women freestyle wrestlers, eight men's freestyle wrestlers and four men's Greco-Roman wrestlers. Seven Americans earned rankings in the top three of their weight divisions, all who were World medalists in 2005.

The United States received a No. 3 ranking among teams in women's freestyle wrestling, placing behind No. 1 Japan and No. 2 China.

In men's freestyle wrestling, the United States received a No. 7 team rankings, as Russia was selected as the No. 1 nation. The U.S. Greco-Roman team was not ranked among the top 15 in their style, as Hungary received the No. 1 ranking there.

The U.S. wrestlers who are included in the Dec. 2005 TheMat.com International Wrestling Rankings are:

Women's Freestyle
No. 1 at 72 kg/158.5 lbs - Iris Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)
No. 2 at 63 kg/138.75 lbs - Sara McMann (Iowa City, Iowa/Sunkist Kids)
No. 3 at 59 kg/130 lbs. - Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC)
No. 3 at 67 kg/167.5 lbs. - Katie Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids)
No. 6 at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Jenny Wong (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids)
No. 7 at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC)
No. 8 at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids)
No. 8 at 55 kg/121 lbs. - Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)
No. 13 at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Patricia Miranda (New Haven, Conn./Sunkist Kids)
No. 13 at 59 kg/130 lbs. - Tela O'Donnell (Hartford, Conn./Sunkist Kids)
No. 14 at 55 kg/121 lbs. - Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids)

Men's Freestyle
No. 3 at 74 kg/163 lbs. - Joe Williams (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids)
No. 3 at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tolly Thompson (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids)
No. 6 at 84 kg/185 lbs. - Mo Lawal (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC)
No. 8 at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC)
No. 9 at 55 kg/121 lbs. - Sammie Henson (Flintstone, Ga./Sunkist Kids)
No. 12 at 60 kg/132 lbs. - Nate Gallick (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids)
No. 15 at 60 kg/132 lbs. - Michael Lightner (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids)
No. 15 at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids)

Men's Greco-Roman
No. 3 at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Justin Ruiz (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC)
No. 8 at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)
No. 10 at 60 kg/132 lbs. - Joe Warren (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC)
No. 15 at 55 kg/121 lbs. - Lindsey Durlacher (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC)

Rankings will be published during the following months this season
*December 2005
* February 2006
* April 2006
* June 2006
* August 2006