Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for the week of January 24-30.

Each week, TheMat.com will select an Athlete of the Week, based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling, from youth programs through the Senior level. The announcement will be made each week on Wednesday.

Van Dusen won a gold medal at 59 kg/130 lbs. at the Ivan Yarygin Memorial International, in Krasnoyarsk, Russia on Friday, Jan. 27. She was wrestling up one weight class from her normal 55 kg/121 lbs. She won three matches during the tournament.

Van Dusen opened the tournament facing U.S. teammate and two-time World bronze medalist Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC). Roberts won the first period, then Van Dusen came back to win the final two periods for the victory.

In the semifinals, Van Dusen again lost the opening period to Viktoria Zagainova of Russia, then dominated the final two periods for a three-period victory, 3-4, 6-0, 2-0. In the gold-medal finals, Van Dusen defeated Larisa Kanaeva of Russia, 1-0, 2-1.

Van Dusen was a 2004 University World champion and placed third in the 2005 World University Games. She is currently ranked No. 2 on the Women's National Team, after dropping a Special Wrestle-off to Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) last summer. Van Dusen defeated George to win the Sunkist Kids International Open in October. She was second at the 2005 U.S. Nationals.

Van Dusen is a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete. She is currently studying health care at the Univ. of Colorado-Colorado Springs. She competed in wrestling at the Univ. of Minnesota-Morris prior to joining the USOTC resident program. Van Dusen also attended Cal-State Monterey Bay.

She is originally from Lake Arrowhead, Calif., and was one of the top youth women wrestlers in the nation. Van Dusen placed third in the 1997 and 1998 Cadet World Championships, and she won four straight USA Wrestling FILA Cadet National titles.

Note: To nominate a wrestler for TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week, send the athlete's name, accomplishments for the week and career accomplishments to Gary Abbott at gabbott@usawrestling.org