The major age-group national championships for women, the Body Bar Women's Nationals, will be hosted at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 6-7.
	
Major USA Wrestling national championships for female wrestlers will be held at three different age levels:  University, FILA Junior and FILA Cadet. In addition, a Girls Freestyle National Championship will be held for two age divisions, Grades 3-6 and Grades 7-8.
	
The Body Bar FILA Junior National Championships, as well as the Girls National Championships, will be held on Saturday, May 6. The Body Bar FILA Cadet Nationals and the Body Bar University Nationals will be held on Sunday, May 7.

To qualify for the Body Bar Women's Nationals, all contestants must present proof of a current USA Wrestling Membership card at registration.  Membership is available for purchase online at www.TheMat.com or through the State Chairperson or State Membership Director of the athlete's state of residence.  

To qualify for Women's University, athletes must be born between 1982-1988, and the wrestler's class must have graduated from high school.

To qualify for Women's FILA Junior, athletes must be born between 1986-1988.  Those born in 1989 may compete with a written statement from a medical officer stating the athlete is of sufficient physical and emotional maturity to compete at this level.

To compete in the Women's FILA Cadet division, athletes must be born between 1989-1990.  Athletes born in 1991 may compete with a written statement from a medical officer stating that the athlete is physically and emotionally capable of competing at this level.

For the Girls' Freestyle Nationals, wrestlers must be enrolled in Grades 3-6 or Grades 7-8.

Past champions on the University level include Jenny Wong of the Sunkist Kids, a champion at the 2005 U.S. Nationals, as well as a 2003 World bronze medalist.  Marcie Van Dusen of the Sunkist Kids, was a 2004 University World champion.  Laura Felix of the New York AC, a 2005 University Nationals champion and silver medalist at the 2004 FILA Junior Nationals, also was a champion at this level last year.  

Sara Fulp-Allen of Menlo College, Ali Bernard of the Univ. of Regina, Heather Martin of the New York AC and Dany Hedin of the USOEC are also nationally ranked wrestlers who won gold at the FILA Junior level last year.  Fulp-Allen was a silver medalist at the 2005 U.S. World Team Trials, as well as the 2005 U.S. Nationals champion.  Bernard is a two-time Junior World champion, and a 2004 U.S. Nationals champion.  Martin won a silver medal at the 2004 U.S. Nationals and the 2005 Junior World Championships.  Hedin was a 2004 FILA Junior Nationals champion.

Michaela Hutchison, a Cadet champion from last year's tournament, became the first girl to win the state high school wrestling tournament in Alaska.  Another returning champion is Jackie Cataline, who won gold on both the FILA Junior and Cadet levels last year.  Cataline placed second this year at 138 pounds in the U.S. Nationals.  Another 2005 FILA Cadet champion, Melissa Simmons, also competed at the 2006 U.S. Nationals, placing sixth at 72 kg.

There will be a FILA Junior World Championships for women this year in Guatemala City, Guatemala, Aug. 29 - Sept. 3. Champions from the Body Bar FILA Junior Women's National Championships earn the right to represent the USA at the FILA Junior World Championships.
	
There will also be a University World Championships for women this year, held in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, June 15-20. Champions from the Body Bar University Women's National Championships earn the right to represent the USA at the University World Championships.

Registration for all divisions will last from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Friday, May 5.  FILA Junior wrestlers will have their Medical Check/Weigh-ins beginning at 7:30 p.m. that same day.

Registration will resume for Girls freestyle (Grades 3-8) at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 6, with their Medical Check/Weigh-ins following at 10 a.m.

FILA Cadet & University registration will resume at 6 p.m., Saturday, May 6.  Their Medical Check/Weigh-ins will immediately follow at 7 p.m.

All Girls' division wrestlers (Grades 3-8) must be present at the beginning of weigh-ins.

There will be a training camp for women wrestlers on the FILA Cadet, FILA Junior and University levels prior to the tournament from April 30 - May 4. Athletes will have access to the National Coaching staff and the USOTC resident athletes during the camp. Anyone interested in the camp must contact Jaimie McNab of USA Wrestling at 719-598-8181 by Friday, March 31.

Athletes also have the opportunity to stay in the dormitories at the USOTC during the training camp and the Body Bar National Championships. Priority is given to Funded Access athletes and are based upon availability. For questions or to reserve a room, contact Jaimie McNab of USA Wrestling at 719-598-8181 by Friday, March 31.
	
There is an approved list of achievements for placements in major USA Wrestling events that qualify an athlete for Funded Access status. For more information, contact National Women's Developmental Coach Izzy Izboinikov for details at 719-598-8181.
	
The competition also provides a chance for young athletes to see the U.S. Olympic Training Center and meet the nation's top women wrestlers who live and train there. 
	
For more information, contact Craig Sesker at 719-598-8181 or csesker@usawrestling.org.  A pdf file of the event flier can also be downloaded from www.TheMat.com.

Body Bar Women's National Championships, May 5-7, 2006
Tentative Event Schedule
Friday, May 5
6 p.m. - 8 p.m.-Registration for all divisions
7 p.m. - Conclusion-Pairing Officials Clinic & Tournament
7 p.m. - 8 p.m.-FILA Junior Medical Check/Weigh-ins
7 p.m. - Conclusion-Setup - FILA Junior

Saturday, May 6
9 a.m. - 10 a.m.-Girl's FS (Grades 3-8) Registration
9 a.m. - 12 p.m.-FILA Junior - Session I
10 a.m. - 10 a.m.-Girls FS (Grades 3-8) Medical Check/Weigh-ins
10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.-Tournament Setup - Girls FS
1 p.m. - Conclusion-FILA Junior - Session II
1 p.m. - Conclusion-Girls FS (Grades 3-8) Preliminaries thru Finals
6 p.m. - 7 p.m.-Registration - FILA Cadet & University
7 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.-FILA Cadet & University Weigh-ins/Medical Check
7 p.m. - Conclusion-Tournament Setup - FILA Cadet & University

Sunday, May 7
9 a.m. - Conclusion-FILA Cadet and University Preliminaries thru Finals


Champions from last year's event include:

University Women's Freestyle
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Laura Felix, Bakersfield, Calif. (Cal-State Bakersfield)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Jenny Wong, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Marcie Van Dusen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Brooke Bogren, Marshall, Mo. (Missouri Valley)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Ashley Sword, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Kelly Branham, Marshall, Mo. (Missouri Valley)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Brittany Jones, Marshall, Mo. (Missouri Valley)
77 kg/170 lbs. - Megan Goldsmith, Merillan, Wis. (Univ. of Calgary)

FILA Junior
44 kg/88 lbs. - Melissa Gerard, Williamsburg, Ky. (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Sara Fulp-Allen, El Granada, Calif. (Menlo College)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Dany Hedin, Marquette, Mich. (USOEC)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Shelly Suekoilya, Bedford, Tex. (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Jackie Cataline, Corona, Calif. (Cataline's Wildcats)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Heather Martin, Wellington, Ohio (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minn. (Univ. of Regina)
79.5 kg/175 lbs. - Samantha Long, Tualatin, Ore. (Team Oregon)

FILA Cadet
40 kg/88 lbs. - Amy Whitbeck, Duansburg, N.Y.
43 kg/94.75 lbs. - Misty Corwin, Waldport, Ore.
46 kg/101.25 lbs. - Alyssa Lampe, Tomahawk, Wis.
49 kg/108 lbs. - Michaela Hutchison, Soldotna, Alas.
52 kg/114.5 lbs. - Tatiana Padilla, La Verne, Calif.
56 kg/123.25 lbs. - Beth Johnson, Garden City, Kan.
60 kg/132.25 lbs. - Jackie Cataline, Corona, Calif.
65 kg/143.25 lbs. - Paige Rife, Fowlerville, Mich.
70 kg/154.25 lbs. - Melissa Simmons, Ridgefield, Wash. 
78 kg/170 lbs. - Rachel Gomez, W. Sacremento, Calif.
100 kg/220 lbs. - Brittany Delgado, Fountain Inn, S.C.

Midget 
52 lbs. - Reni Gallan, Parker, Ariz. (River Kids)
61 lbs. - Katie Agey, Des Moines, Iowa (Maroon Mat Club)
61 lbs. - Caroline Cotton, Glendale, Ariz. (Blazin Divas)
70 lbs. - Alora DeAragon, Sandpoint, Idaho (Top Dog)

Novice
69 lbs. - Kolby Brown, Big Piney (Big Piney Pinners)
73.4 lbs. - Montana Drum, Neosho, Mo. (Wildcat X-treme)
79 lbs. - Jenna Holman, Billings, Mont. (Billings WC)
92 lbs. - Makeba Elliott, Chicago, Ill. (Harvey Twisters)
100 lbs. - Morgan Ottesen, Shawnee Kansas (Kansas Krusaders)
111 lbs. - Jennifer Page, Orangevale, Calif. (Broncos)
155 lbs. - Shelby Bowman, Kansas (Prairie Fire)

Schoolboy/Girl
83.6 lbs. - Hanna Martin, El Reno, Okla. (El Reno)
101 lbs. - Candace Workman, Vernal, Utah (Uintah)
112 lbs. - Samantha Lopez, W. Covina, Calif. (Wolverines)
129 lbs. - Rachel Hannan, Ore. (Cobra)
148 lbs. - Laura Gourley, Ore. (Cobra)