All seven 2006 U.S. Nationals champions in women's wrestling will compete on the U.S. team at the Women's World Cup of Wrestling, set for the Inaei Sports Center in Nagoya, Japan, May 20-21.

The top six ranked women's wrestling nations in the world will participate. United States will be included in the field, along with host Japan, plus Canada, Russia, China and Ukraine.

At the 2005 World Championships, Japan won the team title, followed by China in second, the United States in third, Canada in fourth, Russia in fifth and Ukraine in sixth.

This is the annual world dual meet championships. The national teams will compete in dual meets, with team awards presented based upon the results. In addition, individual awards are also presented at the competition. Japan is the defending World Cup team champions. The United States won the Women's World Cup in 2004.

Each of the women wrestlers who won a gold medal at the 2006 U.S. National Championships in Las Vegas, Nev., April 14-15 will compete in the championships. The U.S. team will feature a number of experienced international stars, along with a few young talents.

"I like what we have," said USA Wrestling National Women's Coach Terry Steiner. "We have a team that can vie for the title, if we wrestle our best. We have won it before and I don't see why we can't win it again, if we believe in ourselves and do what we are capable of doing."

The two U.S. women who won medals at the 2004 Olympic Games will be members of the team: Patricia Miranda (New Haven, Conn./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. and Sara McMann (Iowa City, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. 

McMann won an Olympic silver medal at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. at the Athens Olympics. She was a 2003 World silver medalist and 2005 World bronze medalist. McMann was second at the 2003 World Cup.

Miranda won a 2004 Olympic bronze medal at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., but has since moved up one weight class. She is also a two-time World silver medalist, placing second at the 2000 and 2003 World Championships. Miranda won a World Cup gold medal in 2004.

Two-time World champion Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) will compete at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. Marano won her World titles in 2000 and 2003, competing down one weight class from where she is now wrestling. Marano has won seven World medals for the United States, the most of any women's wrestler. She was a 2003 World Cup champion.

Two-time World bronze medalist Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) will compete at 59 kg/130 lbs. Roberts won her World bronze medals in 2003 and 2005. She was also a World Cup individual champion in 2003.

Another experienced athlete on the team is 2005 World bronze medalist Katie Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. Downing won a World Cup gold medal in 2001.

Two 2006 U.S. Nationals champions will be competing in their first World Cup: Clarissa Chun, (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. and Sharon Jacobson (El Cajon, Calif./USOEC/Gator WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. Both won their first U.S. Nationals title this year. Chun was a member of the 2000 U.S. World Team.

2006 U.S. WOMEN'S WORLD CUP TEAM
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Clarissa Chun, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Patricia Miranda, New Haven, Conn. (Sunkist Kids)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Sharon Jacobson, El Cajon, Calif. (USOEC/Gator WC)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Sally Roberts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Sara McMann, Iowa City, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Katie Downing, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Kristie Marano, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
Coaches - National Women's Coach Terry Steiner (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Levi Weikel-Magden (Charlottesville, Va,), Billy Wood (Kaneohe, Hawaii)