MARQUETTE, Mich. - The United States Olympic Education Center's five
training programs selected their standout athletes for the winter 2006
semester. 

Sharon Jacobson (El Cajon, Calif.) is USA Wrestling's female freestyle
athlete of the semester, earning the honor for the second time in the
last year.  In February, Jacobson won bronze in the 55 kilogram
division at the Dave Schultz International tournament in Colorado
Springs, Colo.  The following month, she grabbed silver at the
Alexander Medved International tournament in Minsk, Belarus.  Jacobson
wrapped up her season with a gold medal at the U.S. National
Championships last month in Las Vegas, where she was named the
competition's outstanding wrestler.  She is in her second year at the
USOEC. 

USA Wrestling's Greco-Roman program chose Spenser Mango (St. Louis,
Mo.) as its award winner.  The 19-year-old Mango became the youngest
USOEC Greco wrestler to earn silver at the Senior National
Championships last April in Las Vegas.  During the same weekend, he
wrestled his way to become the 2006 Junior FILA National champion at 55
kg and was named the competition's outstanding wrestler.  Later that
month, he became the University National champion.  Mango attends
Northern Michigan University and has a grade point average above a 3.0.
 He's been training at the USOEC for two years.    

Joey Lindsey (Las Vegas, Nev.) is U.S. Speedskating's honoree.  In
December, he placed 15th at the U.S. Short Track Championships, setting
personal bests in the 500 and 1000-meter races, and in the four-lap
time trial.  In March, Lindsey finished fifth overall at the U.S.
National Championships.  Later that month, he became the North American

Intermediate champion, earning gold medals in all distances and setting
new 1000m and 3000m North American records.  Lindsey is a junior at
Marquette Senior High School where he competes on the track team.  He's
in his first year at the USOEC.

Paul Roberts (Bartow, Fla.) was selected as USA Weightlifting's
recipient for the second time, earning his first award in the winter
2004 semester.  In April, Roberts won the National Collegiate
Championships at 85 kg and achieved All-American status.  His
performance qualified him to compete at the 2006 University World
Championships next month in Izmir, Turkey.  Roberts studies business at
NMU and is a member of the USOEC's All-Academic Team for having a GPA
of 3.0 or higher.  He's in his second year at the center. 

USA Boxing chose Gregory Carter (Waterbury, Conn.) as its athlete of
the semester.  Carter made his international debut at 152 pounds in a
dual against Azerbaijan.  Domestically, he won bronze at the 2006
National Golden Gloves Championships last month in Omaha, Neb.  He's
ranked sixth in the nation in the welterweight division and is in his
third year at the USOEC.  Carter is studying accounting at NMU and has
a GPA above 3.0 for the 2005-06 academic year.