Lakehead Athletics will be staging the fourth annual Gord Garvie North American International Duals Meet Dec. 1 and 2 at the C J Sanders Fieldhouse on the Lakehead campus in Thunder Bay, Ontario. This year will see nine teams taking part; including seven of the top 10 ranked women's teams in North America, on Friday, Dec. 1 and four men's teams wrestling on Saturday, Dec. 2. There will also be a women's open meet running Saturday at the same time as the men's duals meet. The women's teams are host Lakehead, Simon Fraser, Memorial, Brock, Saskatchewan, and Calgary from the CIS and US schools Cumberland College, Missouri Valley College, and the United States Olympic Education Center team based at the University of Northern Michigan. Lakehead, Brock, McMaster and Calgary will wrestle in the men's meet. The Duals meet format is a crowd pleaser and this format is a team competition where two teams go head-to-head and each individual wrestler competes for team points and not for individual results or medals. The team with the most points at the end of the series of one-round bouts gets the win. The teams with the most wins advance to the medal rounds. Friday will also see the popular women's Canada vs. USA All Star Duals; which will take place after the main duals meet medal round. The whole women's meet on Friday will be videowebcast live beginning at 9:00 am EST on ThunderVision available at Lakehead's website www.thunderwolves.ca and clicking on the ThunderVision logo at the top right of the main page. Friday's medal round and USA vs. Canada All Star Challenge will also be covered by SHAW TV Channel 10 to be rebroadcast later in Thunder Bay. Saturday's men's duals medal round will be videowebcast live on ThunderVision and rebroadcast on SHAW TV 10 later in the week in Thunder Bay. Francis Clayton and Kevin Welland will be calling the grappling action live both days. Lakehead Wrestling Head Coach and Duals Meet organizer Owen Dawkins said Thunder Bay can expect some world class wrestling. "This years Gravie National Duals will continue to build on what was started three years ago by former Lakehead head wrestling coach, Francis Clayton. This year's event will have a number of world, national and CIS medalists competing to help their school win a North America National Banner." Lakehead National Duals Schedule: Friday, December 1, 2006 Women's Duals Round one at 9:00 -10:15 am Round Two at 10:15 -11:30 am Round Three at 11:30 -12:45 pm Round Four at 12:45 - 2:00 pm Round Five at 2:00 - 3:15 pm Opening Ceremonies at 3:30 - 4:00 pm Finals at 4:00 - 5:00 pm All-star Duals, USA. Vs. Canada at 5:45-7:00 p.m. Saturday December 2 Open Women's Tournament Round Robin Tournament at 9:00am-2:00 pm Men's Duals Round One at 9:00 -10:30 am Round Two at 10:30 -12:30 am Round Three at 12:30 - 2:30 pm Round Four at 2:30 - 4:00 pm Finals at 4:00 - 5:30 pm Women's Preview: Garvie National Duals Pre-Meet Women's Rankings as Voted by Coaches: 1 Calgary 2 Simon Fraser 3 Cumberland A Team 4 Northern Michigan 5 Brock 6 Saskatchewan 7 Cumberland B Team 8 Missouri Valley 9 Lakehead 10 Memorial Lakehead Thunderwolves: (Thunder Bay, Ontario) Lakehead Coach Dawkins said his young squad will work hard to try and score some upsets at this year's duals. "Our women are going to go in and compete hard every bout. The Top Five women's teams are all so close that it makes it very hard to predict who will come out on top so we will just leave that for them to battle it out to see who comes out on top this year." The young Thunderwolves will look to leadership from Tasha Eady (World junior bronze medalist, CIS bronze medalist, OUA silver medalist, bronze Ont. Sr. Provincials, bronze MAC Open) and Emily McCague (fourth CIS Championships, OUA silver medalist, fifth Cdn. Sr. Nationals, bronze Ont. Sr. Provincials). The Wolves will also look for strong performances from veterans Alexandra Demars and Leah Daugherty (OUA bronze medalist, Bronze Ontario Sr. Provincials). Tanya Cormier, Jessica George, Katelyn Proulx, and Nicole Plummer (silver at MAC Open) will gain invaluable experience going up against some of the best wrestlers in North America and the world. Lakehead Roster: 48kg Tanya Cormier 51kg Jessica George 55kg Alexandra Demars 59kg Leah Daugherty 63kg Tasha Eady 67kg Emily McCague 72kg Katelyn Proux 82kg Nicole Plummer Simon Fraser Clan: (Vancouver, British Columbia) The Simon Fraser University Clan women's wrestling team, defending Lakehead Garvie National Duals champions and winners of four straight CIS National Championships, return a strong class for the 2006-07 season. Coached by Mike Jones (31st season), the Clan will be led by Shayla Turcotte (Midway, B.C.), in her third season with the Clan. Turcotte is the defending CIS Champion in the 82kg weight class, and is the Clan's top female wrestler. Fourth-year senior Miranda Dick (Kamloops, B.C.) is also expected to lead this team and finished second at the 2006 CIS Championships in the 48kg weight class. Stacie Anaka (Victoria, B.C.) had a stellar freshman campaign in 2006, finishing second at the CIS Championships in the 63kg category. Coach Jones said his squad wants to do well at the Duals. "We wrestled well last year when it mattered, we hadn't won too many meets going into Nationals, but we pulled out the championship," said Jones, who was named the CIS top female coach in 2006. "This season I look for the team to be more consistent throughout the year and we look to see where we stand at the Garvie Duals." Simon Fraser Roster: Stacie Anaka at 63/67 kg Erin Church at 67/72 kg Miranda Dick at 51 kg Raissa Dickinson at 55/59 kg Ashley McKilligan at 48 kg Ashlea McManus at 63/67 kg Jenna Robinson at 51 Shayla Turcotte at 72/80 Northern Michigan University United States Olympic Education Centre Team: (Marquette, Michigan) The USOEC squad will have several US senior national team members, junior world, and university world medalists who will competing; as well as several junior national champions in the line-up. Head Coach Shannyn J. Gillespie said his team is ready for the challenge on the Garvie Duals. "The USOEC is looking forward to competing in the Lakehead National Duals Meet and would like to invite Canadian teams to compete at the U.S. Olympic Education Center." Athletes to Watch include: Dany Hedin (55 kg) - 2006 Junior World Championships bronze medalist; 2005 Junior World Championships silver medalist; 2004, 2005, 2006 FILA Junior National Championships gold medalist Stefenie Shaw (63 kg) - 2006 Body Bar Women's National Championships silver medalist; 2006 Junior National Championships silver medalist; 2006 World Team Trials silver medalist; Placed fourth at the 2004 Olympic Team Trials Liz Short (48 kg) - 2006 World University Championships bronze medalist; 2006 Body Bar Women's National Championships gold medalist; Placed fifth at the 2003 Junior World Championships; 2002 and 2003 Junior National Championships gold medalist USOEC Northern Michigan Roster: Amy Borgnini, Amy at 55 kg Erin Clodgo, Erin at 67 kg Whitney Conder, Whitney at 51 kg Dany Hedin at 55 kg Iokia, Shyla Iokia at 59 kg Sadie Kaneda at 48 kg Dallas Monreal-Berner at 72 kg Jenna Pavlik at 80 kg Stefenie Shaw at 63 kg Liz Short at 48 kg Univ. of the Cumberlands Patriots (Williamsburg, Kentucky) The Univ. of the Cumberlands is the perennial powerhouse of America's collegiate wrestling wrestling. Head Coach Kip Flanik said his squad is ready to hit the mats on Friday against top North American opposition. "Once again, Lakehead University and Owen Dawkins have put together the best women's college dual meet in North America. I look forward to competing against the best teams in Canada and the USA; it will be a great test for us this early in the year." The Patriots will be fielding two teams for this year's Garvie Duals. Cumberland lost star Shelly Ruberg (Harrison, OH) to graduation; however Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, OH) brings her experience to the coaching staff this year so the athletes will experience little change in the returning line-up. This season's returning athletes include such notables as Alaina Berube (Escanaba, MI) a 2004 Olympic Team Alternate, 2005 US National Champion, 2006 World Team Alternate, and 2006 University World Bronze Medalist; Jessica Medina (Pomona, CA), a 2006 Junior World Bronze Medalist; Othella Lucas (San Diego, CA) 2006 University World Team Member; Heather Martin (Wellington, OH) a 2005 Junior World Silver Medalist; 2006 Junior World Team Member, Melissa Girard (Norway, MI); and 2005 World Team Member and All-American Tabetha Golt (Chesapeake, VA). Cumberland Roster: Team A 48 kg Melissa Girard (2005 Junior world team member) 51 kg Jessica Medina (2006 Junior world Bronze) 55 kg Leann Barney (2006 USGWA champion and Fargo runner up) 55 kg Sandy Do 59 kg Othella Lucas (2006 University world team member, 2005 Sunkist champion) 63 kg Alaina Berube (2006 University world bronze, ranked 2nd in the USA, 2006 Sunkist and NYAC champion, 2005 world team alternate, 2004 Olympic team alternate.) 67 kg Heather Martin (2005 Junior world silver, 2006 Junior world 5th) 72 kg Tabetha Golt (2006 University world team member) 82 kg Toccara Montgomery (2004 Olympian but still recovering from a torn ACL and a separated shoulder.) Team B 48 kg Billie Jean Dill 51 kg Jackie Stiles 55 kg Leann Barney or Sandy Do 59 kg Nena Garcia 63 kg Sherolynn Eppinger 67 kg Lauren Knight 72 kg open 82 kg open Calgary Dinos: (Calgary, Alberta) Head Coach Mitch Ostberg said his squad is looking forward to the thrilling team action of the Garvie Duals. "University wrestling is at its best when the athletes are representing their institution in a true team competition. Our team always responds well to the dual meet format. We come together and compete as a team and that helps improve the individual performances." With the addition of Gen Haley (1st year) and returning Justine Bouchard (3rd), who were both 5th in the Junior Worlds this summer in Guatemala, the Dinos can certainly look forward to an opportunity to challenge to be the women's champions with the return of veterans like Andrea Ross and Laura McDougall to the lineup. Bouchard was named Female Wrestler of the Meet at the Dinos Invitational in October, featuring CIS and club teams from across Western Canada and is the defending CIS and CW Champion in the 63 kg weight class. Megan Goldsmith, meanwhile won the silver medal at both the conference and national championships last season in the 82 kg class after transferring from the University of Minnesota-Morris. Calgary Dinos Roster: 48 Brandy Ens or Kara Stelfox 51 Gen Haley 55 Andrea Ross 59 Laura McDougall or Natalie Galan 63 Justine Bouchard 67 Vanessa Wilson 72 Leah Callahan or Stephanie Buchan 82 Megan Goldsmith or Leah Callahan Missouri Valley College Vikings (Marshall, Missouri) Head Coach Carl Murphree brings a powerful squad to Thunder Bay for the Garvie Duals. Murphree said his team is looking forward to the high calibre competition. "We look forward to this event as an opportunity to test ourselves against the best. It's a great way to kick off the season for us. Additionally it is one of the most picturesque drives of the season." Wrestlers to watch are Tabithia Ramsey (48 kg) who place 4th at the 2005 Pan-Am games, Samantha Schuman (51 kg) who was 6th at the US Nationals, Erika Chew (59 kg) who was 6th the US Nationals, Lacey Novinska (72 kg) who was 7th at the US Nationals, and Desiree Memea (80 kg) who was two-time US national High School Champion. Missouri Valley College Roster: 48 kg - Tanya Miyasaki 48 kg - Tabithia Ramsey 51 kg - Samantha Schuman 51 kg - Christina Varland 55 kg - Kayla Chambers 55 kg - Courtney Martell 59 kg - Shamaine Danner 59 kg - Erika Chew 59 kg - Samantha Fee 63 kg - Michele Querin 67 kg - Amberlee Ebert 72 kg - Lacey Novinska 80 kg - Desiree Memea 80 kg - Liz Hernandez, Ocala, FL, JR Saskatchewan Huskies: (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) Huskies Head Coach Todd Hinds said his team loves to battle at the national duals meet. "The Garvie National Duals are an excellent way for us to prepare for our Canada West Championship. The format we use for Canada West is also a dual meet format, so it is important for our team to work with the momentum or figure out how to switch the momentum back in our favour. The Garvie Duals are a great team event for us as wrestling is an individual sport, so it is nice for us to compete as a team." Wrestlers to watch on the Huskies roster are Beth Thompson and Pam Ewanishin who both won bronze medals at the CIS National Championships this past March. Amy Dyck was sixth at the same championships. Saskatchewan Roster: Caileigh Beckman at 67 kg Amy Dyck at 59 or 63 kg Pam Ewanishin at 55 kg Angela Istace at 63 kg Jane Packota at 72 kg Carol Scrivener at 51 kg Beth Thompson at 82 kg Tara Tse at 51 kg Lindsay Wickstrom at 48 kg Memorial University Seahawks: (St. John's Newfoundland) The Seahawks feature some strong wrestlers such as Kerri Ann Evely and Allison Rockwood and Memorial hopes to get some experience against top North American competition. Memorial University Seahawks Roster: Kerri Ann Evely at 154 lbs. Allison Rockwood at 135 lbs. Holly St. George at 101 lbs. Francesca Walsh at 195 lbs. Janelle Pike at 118 lbs. Lisa Martin at 105 lbs. Gina Keeping at 169 lbs. Brock Badgers: (St. Catharines, Ontario) The Badgers bring in a very strong squad to the Garvie Duals with the hopes of scoring some upsets. Athletes to watch are Liz Martindale who knocked off two carded athletes at the recent 2006 Ontario Sr. Championships (Lindsay Rushton and 3-time CIS Champion Terri McNutt from Western) Martindale was 2006 OUA silver medalist and took 5th Place at the 2006 CIS championships. Badgers to watch are Jessie Bondy - 2006 OUA Champion, 2006 CIS Silver Medalist; Michelle Fazzari - 2006 OUA Champion, OUA Outstanding Wrestler, 2006 CIS Silver Medalist, 2006 CIS Rookie of the Year; Jocelyn Dresser - 2006 OUA bronze medalist, 5th Place at 2006 CIS; Jen Hanson - 2006 OUA silver medalist, 6th Place at 2006 CIS Brock Roster: 48 kg-Open due to injuries 51 kg--Liz Martindale, Jessie Bondy 55 kg--Kelly McNiven, Ashley Werner 59 kg--Michelle Fazzari 63 kg--Krista Lewis 67 kg--Deborah Jehu 72 kg--Jocelyn Dresser 82 kg--Jen Hanson