AKRON, OHIO - Wrestling has always been a family sport. It has become more than just a tight brotherhood since the development of women's wrestling in recent years. It is now also truly a sisterhood.

The Fulp-Allen sisters from California, Sara and Katherine, won Women's University National titles alongside each other at the Univ. of Akron on Sunday. 

With their parents Lee and Joan cheering them on, the Fulp-Allens not only earned a spot at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, but they will also be teammates on the 2008 U.S. University World Championships Team which will compete in Greece later this summer. Both compete for the New York AC.

Sara defended her University Nationals title at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. with a 7-1, 6-0 technical fall over 2007 Junior World medalist Alyssa Lampe of the USOEC at 48 kg/105.5 pounds. She was named Outstanding Wrestler for the tournament.

"I felt I wrestled good in building to bigger things," said Sara Fulp-Allen. "I didn't want to peak too early with the U.S. Nationals and Olympic Trials coming up. This year is unfolding, with every match a learning experience."

Katherine won her first University Nationals title with a 1-0, 1-0 victory over Erica Torres of the OCU Stars at 51 kg/112.25 pounds.

"This is special," said Katherine Fulp-Allen. "Sara and I talked about this last year, but I finished third. I was close. That was one of the biggest things for me, not just to win, but to do it with my sister. I am really excited. I am young but I am right on track to get where I need to go to reach my goals."

Both athletes have been coached by their father, Lee Allen, who was an Olympian in wrestling and the head coach for the women's team at Menlo College. Sara competed for her father at Menlo, graduating last year and now training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Katherine is attending Menlo College, and wrestling on the women's team coached by her dad.

The entire family is excited that Sara and Katherine will be competing on the U.S. team that will wrestle in University World Championships in Thessolonica, Greece in July.

"It is a dream come true," said father Lee. "We have always speculated if they both might make a USA team together. It is finally happening. It is so rewarding with their hard work and dedication. Their sisterhood is paying off."

"This is exciting," said Sara Fulp-Allen. "Katherine and I will go on a trip overseas together. It will be her first World Championships. It will be nice to share and guide her along."

Both will also be on the mats side-by-side at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, hoping to follow in their father's footsteps in making a U.S. Olympic Team.

"It is their dream," said Lee Allen. "It is my dream too. They have to own that dream to make it happen. They are taking it one hurdle after another."
 
The champions and runners-up in the four Olympic weight classes (48 kg, 55 kg, 63 kg. 72 kg), along with the champions at the three other World Championships weight classes (51 kg, 59 kg, 67 kg) earned a spot in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling in Las  Vegas, Nev., June 13-15.

Sara Fulp-Allen was one of three 2007 University Nationals champions to repeat with a title this year. Also returning to the championship podium were Alaina Berube of the New York AC at 63 kg/138.75 pounds and Elena Pirozkhov of the Gator WC at 67 kg/147.5 pounds.

Berube won her fifth career University Nationals title with the fastest match in the finals, pinning Samantha Fee of Missouri Valley College in 34 seconds.

"It has been a month since I have been on the mat," said Berube. "It is a good warmup for the U.S. Nationals. I got a good competition in. I felt that I have had a couple of good weeks of training in. I am looking forward to the Olympic Trials. I have changed my training location (to River Falls, Wis.) It is a big step for me. I am doing what I am supposed to do to get ready for the Trials."

Pirozkhov scored a come-from-behind win over Jacyln Cataline of Cataline's Wildcats in the finals, 0-2, 1-0, 6-0. Cataline dominated the first period, scoring the only takedowns. Pirozkhov won the second period, which was scoreless. Pirozkhov won the flip and scored a takedown from the clinch. In the deciding third period, Pirozkhov took command, scoring a number of times to get a technical fall for the period.

"I learned not to over-think in my matches about winning and losing. That first period proved that. I just need to go out and wrestle. I was way too tight in the first period," said Pirozkhov. 

Capturing the title at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. was former University World champion Stephany Lee of the Sunkist Kids, who defeated two-time Junior World champion Ali Bernard of the New Ulm Rolling Thunder, 3-0, 3-0.

Other individual champions were Cherae Pascua of the New York AC at 55 kg/121 lbs., Deanna Rix of the New York AC at 59 kg / 130 lbs. and Carrie Clark of the OCU Stars at 77 kg/169.5 pounds.

Pascua, a member of the 2007 Junior World Team, defeated Chelynne Pringle of the Minnesota Storm, 1-0, 3-3. 

Rix, who now trains in River Falls, Wis. along with Berube with coach Kevin Black, defeated returning University Nationals champion Othella Lucas of the Univ. of the Cumberlands, 3-0, 1-1, 1-0. Rix qualified for the last two Junior World Teams.

Clark won a three-athlete round robin to capture the title, including a 2-0, 1-0 win over Teri Mikloff of the Univ. of the Cumberlands. The 77 kg weight class is not a qualifying division for either the University World Team or the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Akron, Ohio, April 13

48 kg / 105.5 lbs 
1st Place - Sara Fulp-Allen of NYAC
2nd Place - Alyssa Lampe of USOEC
3rd Place - Sadie Kaneda of USOEC
4th Place - Amontha Hordagoda of Gator WC
5th Place - Lene Wood of OCU STARS
6th Place - Stephanie Waters of OCU STARS

1st - Sara Fulp-Allen (NYAC) tech. fall Alyssa Lampe (USOEC), 7-1, 6-0
3rd - Sadie Kaneda (USOEC) dec. Amontha Hordagoda (Gator WC), 6-1, 3-1
5th - Lene Wood (OCU Stars) dec.  Stephanie Waters (OCU Stars),  0-1, 1-1, 1-0

51 kg / 112 lbs.
1st Place - Katherine Fulp-Allen of NYAC
2nd Place - Erica Torres of OCU STARS
3rd Place - Kapua Torres of Univ. of the Cumberlands
4th Place - Shannon Reeves of Univ. of the Cumberlands
5th Place - Kelli Rasmussen of Buc Irish
6th Place - Tanya Miyasaki of Missouri Valley College

1st - Katherine Fulp-Allen (NYAC) dec. Erica Torres (OCU Stars), 1-0,1-0
3rd - Kapua Torres (Univ. of the Cumberlands) dec. Shannon Reeves (Univ. of the Cumberlands), 1-2, 2-1, 1-0
5th - Kelli Rasmussen (Buc Irish) dec. Tanya Miyasaki (Missouri Valley College), 2-1, 1-0

55 kg/121 lbs. 
1st Place - Cherae Pascua of NYAC
2nd Place - Chelynne Pringle of Minnesota Storm
3rd Place - Amy Borgnini of USOEC
4th Place - Whitney Conder of USOEC
5th Place - Sandy Do of Univ. of the Cumberlands
6th Place - Jessica Medina of Univ. of the Cumberlands
1st - Cherae Pascua (NYAC) over Chelynne Pringle (Minnesota Storm), 1-0, 3-3
3rd - Amy Borgnini (USOEC) dec. Whitney Conder (USOEC), 1-1, 4-1, 1-0
5th - Sandy Do (Univ. of the Cumberlands) forfeit Jessica Medina (Univ. of the Cumberlands0

59 kg / 130 lbs.
1st Place - Deanna Rix of NYAC
2nd Place - Othella Lucas of Univ. of the Cumberlands
3rd Place - Nicole Darrow of USOEC
4th Place - Breisja Macera of Univ. of the Cumberlands
5th Place - Amber Miracle of USOEC
6th Place - Dany Hedin of USOEC
1st - Deanna Rix (NYAC) over Othella Lucas (Univ. of the Cumberlands), 3-0, 1-1, 1-0
3rd - Nicole Darrow (USOEC) dec. Breisja Macera (Univ. of the Cumberlands), 1-1, 2-1
5th - Amber Miracle (USOEC) dec. Dany Hedin (USOEC), 2-2, 3-1

63 kg /138.5 lbs.
1st Place - Alaina Berube of NYAC
2nd Place - Samantha Fee of Missouri Valley College
3rd Place - Lauren Knight of Univ. of the Cumberlands
4th Place - Jennifer Germany of Missouri Valley College
5th Place - Paige Rife of Univ. of the Cumberlands
6th Place - Karen Howe of Missouri Valley College
1st - Alaina Berube (NYAC) pin Samantha Fee (Missouri Valley College), 0:34
3rd - Lauren Knight (Univ. of the Cumberlands) pin  Jennifer Germany (Missouri Valley College) Fall 0:39
5th - Paige Rife (Univ. of the Cumberlands) dec. Karen Howe (Missouri Valley College), 8-1, 5-2

67 kg / 147.5 lbs.
1st Place - Elena Pirozhkov of Gator WC
2nd Place - Jaclyn Cataline of Cataline`s Wildcats
3rd Place - Stefenie Shaw of NYAC
4th Place - Brandy Rosenbrock of Michigan Wrestling Club
5th Place - Sara Hilliard of OCU Stars
6th Place - Megan Agajanian of Univ. of the Cumberlands

1st - Elena Pirozhkova (Gator WC) dec. Jaclyn Cataline (Cataline`s Wildcats), 0-2, 1-0, 6-0
3rd - Stefenie Shaw (NYAC) dec. Brandy Rosenbrock (Michigan Wrestling Club), 1-0, 1-0
5th - Sara Hilliard (OCU Stars) dec Megan Agajanian (Univ. of the Cumberlands), 1:02

72 kg / 158.5 lbs.
1st Place - Stephanie Lee of Sunkist Kids
2nd Place - Ali Bernard of New Ulm Rolling Thuncer
3rd Place - Sherolynn Eppinger of Univ. of the Cumberlands
4th Place - Ku`u Johnson of USOEC

1st - Stephanie Lee (Sunkist Kids) dec. Ali Bernard (New Ulm Rolling Thuncer), 3-0, 3-0

77 kg / 169.5 lbs.
1st Place - Carrie Clark of OCU Stars
2nd Place - Teri Milkoff of Univ. of the Cumberlands
3rd Place - Venus Barron of Missouri Valley College

Round Robin Matches
Carrie Clark (OCU Stars) dec.Teri Milkoff (Univ. of the Cumberlands), 2-0, 1-0
Carrie Clark (OCU Stars) pin Venus Barron (Missouri Valley College), 1-0, 1:49
Teri Milkoff (Univ. of the Cumberlands) dec. Venus Barron (Missouri Valley College), 0-2, 4-1, 3-1