The U.S. Olympic Committee has announced its Twitter voting is now open for the Novermber Male & Female Athletes of the Month.

Vote for Tommy Rowlands

Vote for Helen Maroulis

Representing USA Wrestling are men’s freestyle wrestler Tommy Rowlands and women’s freestyle wrestler Helen Maroulis. Rowlands won a gold medal at the Hargobind International in Canada, including a challenge bout for prize money. He was second at the NYAC Freestyle International, and also won his bout in a USA vs. Russia freestyle dual meet in Troy, N.Y., Maroulis won gold medals at the Hargobind International in Canada and the NYAC Freestyle International in New York, N.Y.

Fans are encouraged to vote and re-tweet the poll links.

SportsMan of the Month for November 2010
Sport: Freestyle wrestling
Athlete: Tommy Rowlands
Position: 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in freestyle wrestling

Rowlands won a gold medal at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. at the Hargobind International in Surrey, B.C., Canada on Nov. 6. He defeated three Canadian wrestlers in the tournament, stopping Josh Schug, Jessy Sahota and Sunny Dhinsa.

In a featured Challenge Match for $5,000 in prize money, which pitted the 96 kg and 120 kg champions from the Hargobind International, Rowlands stopped American Wynn Michalak of the Gator WC for the honor.

Rowlands added a silver medal at the New York Athletic Club Freestyle International in New York, N.Y., Nov. 21. Rowlands was defeated by 2009 World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev of the Sunkist Kids in the gold-medal finals, 0-1, 0-1. To reach the finals, Rowlands scored victories over Robert Rivera of the New York AC and Blake Gillis of the Lehigh Valley AC.

Rowlands also won his match at 120 kg at the USA vs. Russia freestyle dual meet held in Troy, N.Y., Nov. 27. He defeated talented Russian heavyweight Kirill Gotovtsev, 2-0, 3-2 in the dual meet.

Rowlands was fifth in the 2007 World Championships and a 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials runner-up. He won a gold medal at the 2005 World University Games. 

SportsWoman of the Month for November 2010
Sport: Women’s Freestyle Wrestling
Athlete: Helen Maroulis
Position: 55 kg/121 lbs. in women’s freestyle wrestling.

Maroulis won two international tournaments in November, beating a number of talented opponents.

She claimed a gold medal at 55 kg/121 lbs. at the Hargobind International in Surrey, B.C., Canada on Nov. 6. Maroulis defeated Canadian Jazzy Barker in the gold-medal finals. She also scored victories over Canadian competitors Andrea Ross and Brittany Laverdure in the preliminary rounds.

Maroulis was also the 55 kg/121 lbs. champion at the New York Athletic Club Freestyle International in New York, N.Y., Nov. 21. She defeated 2010 U.S. World Team member Kelsey Campbell of the Sunkist Kids in the championship finals, 2-0, 1-0. Campbell was fifth in the World at 59 kg in 2010.

Other victories for Maroulis in New York were over Schulyer Brown of the Gator WC by technical fall in the quarterfinals and over Sharon Jacobson of the U.S. Army in the semifinals.

Maroulis attends Simon Fraser Univ. She was a member of the 2008 U.S. World Team and is a two-time Junior World bronze medalist.