The 55 kg women’s weight class at the 2013 World Team Trials to be held in Stillwater, Okla. on June 21-22 is headlined by Helen Maroulis, one of the USA’s most decorated and talented wrestlers.

Maroulis is a 2012 world silver medalist, two-time Pan American champion, and four-time U.S. Open champion. She also recently competed at the historic Rumble on the Rails event held in Grand Central Station on May 15 during World Wrestling Month, picking up a fall over Irina Kisel of Russia.

Maroulis was the favorite last year to make the Olympic team bound for London, but was upset in the finals by Kelsey Campbell who dropped down from 59 kg to compete for the Olympic berth. 

Campbell is taking some time off after her Olympic journey and will not be competing at the World Team Trials in Stillwater.

By virtue of winning the 2013 U.S. Open, Maroulis will receive an automatic berth to the best-of-three finals series where she will await the winner of a talented challenge bracket to determine the 55 kg World Team representative for the United States. 

The top contender to challenge Maroulis for the 55 kg spot is U.S. Open runner-up Katherine Fulp-Allen who has lost to Maroulis the last few times they have met including in this year’s U.S. Open and the 2012 World Team Wrestle-offs.
 
Fulp-Allen is a 2008 World University Champion and is looking to break through into that top spot at 55 kg.

Another strong contender at 55 kg is Shauna Isbell who finished third at the 2013 U.S. Open. A star in college, Isbell is coming off a trip to the Pan American Championships and a third place finish at University Nationals. She was fourth at the 2012 Olympic Team Trials. 

Pay attention to another college star, Sarah Hildebrandt, who is having a monster year at 55 kg. Hildebrandt recently won the Austrian Ladies Open this past week in Gotzis, Austria. She has also scored a championship at the 2013 Body Bar Nationals, 2013 Pan American Championships and 2013 University Nationals. Hildebrandt was the fourth place finisher at the U.S. Open at 55 kg.

Other wrestler’s who could make some noise at this weight class are U.S. Open place winners Kayla Brendlinger, Victoria Nguyen and Tamara Tillman.  

WCWA College National Champion Kat Perez will also provide a challenge to the top tier of this weight. Perez owns a big win over Sarah Hildebrandt in the WCWA national finals.

There are also a number talented college competitors that have qualified to wrestle at the Trials, including Joey Miller, Jacarra Winchester, and Brieana Delgado, who could pose a great challenge to anyone they might face.

Since only the four Olympic weights will be wrestled in Stillwater, wrestlers who have qualified for the World Team Trials at a non-Olympic weight may choose to compete in an Olympic weight class for this tournament. They may also decide to forego competition in Stillwater and focus on making the World Team at a non-Olympic weight later this summer. 

Expect a number of 51 kg and 59 kg wrestlers to move into this weight and provide even more depth to an already tough bracket.

2013 U.S. OPEN WOMEN’S FREESTYLE RESULTS AT 55 KG/121 LBS
1st – Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Katherine Fulp-Allen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 3-0, 5-0
3rd – Shauna Isbell, Flagstaff, Ariz. (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Sarah Hildebrandt, Granger, Ind. (King College), 1-0, 0-2, 1-0
5th – Kayla Brendlinger, Slippery Rock, Pa. (King College) dec. Victoria Nguyen, Johnson City, Tenn. (King College), 0-1, 1-0, 1-1
7th – Tamara Tillman, Whittier, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Shelby Morrison, Amarillo, Texas (OKCU Gator RTC), 1-0, 2-1

2013 U.S. WORLD TEAM TRIALS QUALIFIERS AT 55 KG/121 LBS
’12 Olympic Team Trials Champion – Kelsey Campbell, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
’12 Olympic Team Trials second place – Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (Sunkist Kids)
’12 Olympic Team Trials third place – Katherine Fulp-Allen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC)
’13 WFS U.S. Open Champion – Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (Sunkist Kids)
’13 WFS U.S. Open second place – Katherine Fulp-Allen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC)
’13 WFS U.S. Open third place – Shauna Isbell, Flagstaff, Ariz. (Titan Mercury WC)
’13 WFS U.S. Open fourth place – Sarah Hildebrandt, Granger, Ind. (King College)
’13 WFS U.S. Open fifth place – Kayla Brendlinger, Slippery Rock, Pa. (King)
’13 WFS U.S. Open sixth place – Victoria Nguyen, Johnson City, Tenn. (King)
’13 WFS U.S. Open seventh place – Tamara Tillman, Whittier, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
’13 WFS U.S. Open Champion at 59 kg – Allison Ragan, Carbondale, Ill. (NYAC)
’13 WFS U.S. Open second place at 59 kg – Deanna Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
’13 WFS U.S. Open third place at 59 kg– Cianah Hee, Honolulu, Hawaii (UC Women’s Wrestling)
’13 WFS U.S. Open fourth place at 59 kg– Jenna Burkert, Middle Island, N.Y. (NYAC)
’13 WFS U.S. Open fifth place at 59 kg– Beatrize Martinez, Fresno, Calif. (OKCU Gator Women’s RTC)
’13 WFS U.S. Open sixth place at 59 kg– Tiffany Sluik, Mason City, Iowa (Jimmie Wrestling Club)
’13 WFS U.S. Open seventh place at 59 kg– Brieana Delgado, Fountain Inn, S.C. (OKCU Gator Women’s RTC)
’13 WFS University National Champion – Sarah Hildebrandt, Granger, Ind. (King College)
’13 WFS University National second place – Brieana Delgado, Fountain Inn, S.C. (OKCU Gator Women’s RTC)
’13 WFS University National Champion at 59 kg – Alli Ragan, Carbondale, Ill. (NYAC)
’13 WFS University National second place at 59 kg– Tiffany Sluik, Mason City, Iowa (Jimmie Wrestling Club)
’13 WCWA Nationals Champion at 116 –Joey Miller, Woodward, Okla. (Oklahoma City)
’13 WCWA Nationals second place at 116 – Jacarra Winchester, San Leandro, Calif. (Missouri Valley)
’13 WCWA Nationals fourth place at 116 – Kayla Brendlinger, Slippery Rock, Pa. (King College)
’13 WCWA Nationals Champion at 123 – Kat Perez, El Centro, Calif. (King College)
’13 WCWA Nationals second place at 123 – Sarah Hildebrandt, Granger, Ill. (King College)
’13 WCWA Nationals third place at 123 – Brieana Delgado, Fountain Inn, S.C. (Oklahoma City)
’13 WCWA Nationals Champion at 130 – Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (Simon Fraser)
’13 WCWA Nationals second place at 130 – Shauna Isbell, Flagstaff, Ariz. (Lindenwood)
’13 WCWA Nationals third place at 130 – Randi Beltz, Chesterfield, Mo. (Missouri Valley)
’13 Pan American Championships Champion – Sarah Hildebrandt, Granger, Ind. (King College)
’13 Klippan Lady Open second place – Sarah Hildebrandt, Granger, Ind. (King College)
’13 Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial Champion –Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (Sunkist Kids)
’13 German Grand Prix third place –Katherine Fulp-Allen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
’12 World Team Wrestle-Off (non-Olympic weight) Champion at 59 kg – Leigh Jaynes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
’12 World Team Wrestle-Off (non-Olympic weight) second place at 59 kg – Shauna Isbell, Flagstaff, Ariz. (Lindenwood)
’13 Northern Plains Regional Champion – Sharice Schnell, Thorp, Wis. (unattached)