UM-MORRIS WOMEN'S WRESTLING TEAM CLAIM TITLE AT GORD GARVIE MEMORIAL WRESTLING FESTIVAL WITH FIVE INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSThunder Bay, Ontario - The University of Minnesota-Morris women's wrestling team claimed championship honors at the Gord Garvie Memorial Wrestling Festival on Saturday, January 9 on the campus of Lakehead University, in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. The UM-Morris women won five of seven weight classes, scoring a total of 88 points to outpace runner-up Lakehead University by 34 points.
The tournament sponsored by the Northwestern Ontario Wrestling Association, featured clubs and collegiate teams from across Canada. Although women's wrestling clubs have been around for along time in Canada, just this year women's freestyle wrestling has been made an official varsity sport all across Canada at both the high school and collegiate level.
"We wanted to bring Minnesota-Morris to our tournament, so that other schools in Canada can see them. Minnesota-Morris is a model program that any school in North America who wants to start women's wrestling should observe. Our women's team learned a lot about looking and acting like a team when we came down to Minnesota in December. They came back with a vision of what they can become," said Francis Clayton, head coach at Lakehead University.
UM-Morris not only won the tournament and had five gold medalists, but scored their 10th consecutive tournament team title, a streak which began in October of 1997. Winning titles for the Cougars were Olivia Ocampo (Oxnard, Calif.) at 53 kilos, Tina George (South Euclid, Ohio) at 57 kilos, Cassie Inman (Rochelle, Ill.) at 61 kilos, Katie Downing (Pendleton, Ind.) at 66 kilos, and Nina Vernon (Rodeo, Calif.) at 70 kilos.
Olivia Ocampo went 3-0 in the competition at 53 kilos. Ocampo scored a 12-0 technical superiority against Joanne Devlin of Lakehead University in the first round. In the second round Ocampo downed teammate Beth Suppa with a fall in 5:08. In the championship finals, Ocampo scored a fall versus Theresa Rumo of Brock University of Hamilton, Ontario in 1:15 to win the championship title.
U.S. World Team member Tina George put together an outstanding individual performance and was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. George scored a 10-0 technical superiority versus Teresa Piotrowski of Brock University in the first round. In the second round, George downed UMM teammate Crystal Metz with a 10-0 technical superiority. In the third round, George notched a fall in 1:44 versus Tena Dardic of the University of Manitoba. In the finals George defeated Teresa Piotrowski with another impressive 10-0 technical superiority. Piotrowski who is on the Canadian National Team finished sixth in this past year's World championships.
"Tina had a great toumament, " said UMM head coach Doug Reese. "Tina was focused all weekend. Tina beat a couple of solid Canadian competitors, and did not allow one single point to be scored on her. Piotrowski is tough; I saw her in Poland at the world championships. Tina dominated her totally. She deserves to be the Outstanding Wrestler with her performance against a Canadian on her own turf. "
Cassie Inman won her third individual championship title this season. Inman, who is 9-0, is unscored upon all-season. Inman won in the first round with a 32 second fall against Dale Allen of Lakehead University. In the second round, Inman scored a 14 second tall against Becky Hughes of the Thunderwolves Wrestling Club off a double leg takedown. In the third round, Inman scored a 11-0 technical superiority against teammate Stephanie Looney. In the championship finals at 61 kilos, Inman earned a fall against teammate Melony Monahan in 2:45 to claim her third championship title of the season.
In the 66 kilo weight class, Katie Downing notched a 4-0 record to win her first collegiate championship tournament title. Downing won a 10-0 technical superiority versus Lakehead's Evy Yeller in the opening round. In the second round, Downing won with a fall in 1:15 versus Misty Shearer of the University of Manitoba Downing then put together another tough performance to defeat Ryann Jessiman of Lakehead University 11-0. In her final match, Downing fell behind early in the match 5-0 to Alana Petzscheler of the Thunderwolves Wrestling Club, before coming back with a fall in 1:35.
Nina Vernon recorded a four win performance to up her record to 10-0 for the season. Vernon had a dominating performance, scoring three technical superiorities and one fall to win the title at 70 kilos. Vernon scored a 11-1 technical superiority to defeat Vanessa Miller of the University of Manitoba. In the second round, Vernon earned her seventh fall of the season with a pin in 2:45 against Sam Johnson of Lakehead University. In the third round, Vernon shutout Laura Jones of Brock University with an 11-0 win. In her final match of the day, Vernon was perfect again with an 11-0 technical superiority against Janna Paddington of Lakehead University.
Also placing for UM Morris in the tournament was Melony Monahan (Arlington, Texas) who placed second at 61 kilos, Sam McMann (Marion, N.C.) who finished with with the bronze medal at 57 kilos, Beth Suppa (Ellwood City, Pa.) who won the bronze medal at 53 kilos, Stephanie Looney (Portsmouth, Va.) who placed fourth at 61 kilos and Crystal Metz (Little Falls, Minn.) who finished 6th at 57 kilos.
Coach Reese was quite happy with his team's performance. "We went 27-10 in matches, that's 73 percent win percentage, with five champs, and all ten wrestlers placing in the event, I was impressed with our vast improvement since early December. We are right on track, exactly where we want to be right now," said Reese.
GORD GARVIE TOURNAMENT at Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, January 9
48kg - 1st - Tanya Mair (Brock University)
53kg - 1st - Olivia Ocampo (UM-Morris); 2nd - Theresa Rumo (Brock University); 3rd - Beth Suppa (UM-Morris); 4th - Joanne Devlin (Lakehead University)
57 kg - 1st - Tina George (UM-Morris) won by tech. fall over Teresa Piotrowski (Brock University), 10-; 3rd - Sara McMann (UM-Morris) pin Tena Dardic (Univ of Manitoba), 0:30; 5th - Patrice Allen (Lakehead Univ) pin Crystal Metz (UM-Morris), 2:45
61 kg - 1st - Cassie Inman (UM-Morris) pin Melony Monahan (UM-Morris), 2:45; 3rd - Dale Allen (Lakehead Univ) dec. Stephanie Looney (UM-Morris), 7-0; 5th - Becky Hughes (Thunderwolues WC) pin Kendra Ezack (Lakehead Univ)
66 kg - 1st - Katie Downing (UM-Morris); 2nd - Evy Yeller (Lakehead University); 3rd - Alana Pertzschler (Thunderwolves WC); 4th - Misty Shearer (Univ of Manitoba); 5th - Ryann Jessiman (Lakehead University)
70 kg - 1st - Nina Vernon (UM-Morris); 2nd - Vanessa Miller (U of Manitoba); 3rd - Laura Jones (Brock University); 4th - Sam Johnson (Lakehead University); 5th - Janna Paddington (Lakehead University)
77 kg - 1st - Ohenewa Akuffa (MacAllister University); 2nd - Kate Wannah (Lakehead University); 3rd - Hannah Cain (Thunderwolves Wrestling Club)
Team Standings-1. UM-Morris- 88; 2. Lakehead University- 54 ; 3. Brock University- 35; 4. University of Manitoba - 23; 5. Thunderwolves W.C - 14