COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. (11-5-98) -- The United States Olympic Committee has named freestyle wrestler Tricia Saunders and heavyweight boxer DaVarryl Williamson its October Athletes of the Month. Saunders, garnering six of 10 first place votes, won a gold medal at the 1998 Women's World Wrestling Championships. Williamson was unstoppable in October, winning three bouts in the first round and taking three of nine first-place votes.  
  Saunders won the women's world freestyle wrestling championship at 101.25 pounds in Poznan, Poland, despite wrestling with injured ribs and the flu. She defeated three-time World Champion Miyu Yamamoto of Japan in the finals by a 1-1 referee decision for fewer passivity calls. Saunders won four matches en route to the title, including pinning her opening-round opponent.  
  Thirteen-year-old Erin Popovich won five medals at the 1998 IPC (International Paralympic Committee) World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand, from Oct. 12-17 to place second in voting. Popovich won individual gold medals in three events and a bronze in another and led the 200-meter free relay team to a world record performance.Equestrian Anne Kursinski became the first U.S. rider and first woman-ever to win the $450,000 Pulsar Grand Prix in Monterrey, Mexico, to finish third in voting.  
  Williamson kept all three of his opponents from advancing to the second round in the month of October. He led the U.S. to a dual victory over Korea at the Foxwoods Resort Casino and, two weeks later, was named the Most Outstanding Boxer at the Tammer Tournament in Tampere, Finland. Just a week later, he finished the month's competition with another first-round victory that helped the U.S. defeat Puerto Rico in Orlando, Fla.  
  Cycling's Lance Armstrong and Jason Wening, nominated by USA Swimming and Disabled Sports USA, tied for second-place honors in the balloting. Armstrong, who finished second in the voting for the second-consecutive month, placed fourth in time trial and road race at the World Road Championships in Valkenburg, The Netherlands. He fought his way to a 23rd in the world ranking in limited racing this year. Bi-lateral amputee Wening reset his own world record while winning the gold medal in the 400m at the 1998 IPC World Championships. He also placed eighth in both the 100m and 1500m freestyle and placed sixth with the 400m free relay team.  
  RESULTS (First-place votes in parentheses) 
  Women 
  1. Tricia Saunders, Freestyle Wrestling, 32 (6) 
  2. Erin Popovich, Swimming, 22 
  3. Anne Kursinski, Equestrian, 18 (3) 
  4. Joy MacKenzie & Jackie Paraiso, Racquetball, 5 (1) 
  5. Mari Holden, Cycling, 3  
  Men 
  1. DaVarryl Williamson, Boxing, 19 (3) 
  2T. Lance Armstrong, Cycling, 14 (2) 
  2T. Jason Wening, Disabled Sports USA and USA Swimming, 14 (1) 
  4. Tom Tamas, Shooting, 10 (1) 
  5T. Doug Ganim & Dan Obremski, Racquetball, 6 (1) 
  5T. Hunter Kemper, Triathlon, 6 (1)