Women's wrestling in college is an evolving sport in the United States, with new opportunities each year as more young women graduate from high school seeking a chance to wrestle in college.    Currently, there are five women's college wrestling varsity programs, and a number of club teams of various sizes. In addition, a number of talented women wrestlers are members of their men's college teams, training daily and participating in the major women's wrestling events.    For the first time this year, TheMat.com will rank teams and individuals in U.S. women's college wrestling. The teams that will be ranked are either varsities or established club programs. All women wrestlers who are on a college varsity, college club or are members of their college men's teams are eligible for the individual rankings. The NCAA and NAIA eligibility rules will be considered, with undergraduates considered as well as those with undergrad eligibility who are in graduate school.    The top team in the preseason rankings is Missouri Valley College, which has quickly set the standard for women's wrestling on the college level. This NAIA school has had the most success recruiting talented prep athletes and maintaining a large squad size. The Vikings won the team titles at the University Nationals and the U.S. Nationals last year, and have successful athletes at every international weight class. This year, men's head coach Mike Machholz will also lead the women's team, and has high goals for this year's crop.    Among the star individuals are top-ranked Clarissa Chun at 101.25 pounds and Nina Vernon at 165.25 pounds. Other top stars are Malissa Sherwood and Carrie Birge at 123.25 pounds, Tonya Evinger and Tori Adams at 136.5 pounds and Melanie Macari-Montierth at either 149.75 or 165.25 pounds. The Vikings are strong in either dual meets or tournaments, and have made a major impact on the U.S. women's wrestling program.    Lock Haven's club program received the No. 2 team rankings, with just four athletes. However, three of these talented stars will represent the USA at the 2001 Senior World Championships. Sara McMann, who competes at 136.5 pounds, may be the best U.S. female wrestler right now. She won the World Team Trials for the second straight year, and can dominate opponents. Freshmen Erin Tomeo (123.25) and Jenna Pavlik (165.25) will also compete in Bulgaria as replacements, as Tomeo won a Special Wrestle-off for the spot and Pavlik earned the chance by winning the title at the Sunkist Kids International Open. The other competitor is Jenny Wong, a Team USA athlete with a No. 2 college ranking at 112.25 pounds. These athletes train with Carl Poff's Div. I program at Lock Haven, and are making inroads for women's wrestling at one of the nation's most storied wrestling schools.    The team that got this all started, the Univ. of Minnesota at Morris, has the No. 3 ranking, with hopes of climbing higher. Coach Doug Reese started the nation's first women's varsity in the mid-1990's, and continues to recruit and develop talented athletes. UM-Morris has been very successful in dual meets, and often competes against the best of nearby Canadian schools.    The best athlete on the UM-Morris team is clearly Katie Downing, a National Team member who boasts a Junior World medal and can compete with the world's best at 149.75 pounds. Samantha Branka, at 165.25 pounds, is also nationally ranked on the Senior level and has shown tremendous improvement. Coach Reese is excited about a pair of freshmen, Katrina Betts at 101.25 pounds and Patrice Crenshaw at 112.25 pounds.    Cumberland College has had a varsity team for the last three years, and is starting to become a force. Kip Flanek, a successful club coach in Ohio, has been added to the staff to work with the women wrestlers, and a number of talented freshmen have joined the program. The top name in the program is the exciting Toccara Montgomery, who is ranked No. 1 in the USA on the Senior level and has beaten three World Champions during a glorious break-through year. Other wrestlers to watch are Jessica Shirley at 123.25 pounds, Stephanie Bolton at 149.75 pounds and Wendy Hunter at 165.25 pounds. This team should improve as the season goes along, and is looking for big things in the future.    Pacific University, a Div. III college in Oregon, started an official club program this year and it has developed into one of the best women's college opportunities in the nation. Mike Clock, an assistant coach to Frank Johnson, has placed tremendous effort into the team, and the results have been impressive. Pacific is a mix of a few returnees that trained with the squad last year, along with some transfers and freshmen recruits. Junior Jill Remiticado at 123.25 pounds is the top returnee, after qualifying for last year's World Team Trials. Transfers Sally Roberts at 136.5 pounds and Kaci Lyle at 149.75 pounds bring experience to the team, and freshman Tela O'Donnell at 136.5 pounds leads the incoming class.    Neosho County College in Kansas has built a strong NJCAA team in recent years, and added a varsity team for women this year. John Taylor is coaching the women's team, which features some young talent with potential. This team is gaining experience in freestyle and may need some time before it begins to make an impact. Among the top name recruits are Danni Presley at 101.25 pounds and Sara Tolin at 123.25 pounds.    Menlo College in California started NAIA varsity wrestling teams for men and women this year, and brought on veteran coach Lee Allen to lead the women's team. Allen was an Olympic Greco-Roman coach, but has trained women athletes for over a decade on the national level. Allen's first team is a bit inexperienced, but features a pair of talented sisters, Melina and Tanica Hutchison from Alaska, both who may compete at 123.25 pounds. California is rich with women's wrestling talent, and Menlo is expected to make an impact in the upcoming seasons.    American International College in Massachusetts, a Div II school under former Puerto Rican wrestling star Anibal Nieves, is also beginning to put together a strong women's club. The top returnee for AIC is sophomore Jillian Yost at 112.25 pounds and leading the freshman class is folkstyle star Jennifer Wormwood from Maine, who will compete at 136.5 pounds or 149.75 pounds.    Messiah College in Pennsylvania has had a club program in recent years. Rachel Glogowski, who has competed there and is now a post-graduate, is helping organize the team workouts and competition. Emily Barna, who competes at 165.25 pounds, has the best chance of the undergrads on the club of making progress on the national level.    The Univ. of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Club features a number of athletes who are college students. Coach John Kerley is training both university and top high school athletes in the club, which is seeking official status with Hawaii's athletic department. Candice Takamatsu at 101.25 pounds, Cathy Migita at 112.25 pounds and Hillary Broad at 149.75 pounds are among the top college students on this club.    A number of other colleges either have emerging club programs or individual women wrestlers training with the men's teams. Those of note include Stanford senior Patricia Miranda at 112.25 pounds, who was a World silver medalist in 2000, and freshman Lisa Bisers of Johns Hopkins, who has placed at the U.S. Senior National Championships last year.    You can not look at the women's college scene without noting the Canadian colleges, which have organized a strong program. There are currently about 16 colleges in Canada with varsity teams, as well as some club programs that feature college athletes. UM-Morris has traditionally competed often against Canadian teams, and a number of the other U.S. teams are also scheduling events in Canada this year.    The eligibility rules in Canada differ from the U.S. system. Canadian athletes may be eligible for competition for five years, rather than the four years in U.S. colleges. In addition, there are seven Canadian college women's weight classes, one more than the six international weights which are used most often in the U.S. sch