Montgomery wins 2001 Championship Belt Series for Senior women

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
12/25/2001


Women's World silver medalist Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/Sunkist  Kids) has won the 2001 Championship Belt Series on the Senior level for women's freestyle wrestling. She claimed the Championship Belt Series on the Senior level for the first time.    The series is sponsored by USA Wrestling and honors the top point scorers among U.S. wrestlers, based upon actual success in competition during the year. The point system is based upon results from events on the regional, national and international levels and gives greater credit for success in the major competitions. The top point scorer in the series for each style receives a handsome plaque.    USA Wrestling will announce all eight 2001 Championship Belt Series winners, with one champion announced per day, from Christmas Eve through New Years Eve.    Women's champion - Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)    Montgomery, who placed second in the World Championships at 149.75 pounds, won the Women's Belt Series, scoring 422 points, placing 48 points ahead of runner-up Clarissa Chun (Kapolei, Hawaii/Missouri Valley). It was the second year in a row that Chun placed second in the Championship Belt Series.    Besides her World silver medal, Montgomery claimed seven gold medals at major women's events. She won the Yasar Dogu Tournament in Turkey, the Manitoba Open in Canada and the Sunkist Kids International in the USA. She was also the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials champion, as well as the Hoover/Geller Keystone Open champion and the University Nationals champion. Montgomery won Outstanding Wrestler awards at the U.S. Nationals and the Sunkist Kids Open.    Chun was again one of the most active wrestlers on the Women's circuit. She won gold medals at the Klippan Open in Sweden, the Manitoba Open in Canada, the University Nationals and the Sunkist Kids International Open. She was second in the World Team Trials, third at the U.S. Nationals and the Manitoba Open in Canada and fourth at the Women's World Cup.    2001 Women's Championship Belt Series Top Ten  1. Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio, Sunkist Kids, 149.75 pounds, 422 pts.  2. Clarissa Chun, Kapolei, Hawaii, Missouri Valley College, 101.25 pounds,  374 pts.  3.  Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids, 165.25 pounds, 322 pts.  4. Jenny Wong, Stillwater, Minn., Sunkist Kids, 123.25 pounds, 320 pts.  5. Katie Downing, Pendleton, Ind., UM-Morris, 149.75 pounds, 301 pts.  6. Tonya Evinger, Bates City, Mo., Missouri Valley College, 136.5 pounds, 296  pts.  7. Sara McMann, Lock Haven, Pa., Sunkist Kids, 136.5 pounds, 290 pts.  8. Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids, 123.25 pounds, 250 pts.  9  Erin Tomeo, Volant, Pa., Sunkist Kids, 123.25 pounds, 244 pts.  10. Julie Gonzalez, Vallejo, Calif., Peninsula Grapplers, 101.25 pounds, 231  pts.    CHAMPIONSHIP BELT SERIES HISTORY  Women  1994 - Shannon Williams, Ontario, Calif., Sunkist Kids, 116.5 pounds   1995 - Tricia Saunders, Ann Arbor, Mich., Sunkist Kids, 103.5 pounds  1996 - Jackie Berube, Evanston, Ill., Wildcat WC, 125.5 pounds  1997 - Lauren Wolfe, Okemos, Mich., Michigan WC, 136.5 pounds  1998 - Stephanie Murata, Minden, Nev., Sunkist Kids, 112.25 pounds  1999 - Sara McMann, Lock Haven, Pa., Sunkist Kids, 123.25 pounds  2000 - Sara McMann, Lock Haven, Pa., Sunkist Kids, 136.5 pounds  2001 - Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio, Sunkist Kids, 149.75 pounds