North American Women’s College individual rankings set for March, based upon major championship even

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
03/29/2002


TheMat.com has announced its individual North American women's college rankings for March. TheMat.com released its North American Women's College Wrestling Poll on Thursday.    This month's rankings are based upon two major events on the women's college schedule, the CIS National Championships, held in St. Catherines, Canada, as well as the NAIA Coaches Association North American Championships, held in Great Falls, Mont.    Among the top ranked wrestlers this month were CIS National champions Tonya Verbeek of Brock at 55 kg (121 lbs.) and Trish Leibel of Lakehead at 77 kg/169.4 lbs.    Top-ranked wrestlers who claimed NAIA Coaches Association titles were Carol Huyhn of Simon Fraser at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Lyndsay Belisle of the Univ. of British Columbia at 51 kg/112.25 lbs, Tela O'Donnell of Pacific Univ. at 59 kg/129.8 lbs. and Shannon Samler of Simon Fraser at 72 kg (158.5 lbs.). Huyhn was named Outstanding Wrestler at the NAIA Coaches Association championships.    The other two top-ranked wrestlers have continued to excel on the international levels:   Sara McMann of Lock Haven at 63 kg/138.5 lbs. and Toccara Montgomery of Cumberland College at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. Montgomery won a gold medal at the 2002 Pan American Championships in Venezuela this month.    The bulk of the college season has concluded for women wrestlers, but the major part of the Senior-level schedule for USA Wrestling and the Canadian Amateur Wrestling Association is coming up. Many of these college athletes are among the top wrestlers in their nation, and are considered contenders for a spot in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.