Although Patricia Miranda captured a silver medal at the 2000 World Championships, she had never won a U.S. Nationals title - until this year, when she came home with the 48 kg (105.5 lbs.) crown. Miranda also achieved something that could be hard to duplicate; she started eight dual meets for Division I Stanford University last season, as well as competing in numerous men's college tournaments.

She will graduate in June with an undergraduate degree in Economics and a Master's in International Policy before moving on to compete in the World Team Trials just four days later.

TheMat.com spoke with Miranda about her past and how she finally got to the top while she was in Colorado Springs, Colo. for the two-month elite women's training camp.

TheMat.com: Explain your thoughts and your feelings about winning your first national title this year.

Miranda: It was a lot of time and effort coming together in one tournament. It represented the last 4-5 years that I spent with the basics and fundamentals of wrestling. Being able to compete in college and for USA Wrestling has enabled me to reach my goals in this sport. The feeling I had was the same that actors get when they win an Oscar. People always laugh at them when they say they want to cry, but that is how I felt too. I am very thankful as well. The fact that I can devote half of my hours to wrestling is a privilege that a majority of people don't have. There is a happiness that comes from the privileges I have.

TheMat.com: What was the key for you in winning U.S. Nationals?

Miranda: I think that I owe it to myself to make myself proud. The win was a result of me utilizing all of my resources. There wasn't any one key or one strategy to winning. What I tell myself is that if I can translate what I've built in practices into my competition, then no one can stop me. I'm learning what it means to compete. I owe a lot of my success to breaking into the lineup at Stanford. That gave me a sense of confidence and comfort in myself.

TheMat.com: Did you have any difficulty dropping down to 105.5 pounds after competing at 112?

Miranda: It was surprisingly easy. You just add extra workouts day-in and day-out. I ate more meals during the day, but smaller portions. I felt my wrestling was still progressing as I was dropping the weight throughout training. Now that I'm graduating, though, I don't have to worry about bulking back up to close to 125 pounds during the college season, so things should be smooth from this point on.

TheMat.com: Did you feel any bigger or stronger than your opponents at nationals this year, especially since you bulked up to compete at 125 during the college season?

Miranda: The difference in strength comes from wrestling the guys. The style that I wrestle with is about position, not about using my weight, so I don't feel that my weight is that much of an issue.

TheMat.com: Is it true that you are putting off grad school to pursue a spot on the 2004 Olympic Team?

Miranda: Yes it is. I  say that full-heartedly and without hesitation. It's such a rare opportunity to wrestle in the Olympics that I can't imagine myself not fully committing myself to winning a gold medal. No matter what, I don't want any doubts when it is all said and done. I want to know that I gave it the best shot that I could, and that will mean focusing 100% on wrestling. My grad school was deferred until I am done training for the Olympics as well, so I don't have to re-apply. Everyone at school has been very helpful.

TheMat.com: Talk about the experience of competing in varsity competition on the men's team at Stanford this season.

Miranda: Not many people believed in me and some never really took me seriously. It really drove me to succeed. Breaking the starting lineup this past season was a great experience. It gave me a chance to compete against some of the top competition in the nation (which included a 13-1 loss to Stephen Abas) and more importantly to have constant competition, something that not all women are lucky enough to get. I learned a lot from some of the guys in the wrestling room at Stanford, but it was a great opportunity for me.

TheMat.com: You won a World silver medal in 2000, your first World Championships. Tell us about the tournament and the keys to your success.

Miranda: I have to give a lot of thanks to Levi Weikel-Magden. Having him there with me really helped. He kept things light which helped me to not have any nervousness. In life there are times when you have to change speeds, and wrestling is no different. There is a down time and then a time to turn up the notch. To be able to turn it on and off for that tournament was a key. I am learning to do it more and more now. I try to be very responsible for my own actions and therefore I try to be the very best I can.

TheMat.com: Are excited about graduating from Stanford in June?

Miranda: Yes. From the time school gets done to the time I have to be at the World Team Trials is only four days. I will have an undergrad degree in Economics and a Master's in International Policy. Before September 11, nobody really knew what the International Policy degree was for, but ever since then, it seems like everybody is interested in what it is all about. It is definitely an interesting area of study.

Starting on May 30, TheMat.com will feature a daily interview with one of the 2002 U.S. Nationals champions, as well as a preview of that weight class for the upcoming World Team Trials, set for Saint Paul, Minn., June 21-23. Visit TheMat.com daily to read about America's best international athletes and learn about the exciting action expected at this year's World Team Trials.