Montgomery named Outstanding Wrestler at UM-Morris Women’s Freestyle Open

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
12/08/2002


2001 World silver medalist Toccara Montgomery of Cumberland College captured the 158.5-pound title and was named Outstanding Wrestler at the 2002 Univ. of Minnesota-Morris Women's Freestyle Open. She was one of four Cumberland individual champions in the tournament.    In a battle of No. 1 Senior-level stars, Montgomery scored an impressive 10-0 technical fall over Katie Downing of the Sunkist Kids in the gold-medal finals. Montgomery is ranked No. 1 in the nation at 158.5 pounds, while Downing is currently top-ranked on Team USA at 147.5 pounds. Montgomery and Downing have been regular opponents in recent seasons. Downing returned to UM-Morris, where she graduated last year as the program's greatest women's wrestler ever.    Joining Montgomery as champions from Cumberland College were Sarah Hayes at 112.25 pounds, Brooke Bogren at 130 pounds and Alaina Berube at 138.75 pounds.    Hayes upset Patrice Crenshaw of UM-Morris, 14-10 in the finals. Bogren won a three-athlete roundrobin, including a 5-0 win over second-place Jaimie Alvesteffer of Cumberland. Berube also won a roundrobin, with a 35-second pin of runner-up Ranae Faaborg of UM-Morris.    Three of America's varsity women's wrestling programs competed in the tournament. Cumberland won the team title, and host UM-Morris was second. Neosho County CC, the third U.S. varsity in the field, placed third in the standings. Rounding out the standings were the Univ. of Manitoba (Canada), the Sunkist Kids and the Minneapolis WC.    Claiming individual titles for Neosho County CC were Mary Kelly at 105.5 pounds and Elena Mena at 147.5 pounds. The other individual champion was UM-Morris star Marcie Van Dusen at 121 pounds.