The defending national champion is Jenny Wong of the Sunkist Kids, who has steadily improved her performance after an impressive age-group career. Wong was dominant in winning the University Nationals in April, and has shown continued progress since becoming a USOTC resident athlete. Her performance against foreign athletes also has been solid, including a medal at the famous Yarygin Memorial in Russia.    Wong was defeated in a Special Wrestle-off for the U.S. World team, however, by 2001 World silver medalist Stephanie Murata of the Sunkist Kids. It was Murata who went to the World Championships, where she placed 10th. Murata was competing at an Olympic weight class, 55 kg/121, and when she placed second in the 2002 World Team Trials, she dropped down for the wrestle-off. Murata is expected to stay up at 121 pounds for the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials this year, in an attempt to make a run for the Olympic spot there next year..    Young Katie Kunimoto of the Gator WC placed behind Wong at the 2002 World Team Trials, the top performance of her developing career. Kunimoto is also a USOTC resident athlete, and is still learning her trade. Kunimoto finished fifth at the recent University Nationals, a disappointment she wishes to reverse at the U.S. Nationals in Las Vegas.    Veteran Danielle Hobeika placed second at the 2002 U.S. Nationals and is third on the national team ladder at this weight class. Hobeika won a gold against college wrestlers at the Can-Am Freestyle Championships in Michigan this year. She trained with and coached the women wrestlers at Princeton this year. Hobeika has consistently beaten the young wrestlers in this division, but will need     Jillian Yost, third at last year's U.S. Nationals and Audrey Pang, who was fourth, have not been prominent yet this year. Pang is one of the Princeton wrestlers who have been training with Hobeika.    College wrestlers Patrice Crenshaw of UM-Morris, Jill Remiticado of Pacific, Sarah Hayes of Cumberland and Marianne Vollmer of Missouri Valley all have the ability to challenge for the medal rounds. They have been trading places in TheMat.com U.S. college rankings all season. Remiticado, a senior, may the most success of this group on the Senior level. Crenshaw, who has strong skills but has had injury problems, upset Kunimoto during the University Nationals this year. Hayes has shown tremendous consistency in her performances throughout the year.    Laura Obuhanych of the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine WC was eighth at last year's U.S. Nationals. FILA Junior champion Debbi Sakai, also from the Hawaii club, could also be a force. Sakai was a high school national girls folkstyle champion, and has been competing well at USA Wrestling age-group levels.    Others to watch are Colleen McKinney of Cumberland College, Tanya Miyasaki of Menlo College, Yvette Madrid of Neosho County CC and Ophelia Pickard of Missouri Valley. Miyasaki is a past U.S. Nationals placewinner who has moved up in weight. This weight class has the potential to showcase a few new young talents, perhaps some motivated high school stars looking to make a national name for themselves.    2002 U.S. Women's Nationals results at 51 kg (112 lbs.)  1st - Jenny Wong, Stillwater, Minn. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Danielle Hobeika, Cambridge, Mass. (Dave Schultz WC), 9-4  3rd - Jillian Yost, Manchester, Conn. (New York AC) pin Audrey Pang, Princeton, N.J. (PFW), 2:31  5th - Katie Kunimoto, Kaneohe, Hawaii (Pacific) dec. Kera Pemberton, Manhattan, Kan. (Dave Schultz WC), 10-4  7th -Sarah Hayes, Aurora, Colo. (Cumberland College) pin Laura Obuhanych, Ewa Beach, Hawaii (Rainbow Wahines), 3:34