Cumberland College retains No. 1 spot in TheMat.com U.S. Women’s Poll with Missouri Valley at No. 2,

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
01/15/2004


The January 15, 2004 TheMat.com U.S. Women's College Wrestling Rankings for teams and individuals have been released.     Cumberland College, a NAIA school in Kentucky, remained as the top U.S. women's college team, receiving two of the three first-place votes.The team, coached by Kip Flanik, competed in many major events in the United States and Canada this season.    Missouri Valley College, a NAIA team coached by Carl Murphree, placed second in the poll, with one first-place vote. Missouri Valley started its college schedule in January, with a trip to the West Coast.    The No. 1 and No. 2 teams will have their first showdown of the year as Cumberland and Missouri Valley will meet on Friday, Jan. 16 at NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, presented by Ice Breakers, which is held at the Cleveland State University Convocation Center in Cleveland, Ohio.    Taking over the No. 3 spot in the polls is NAIA school Menlo College in California, coached by Lee Allen. At No. 4 is Pacific University, an NCAA Div. III team in Oregon, coached by Scott Miller. Climbing up to No. 5 is the Univ. of Minnesota-Morris, an NCAA Div. II school coached by Doug Reese.    Rounding out the Top 10 are No. 6 Lassen College, No. 7 MacMurray College, No. 8 Univ. of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine WC, No. 9 Cal-State Bakersfield and No. 10 Princeton Univ.    The poll can be found at:  http://www.themat.com/rankings/default.asp?CategoryID=108&RankingID=631    The team ranking poll is elected by a panel of three U.S. women's college coaches. Eligible for ranking are college varsity and club women's wrestling programs.    Top-ranked athletes in the individual rankings was spread among many of the teams in the rankings.    Both Cumberland College and Missouri Valley College have three top-ranked invidual athletes.    Retaining their No. 1 individual rankings for Cumberland College are Suekoiyla Shelly at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Alaina Berube at 59 kg/130 lbs. and two-time World silver medalist Toccara Montgomery at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.    The Missouri Valley College athletes with No. 1 rankings are Debbi Sakai at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., Mollie Keith at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Kelly Branham at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.    The other top-ranked wrestlers in the nation are Mary Kelly of MacMurray College at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. and Megan Goldsmith of UM-Morris at 80 kg/176 lbs.    The January 15, 2004 TheMat.com U.S. Women's College Individual rankings can be found at:  http://www.themat.com/rankings/default.asp?CategoryID=108&RankingID=632    The individual rankings are selected by TheMat.com. Athletes who are considered for ranking are eligible full-time college students, and are members of their college women's varsity or club program, or a member of their college men's wrestling team.