The 2003 U.S. Women's World Cup team, which captured the team title at the 2003 Women's World Cup of Wrestling in Japan, placed fifth in the voting for the 2003 U.S. Olympic Committee Team of the Year.    The U.S. Women's National Gymnastics Team was voted USOC Team of the Year.    The U.S. Women's National Team enjoyed an undefeated season in 2003, overcoming substantial odds at times to win gold at every opportunity.  At the Pacific Challenge, a split U.S. National Team finished 1-2 against national squads from Canada and Australia, and U.S. athletes also captured places 1-12 and 14 in the all-around standings.  The Pan American Games Team won team gold, gold and silver in the all-around, plus gold and bronze on bars, beam and floor, and silver on vault for a total of 10 medals.  The highlight of the year came at the World Championships, where a highly-regarded U.S. team lost four world medalists to injury or illness in the days leading up to the competition, yet relying on the depth of the program and skills of three 15-year-olds, pulled out an historic first-ever World Championships team gold medal by nearly two points. Additionally, squad members finished with a silver medal in the all-around and enjoyed a two-way U.S. tie for gold on the uneven bars.    Placing second in the voting was the USA Softball's Women's National Team, followed by the USA Volleyball's beach duo of Misty May (Costa Mesa, Calif.) and Kerri Walsh (Saratoga, Calif.); the U.S. Women's Water Polo Team, the women's wrestling U.S. World Cup Team  and the USA Basketball World Championship for Young Women Team.    The team members for the U.S. Women's World Cup wrestling team were Patricia Miranda (Saratoga, Calif.) at 48 kg, Jenny Wong (Woodbury, Minn.) at 51 kg, Tina George (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) at 55 kg, Sally Roberts (Federal Way, Wash.) at 59 kg, Sara McMann (Colorado Springs, Colo.) at 63 kg, Kristie Marano (Albany, N.Y.) at 67 kg and Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio) at 72 kg. The team was coached by Women's National Coach Terry Steiner (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Chris Horpel (Stanford, Calif.)    The 2003 U.S. Women's Wrestling World  Cup Team claimed the team title at the Third Women's World  Cup  in  Tokyo, Japan, Oct. 11-12. With the meet going down to the final  match, the United States edged host Japan, 14-13, in the gold-medal match. Montgomery scored a 5-3 decision over five-time World Champion Kyoko Hamaguchi to finish the upset win. U.S. women wrestlers won four of the seven bouts against Japan.    The victory over Japan in the World Cup could be considered one of the greatest achievements for Team USA in women's wrestling history. Both teams entered the  gold-medal  round with perfect 5-0 records.    Team USA captured all five of their previous matches. The team opened with a 28-0 win over Greece and an 18-9 victory over Canada. In the evening session on the first day, the United States beat two top teams, with a 19-9 win over Russia and a 16-12 victory over China. Their 23-3 win over Germany put the USA into the finals match against Japan.    Four U.S. women claimed individual gold medals, for having the best performance against the rest of the women in their weight classes: Miranda, Roberts, Marano and Montgomery. Miranda was named Outstanding Wrestler of the competition.    Cyclist Lance Armstrong and figure skater Michelle Kwan have been voted the 2003 United States Olympic Committee SportsMan and SportsWoman of the Year, respectively.    In a very close vote, swimmer Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Md.) was runner-up in the SportsMan of the Year voting.  Other top finishers were gymnast Paul Hamm (Waukesha, Wis.), skier Bode Miller (Franconia, N.H.) and speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno (Seattle, Wash.).    Tennis player Serena Williams (Palm Springs Gardens, Fla.), speedskater Jennifer Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.), gymnast Chellsie Memmel (West Allis, Wis.) and hockey's Angela Ruggiero (Harper Woods, Mich.) followed Kwan in the SportsWoman of the Year balloting.    The USOC SportsMan and SportsWoman of the Year awards have been presented annually since 1974 to the top overall male and female athlete from within the USOC member organizations.   The team award was added in 1996.  Voters for the awards include national media, the USOC Board of Directors and the USOC Athletes' Advisory Council.  Winners are selected from the individual female and male Athlete of the Year and Team of the Year nominations of the National Governing Bodies for the Olympic, Pan American, Affiliated and Disabled Sports Organizations within the U.S. Olympic Movement.    Wrestlers who have won the Sports Man of the Year have included John Smith (1990) and Rulon Gardner (2000). A wrestler has never won Sports Woman of the Year, nor has a wrestling team won the Team of the Year award.    (taken from USOC press release written by Carla O'Connell)