Simon Fraser No. 1 and Cumberland No. 2 in final TheMat.com North American Women’s College Poll
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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
03/30/2004
The March 2004 TheMat.com North American Women's College Wrestling Rankings for teams and individuals has been released. It is the final poll for the 2003-04 season. Simon Fraser Univ. of British Columbia, Canada retained the top ranking in North America. The team is coached by Mike Jones, and received all five first place votes. Simon Fraser won the 2004 CIS Canadian National Championships in March. Ranked No. 2 is Cumberland College, a NAIA school in Kentucky, coached by Kip Flanik. Cumberland has placed consistently high in major international and college women's wrestling tournaments all season. Holding the No. 3 ranking for the second straight month is the Univ. of Calgary, from Alberta, Canada. Calgary is coached by Mitch Ostberg and placed second at the CIS Championships. Holding the No. 4 spot again is Missouri Valley College, an NAIA school coached by Carl Murphree. Missouri Valley won the team title at the U.S. College Women's Nationals held on its campus in late March. Staying at No. 5 is Brock Univ. from Ontario, Canada, which is coached by Richard DesChateles. Brock placed third in the CIS Championships. Rounding out the Top 10 were No. 6 Pacific University, No. 7 McMaster Univ., No. 8 Lakehead Univ., No. 9 Univ. of Minnesota-Morris and No. 10 Western Ontario Univ. A total of 20 teams were ranked, and other teams receiving votes were also recognized. The entire poll can be found at: http://www.themat.com/rankings/default.asp?CategoryID=108&RankingID=679 The team ranking poll is elected by a panel of women's college coaches, three from Canada and two from the United States. Eligible for ranking are college varsity and club women's wrestling programs. The No. 1 ranked wrestlers were split evenly between U.S. and Canadian colleges, with each nation having four top-ranked athletes. All four of these athletes were also top ranked in February. The four U.S. No. 1 athletes are Mary Kelly of MacMurray at 48 kg (105.5 lbs.), Suekoiyla Shelly of Cumberland College at 55 kg/121 lbs., Toccara Montgomery of Cumberland College at 72 kg (158.5 lbs.) and Stephany Lee of Missouri Valley College at 80 kg (176 lbs.) The Canadian college athletes with No. 1 rankings are Sara White of Simon Fraser at 51 kg (112.25 lbs.), Emily Richardson of Simon Fraser at 59 kg (130 lbs.), Tara Hedican of Guelph at 63 kg (138.75 lbs.) and Martine Dugunier of Concordia at 67 kg (147.5 lbs.) The March 2004 North American Women's College Individual rankings can be found at: http://www.themat.com/rankings/default.asp?CategoryID=108&RankingID=681 The individual rankings are selected by TheMat.com, with assistance from coaches. 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. Women's wrestling is a growing sport in Canada and the United States on the college level. The International Olympic Committee has named women's freestyle wrestling as the newest sport added to the Summer Olympic Games program. The United States and Canada are among the most successful women's wrestling nations in the world. Copyright 2004 by USA Wrestling and TheMat.com.