Sept. 27, 2003

The United States has selected a team to compete at the 2003 Women's World Cup in Tokyo, Japan, Oct. 11-12.

The squad will include all seven U.S. Women's World Team members from this year, all of whom won World medals, a historic performance for the U.S. team.

The squad will be led by two-time World Champion Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. Marano outscored her opponents at this year's World Championships 23-1 and also recorded two wins by fall on her way to the 2003 World title.

Joining Marano will be 2003 World silver medalists and Stanford graduate Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Sara McMann (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/Cumberland College) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.

These four competitors all won gold medals in August at the Pan American Games, becoming the first four women's wrestling gold medalists in Pan American Games history.

Completing the U.S. roster will be 2003 World bronze medalists Jenny Wong (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. and Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 59 kg/130 lbs.

The team will be coached by USA Wrestling National Women's Coach Terry Steiner (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Chris Horpel (Stanford, Calif.), who is the coach of the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club and has previously served as the head wrestling coach at Stanford Univ. Horpel also served as the head coach of the 2002 U.S. Women's World Team.

The other countries competing are host Japan plus Canada, China, Germany, Greece and Russia.

Japan recently captured the team title at the 2003 Women's Freestyle World Championships in New York, N.Y. with five gold medalists. Russia placed third with two silver and two bronze medals, followed by China, which placed fourth with two bronze medals. Canada placed sixth as a team with one bronze medal.

Greece, which placed eighth, and Germany, which placed 10th, each finished with no medalists at the World Championships. Both nations have talented and experienced competitors in their lineups.

Individually, U.S. women's wrestlers posted a 1-3 record against Japanese women's wrestlers at the World Championships, with the lone win coming from Marano. Against the other five World Cup competing nations, U.S. women's wrestlers posted a 10-2 record during the World Championships.

The U.S. women have competed in the World Cup once, placing fourth in 2001 in Levallois, France. Katie Downing captured a gold medal at 68 kg/149.75 lbs. Miranda was the only member of this year's team to compete in that event, placing fourth at 56 kg/123.25 lbs.

Women's World Cup
at Tokyo, Japan, Oct. 11-12
U.S. Women's Roster
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Patricia Miranda, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Dave Schultz WC)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Jenny Wong, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Sally Roberts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Sara McMann, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Kristie Marano, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio (Cumberland College)
Coaches: Terry Steiner, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Chris Horpel, Stanford, Calif.

Event Schedule
Oct. 10
5:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. - Medical Check
6:00 p.m.-6:30 p.m. - Weigh-ins

Oct. 11
9:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. - Session 1 (2 matches/2 mats)
3:00 p.m. - Opening Ceremony
3:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m. - Session 2 (2 matches/2 mats)

Oct. 12
9:30 a.m.-11:50 a.m. - Session 3 (2 matches/2 mats)
2:30 p.m.-4:50 p.m. - Session 4 (2 matches/2 mats)
4:50 p.m.-6:00 p.m. - Final Match
6:00 p.m. - Closing Ceremony