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October 8, 2002
Morris, MN - Last season the women wrestlers of the University of Minnesota-Morris produced an undefeated dual meet record, won five team titles in tournament action, recorded a total of 20 All-Americans, and took home the USA Wrestling University National Championship. A very productive year to say the least, but not enough to satisfy the cravings of the 2002-03 team members.
Gone from last year's team are Katie Downing and Samantha Branka. Downing and Branka are now training full-time in USA Wrestling's Women's Freestyle Wrestling Resident Athlete program in Colorado Springs at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Both wrestlers had dominating careers at UMM, in fact Downing won a FILA-Junior World silver medal in 1999 in Romania, and Branka won a FILA-University World Championship silver medal this past June in Calgary.
Building champions is something that the wrestling program does with regularity at UM-Morris. "We have been blessed on a number of fronts," said head coach Doug Reese. "We have intelligent athletes to train with, and they love to work. That combination multiples success exponentially."
Some of best and brightest are back this season. Returning are Katrina Betts, Liz Short, Patrice Crenshaw, Keli Hinton, and Katie Ross.
Katrina Betts (Milan, MI) set eight all-time UMM wrestling records in her first season including a 39-7 record with 25 pins. Betts won every tournament title in the regular season at 105 pounds, and took home USGWA and Junior National Championship titles. Betts is currently ranked 4th at the senior level in the United States. A highlight last season was a 4-1 victory over Farrah Touchi of France, the 2001 World Champion. Katrina is majoring in Human Services.
Liz Short (Lombard, IL) won 20 matches last season in the shadow of Katrina Betts at 105 pounds, but Short peaked at the end of the season winning the FILA Junior National Championship at 94 pounds and qualifying for the FILA-University World Championships. Short represented UMM and the United States in Calgary along with teammate Samantha Branka. Short placed 8th in the toughest weight class in the championships. Liz is majoring in Pre-Med.
Patrice Crenshaw (East Point, GA) a former Georgia Boys State Championship qualifier in High School who won 45 matches as a senior versus the boys. Crenshaw posted a 4-1 record at 112 pounds, and recorded a 5th place finish at the Sunkist International Open before bowing out with a season ending injury. Back a full speed after a summer spent in the weight room, Crenshaw looks to be one tough competitor this season. Crenshaw is a Psychology major.
Keli Hinton (Andover, KS) returns at either 112 pounds or 123 this season. Hinton showed great potential throughout the season, even scoring a rare "five point" throw at the U.S. Senior Open. Hinton won two championship titles in her rookie season and placed in a total of five tournaments. With a year's experience under her belt, Hinton can be a star on the rise. Keli is majoring in Business Management.
Katie Ross (Greensboro, NC) only gets better every time she steps on the mat. Ross peaked in the last season sparking a 2nd place finish at the USGWA Collegiate Nationals, and wrestling extremely well at the U.S. Senior Open, and at University Nationals. Her last match of the season was most memorable as she beat former U.S. National Champion Kathilee Albert 13-12 at University Nationals on a last second takedown. Ross will return at 123 pounds this season. She is a Studio Art and Math major.
Another group of talented freshman and transfers finish off the lineup this season for the Cougars. Joining the team this season are; Tabathia Ramsey (Austin, TX), Marcie Van Dusen (Monterey, CA), Ranae Faaborg (Radcliffe, IA), Sharon Jacobson (El Cajon, CA), and Megan Goldsmith (Black River Falls, WI).
Tabathia Ramsey will compete at 112 pounds this season. Ramsey is a Texas State Champion and was named as the Most Outstanding Wrestler in the Texas High School State Championships this past season. Ramsey notched a 38-0 record as a senior. Ramsey is a Secondary Education major.
Marcie Van Dusen is a former Cadet World Medalist. Van Dusen won a bronze medal in the World Championships in England and Poland as a prep athlete. This past season Van Dusen placed third in the U.S. Open Senior Nationals and the World Team Trials making the U.S. National Team at 123 pounds. Van Dusen is the first alternate for the 2002 Women's Freestyle World Championship behind former Cougar Tina George. Van Dusen is Secondary Education major.
Marcie Van Dusen is just one of the talented new wrestlers joining the UM-Morris women's wrestling program this season. Van Dusen is a former two-time Cadet world bronze medalist and a 2002-03 member of the U.S. National Team. (photo by Doug Reese)
Ranae Faaborg is a talented athlete, who played basketball in high school and wrestled in the off-season in club programs in her home state of Iowa. Faaborg is now concentrating on wrestling and should develop into a fine wrestler in Coach Reese's system of training, and according to Reese, pound for pound she is one of the strongest wrestlers he has seen. Faaborg will compete at 138 pounds this season. Faaborg is a Biology major.
Sharon Jacobson was named to Wrestling USA Magazine's High School All-American Girls High School Wrestling Team. Jacobson placed 5th in the USGWA High School Nationals and wrestled for Team California at the first Junior National Championships for girls in Fargo this past July. Jacobson will compete probably at 129 pounds this season. Jacobson is a Speech and Communications major.
Megan Goldsmith was also named to the Wrestling USA Magazine's High School All-American Girls High School Wrestling Team. Goldsmith is the USGWA state champion for Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota. Megan placed 2nd in the USGWA National Championships as a senior. She is a physically strong, mentally tough, and talented wrestler, says Reese. Megan will be majoring Pre-Vet Medicine.
"We have been blessed with a very talented group again this year," said Reese. "We are really going to be tough in the lower weights. The upper half of the line up will be challenged early, but I see all of them developing in to champions. We will be tough at the end of the season when everything matters. The only hole we have is at 147 pounds where I expected Samantha Branka to be before she left for the Olympic Training Center. We will concentrate on recruiting that weight for next season," noted Reese.
The highlight of this season may just be an invitation from the French National Team to train and compete with them in Paris for spring break in mid-March. "I have known the French coach for a number of years with my travels overseas and to world championships," commented Reese. "Our friendship over time has developed into this opportunity. I am hoping to bring them to Morris in late January for a mini-training camp, a competition and cultural exchange," said Reese.
The Cougars open their season on Saturday, October 19th at the ASU/Sunkist International Open in Tempe, AZ. Last season the Cougar women place second in the prestigious international event, just one point out of first place. The first home appearance will be on Friday night, December 6th when the Cougars face Neosho County College (KS) in a dual meet following the Jamestown College vs. UMM men's team in the UMM P.E. Center.