Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
Sara McMann (Lock Haven, Pa./Sunkist Kids) has been named the 2004 Women’s Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling. It is the first time that McMann has won this prestigious award.
McMann won the Olympic silver gold medal in women’s freestyle wrestling at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. at the Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. She was one of two U.S. women wrestlers to claim a medal during the Athens Games, and the highest placement of the U.S. women wrestlers. It was a historic performance as women’s freestyle wrestling was contested at the Olympic Games for the first time.
McMann was impressive in reaching the gold-medal finals, scoring pins in two of her first three bouts. In her opening match, she pinned 2001 World champion Lili Meng of China in 2:01. Her second bout was a 5-2 loss to Canadian Viola Yanik, but McMann’s pin over Meng allowed her to win the pool and advance. In the semifinals, she pinned Stavroula Zygouri of Greece in just 50 seconds, silencing the pro-Greek crowd and guaranteeing McMann a medal at the Olympics.
In the gold medal finals, facing her archrival, McMann lost a very close 3-2 decision to two-time World champion Kaori Icho of Japan.
McMann earned her spot on the U.S. Olympic Team, winning the title at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials “Wrestling in Indianapolis, Ind in May. She defeated Alaina Berube (Escanaba, Mich./New York AC) in the championship series, two matches to zero.
McMann also won a gold medal at the Olympic Testing Event held in Athens, Greece in February. She won a gold medal at the Manitoba Open in Canada, and a bronze medal at the Dave Schultz Memorial International in Colorado Springs, Colo. McMann won her match at the Titan Games in Atlanta by pin. She was a silver medalist at the U.S. Nationals in Las Vegas, Nev.
McMann attended Lock Haven Univ., where she was a member of the men’s wrestling team. She began her college career at the Univ. of Minnesota-Morris. She is originally from Marion, N.C.
USA Wrestling will be announcing major award winners each day this week on TheMat.com.
PAST WOMEN’S WRESTLER OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS
2004 – Sara McMann, Lock Haven, Pa., Sunkist Kids
2003 – Patricia Miranda, Colorado Springs, Colo., Dave Schultz WC
2002 – Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y., ATWA
2001 – Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio, Sunkist Kids
2000 – Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y., ATWA
1999 – Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1998 – Kristie Stenglein, Albany, N.Y., ATWA
1997 – Sandra Bacher, San Jose, Calif., Dave Schultz WC
1996 – Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1995 – Vickie Zummo, Hamburg, N.J., New York AC
1994 – Shannon Williams, Ontario, Calif., Sunkist Kids
1993 – Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
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