WOMEN'S WRESTLING: King College set to host WCWA nationals

For some of the top women’s wrestlers in the nation, the journey to London will begin in Bristol.

This Saturday at the Student Center, King College will host the Women’s College Wrestling Association nationals, the country’s top collegiate tournament, which this year features an Olympic twist.

In addition to serving as the annual capstone to the collegiate season, Saturday’s event will double as an opportunity for wrestlers to secure a spot in April’s U.S. Olympic Qualifier at Iowa University where berths to the 2012 London Games will be determined.

In essence, it’s a big deal.

And playing host is pretty heady stuff for the still-pretty-new kids on the block.

In just its third season of existence, the King program has risen to become one of the nation’s best – and on Saturday the women’s wrestling world will be centered on Bristol.

“I think it just kind of symbolizes our work ethic and how we are chasing everything,” said King coach Jason Moorman about hosting the WCWA nationals, which began in 2008. “We want to be the best at everything. Every girl on our team thinks that way. I think that way. Our very first year, we bid for it.”

King isn’t merely planning on serving as a gracious host, however.

The Tornado wrestlers have a golden gleam in their eyes.

After finishing 10^th in its inaugural WCWA nationals appearance in 2010, King recorded a fourth-placing showing in the team standings at last year’s tournament and will come into the 2012 competition as the second-ranked squad in the country behind only three-time defending WCWA champion Oklahoma City.

While Moorman said the pressure will be on Oklahoma City to win another title, he said his team has just one aim in mind this weekend.

“No. 2 doesn’t mean very much,” he said. “Our goal is to be national champ.”

This year’s field will feature 16 schools, including Canada’s Simon Fraser, the 2011 runner-up. Wrestling will take place across 10 weight classes, with individual performances tallied for a team score.

King had one individual national champion last year, Marina Lambert, and seven All-Americans who earned the distinction with a top-six WCWA finish.

Lambert is no longer at the school, but four of the other All-Americans from a season ago will be back on the mat Saturday for the Tornado, including 2011 national runner-ups Alli Ragan and Emily Martin.

Both Ragan and Martin are hoping to turn silver into gold this year as the top-ranked wrestlers in their respective weight classes heading into WCWA nationals.

“I feel like we’ve been working for this ever since we lost last year,” Ragan said. “It’s kind of one of those things.”

“My mom even reminded me the other day to remember that I lost last year,” Martin said. “It fuels me. I do keep it in mind and it’s my goal to not fall short.”

Ragan has already secured a berth to the Olympic Qualifier this spring, while Martin will be one of the hopefuls looking to lock up a trip to Iowa with a strong performance Saturday.

In four of the weight classes, both of the finalists will be guaranteed a shot this spring at punching a ticket to London, while in the other six divisions only Saturday’s champion will earn an automatic Olympic Qualifier spot.

In addition to Martin and Ragan, other top contenders for King include Samantha Klingel, Julia Salata, Sarah Hildebrandt and Krista Revelle, a freshman who just joined the Tornado this semester after graduating early from Jefferson West High School in Meriden, Kan.

Moorman said he has high expectations for his entire roster.

“I think every single one of those girls needs to be going in there expecting to win,” he said.

Action begins Saturday at the Student Center at 9 a.m. with the championship finals slated for 7 p.m. Tickets are $10, with King students, faculty and staff getting in free with a college ID.

With so much at stake, Ragan said the King wrestlers are looking forward to competing in familiar surroundings.

“I feel like we always wrestle better at home,” she said. “I think everyone does. With nationals being here, it’s like that much of an advantage.”

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