Kaneda qualifies for Olympic trials

MARQUETTE — Sadie Kaneda, a freestyle wrestler at the United States Olympic Education Center, qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials with her gold-medal performance at the Women’s College Wrestling Association Freestyle National Championships in Oklahoma City, Okla.


The USOEC team also captured four silver medals.


Kaneda (Honolulu, Hawaii) was crowned college champion at 48 kilograms. The Northern Michigan University junior was able to defeat the 2006 Jr. World Champion, Nicole Woody, of Oklahoma City University, 1-0, 6-0. She will compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials June 13-15 in Las Vegas.


NMU sophomore Alyssa Lampe (Tomahawk, Wis.) fell short to Jessica Medina from the University of the Cumberlands at 51 kg, 0-1, 7-2, 1-0.


According to USOEC coach Shannyn Gillespie, Lampe decided minutes before weighing in to wrestle up one weight class to allow her teammate Kaneda the opportunity to qualify for the Olympic Trials.


Senior Amy Borgnini (Terre Haute, Ind.) at 55 kg finished second to Sandy Do of Cumberlands, 2-1, 2-1. Nikki Darrow (Lanesboro, Mass.) a sophomore, brought home silver after battling Kelsey Campbell of Arizona State University at 59 kg, 3-0, 1-0.


Freshman Lindsey Brooks (Spring, Texas) surpassed her fourth seed and made the gold medal round, securing a second-place finish. Brooks beat No. 1 seed Lacey Novinska from Missouri Valley College in the semifinals. Former USOEC resident athlete Melissa Simmons beat Brooks in a three period thriller 1-1, 1-1, 1-0 at 72 kg.


NMU freshman Amber Miracle (Berlin, Wis.) debuted at her first WCWA and “looked impressive,” said Gillespie. 


Schuyler Brown (Montpelier, Va.) at 63 kg and Erin Clodgo (Richmond, Vt.) at 67 kg were ineligible for the WCWA because they attend Marquette Senior High School, but they were able to receive victories over the reigning or current WCWA 2008 champions in their respective weight classes.