Women’s Wrestling News Jan 15-17, Natl Championship, Hall of Fame, UFC, PFL
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January 15-17, 2024,
IOWA WINS NWCA WOMEN’S WRESTLING NATIONAL TITLE
Sometimes things go exactly the way you expect them to.
It certainly helps to have a big name coach in former Olympic champion Clarissa Chun as a head coach, the support of Iowa, a Power Five Division One school and the UFC for a sponsor.
How could anything go wrong?
And it didn’t.
The Iowa women’s wrestling team defeated number three King University in dominant fashion.
A major shout out to Ms. Chun.
Clarissa is formerly the USA Wrestling assistant National coach and an American Olympic women’s freestyle 105.5 pound wrestler. Ms. Chun was the first female wrestler from Hawaii to win a medal at the Olympics. She was inducted into the 2018 Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame and 2022 National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.
In 2022, it marked the first time that more than one female was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member, with Chun and Sara McMann becoming the third and fourth female Distinguished Members, joining fellow female wrestlers Tricia Saunders (2006) and Kristie Davis (2018).
Clarissa was also among the inductees of the 2023 class of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) National High School Hall of Fame.
WOMEN’S WRESTLING HALL OF FAME
Speaking of Hall of Fame, time to turn to the Lady Pros.
Opening in October of 2022, The Women’s Wrestling Hall of Fame, has announced its Class of 2024.
The stars and legends are Jacqueline Moore, otherwise known as Miss Jackie, Rockin’ Robin, Lisa Marie Varon, Leilani Kai, Heidi Lee Morgan, Wendi Richter and Joyce Grable.
Congrats to all.
UFC’s GERMAINE DE RANDAMIE RETURNS
It’s been three years but who is counting.
That was Germaine De Randamie’s last appearance in the Octagon, the first women’s featherweight champion in UFC history.
The former champion is set to return to fight once again this year.
UFC introduced the women’s featherweight division with the main event for UFC 208, which witnessed Germaine de Randamie claim the first belt when she defeated former bantamweight titleholder Holly Holm via unanimous decision.
There is great excitement about her return since her only two UFC losses came at the hands of former division champion Amanda Nunes and she achieved victories over two former champions in Pena and Holmes.
The UFC Fight Night event on April 6, 2024 is scheduled to take place at the UFC Apex facility under the bright lights of Las Vegas.
KAYLA HARRISON DOMINATES ASPEN LADD
We love Nor Cal’s Aspen Ladd and have often sang her praises. For good reason.
The former UFC star, who had trouble making weight, moved over to the PFL with nice results.
Finally it was time to face super pounder Kayla Harrison and here was the result.
Aspen was dominated in three rounds.
Having said that, Aspen is still a rising star to watch.
Finally, since our inception, we have read about how the organization Beat The Streets has been extremely supportive of girls wrestling.
They continue to do so.
BSN SPORTS DONATES $275,000 WORTH OF SPORTING GOODS EQUIPMENT TO BEAT THE STREETS’ YOUTH WRESTLING INITIATIVE
News provided by
20 Dec, 2023, 11:23 ET
FARMERS BRANCH, Texas, Dec. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — BSN SPORTS, a direct marketer and distributor of highly customized sporting goods and fanwear to the institutional sporting goods market, and a division of Varsity Brands, donated sporting goods equipment to Beat the Streets, a sports-based youth development nonprofit organization. The retail value of the equipment equates to $275,000.
Beat the Streets fosters youth development for student-athletes in underserved communities through mentoring and life guidance taught in quality wrestling programs. The nonprofit serves nearly 10,000 male and female youth and enriches their lives in sports, school, and the community.
“We are honored and humbled to have the opportunity to uplift young athletes and make a positive difference in their lives,” said Terry Babilla, President of BSN SPORTS. “BSN SPORTS’ donation to Beat the Streets is not just about ensuring wrestlers have the right resources to win on the mat, but it’s also about inspiring at-risk youth and reassuring them that they can win in life, too.”
The product donation’s monetary value surpasses Beat the Streets’ national fundraising goal of $100,000 through its annual GearUp! initiative, which launched in September. The donation fulfilled the organization’s immediate need and allows the nonprofit to focus its fundraising efforts on securing more gear to ensure every athlete receives what he or she needs to succeed and deserves.
“Studies have shown that children living in poverty are six times more likely to quit athletic pursuits due to the costs associated with gear and resources, and we are grateful to BSN SPORTS for its generosity and commitment to serving our young athletes,” said Ben Reiter, Executive Director of Beat the Streets. “Providing necessary gear supports our existing athletes and allows us to open doors to new participants. A donation of this magnitude lets our athletes know people and organizations care about their well-being and helps them build up their confidence the next time they step on the mat.”
About BSN SPORTS
Dallas-based BSN SPORTS is a leading marketer, manufacturer and distributor of sporting goods apparel and equipment. A division of Varsity Brands, BSN SPORTS markets and distributes its products to over 150,000 institutional and team sports customers in colleges and universities, middle and high schools, and recreational programs throughout the United States via catalog, e-commerce, and direct sales. Focused on providing game changing solutions through local partnerships, multi-brand selection and one-stop shopping for equipment and uniforms, BSN SPORTS’ more than 3,000 employees have been helping elevate participation in team sports since 1972. For more information about BSN SPORTS please visit www.BSNSPORTS.com.
About Varsity Brands
Varsity Brands is the premier provider of customizable team sports, cheer, dance, band, and yearbook services, experiences, and products. The company’s mission is to elevate the student experience, positively impacting the lives of over 55 million young people nationwide. Its divisions—BSN SPORTS and Varsity Spirit—champion youth participation and celebrate their achievements, fostering passion, enthusiasm, and community engagement. The company serves elementary, middle, and high schools, colleges, universities, gyms, clubs, select teams, and professional sports. Explore how Varsity Brands is shaping the future of youth engagement and making a difference in the lives of young people across the country at varsitybrands.com.
Contact: Lisa Bartek, lbartek@varsitybrands.com
SOURCE BSN SPORTS
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OPENING PHOTO Christian-Bertrand-Shutterstock-photo-credit-Editorial-use fciwomenswrestling.com femcompetititor.com grapplingstars.com, fciwomenswrestling.com fciwomenswrestling2.com
https://www.si.com/fannation/mma/ufc/ex-ufc-champ-to-return-from-3-year-layoff-at-ufc-fight-night
https://www.kcrg.com/video/2024/01/07/iowa-womens-wrestling-wins-nwca-national-title/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarissa_Chun
https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2024/01/06/womens-wrestling-hall-of-fame-announces-second-class/
https://www.fciwomenswrestling2.com
https://www.fcielitecompetitor.com/
https://fciwomenswrestling.com/
