Sara McMann
Encyclopedia
Sara McMann is the first American
woman in history to receive a silver medal
in women's wrestling at the 2004 Summer Olympics
games in Athens
, Greece
. She wrestled in the Women's Freestyle 63 kg or 138.75 lb weight class. Sara was a Silver Medalist in 2003 World Championships and Bronze Medalist in 2005 & 2007 World Championships. Sara started wrestling at the age of 14 in Marion, North Carolina
at McDowell High School
.
McMann is currently the #9-ranked 135-pound female MMA fighter in the world according to the Unified Women's MMA Rankings.
in Maryland, was murdered Jan. 23, 1999 at the age of 21.
in Marion, North Carolina
where, in addition to wrestling, she participated in theatre productions. She earned a degree in Theatre at Lock Haven University, where she was a member of the school's wrestling team under the coaching of Carl Poff from 1999-2003. She previously attended University of Minnesota
-Morris from 1998-1999, where she was coached by Doug Reese. She has graduated from Gardner-Webb University with a Masters Degree in Mental Health Counseling.
While driving her Jeep
in Colorado
on the way to the Iowa with her fiance, former ASU
three-time NCAA All-American wrestler Steven Blackford
as her passenger, the vehicle ran off the road and rolled over. He was ejected from the vehicle, and died at the scene. McMann was hospitalized with a broken arm and other minor injuries. Blackford was attending the Columbus Law School at Catholic University.
. She planned to fight at 135 pounds. However, she did not sign on with the promotion due to an extension clause in the contract.
McMann was first scheduled to make her professional mixed martial arts debut on November 14, 2010 in Jamaica
, but the event was cancelled due to safety issues with the cage.
She then had more fights fall apart after opponents backed out, including a scheduled April 30, 2011 fight against Mariah Johnson.
On May 28, 2011, McMann at last made her pro MMA debut at Universal Cage Combat: Revolution in Lawrenceburg, Indiana
. She defeated Christina Marks by submission in the first round.
McMann faced fellow Olympian Julie Malenfant at Blackeye Promotions 4 on June 17, 2011 in Fletcher, North Carolina
. McMann defeated Malenfant by TKO early in the first round.
McMann faced Tonya Evinger
at Titan Fighting Championships 19
on July 29, 2011 in Kansas City, Kansas. The fight served as the co-main event. McMann defeated Evinger by unanimous decision.
McMann faced Raquel Pa'aluhi at ProElite: Arlovski vs. Lopez on August 27, 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii. She defeated Pa'aluhi by submission due to a keylock in the third round.
| Win
| align="center" | 4-0
| Raquel Pa'aluhi
| Submission (keylock)
| ProElite: Arlovski vs. Lopez
|
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 2:53
| Honolulu, Hawaii
, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 3-0
| Tonya Evinger
| Decision (unanimous)
| Titan Fighting Championships 19
|
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 5:00
| Kansas City, Kansas
, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 2-0
| Julie Malenfant
| TKO (punches)
| Blackeye Promotions 4
|
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 0:32
| Fletcher, North Carolina
, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 1-0
| Christina Marks
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| Universal Cage Combat: Revolution
|
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 1:41
| Lawrenceburg, Indiana
, United States
|
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
woman in history to receive a silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
in women's wrestling at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
games in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. She wrestled in the Women's Freestyle 63 kg or 138.75 lb weight class. Sara was a Silver Medalist in 2003 World Championships and Bronze Medalist in 2005 & 2007 World Championships. Sara started wrestling at the age of 14 in Marion, North Carolina
Marion, North Carolina
Marion is a city in McDowell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,943 at the 2008 estimated census. It is the county seat of McDowell County.-Geography:Marion is located at ....
at McDowell High School
McDowell High School (Marion, North Carolina)
McDowell High School is a public high school located in the western North Carolina town of Marion. Known for its reputable NJROTC program, successful athletic teams, musical directors, and computer programming classes, the 4A school of roughly 1,600 students is the only high school in McDowell County...
.
McMann is currently the #9-ranked 135-pound female MMA fighter in the world according to the Unified Women's MMA Rankings.
Family
Sara's parents are Thomas William McMann and Paula Jean McMann. She has one sister, Nickolina McMann, and one brother, Jason McMann. Sara's brother, Jason, who wrestled at Quince Orchard High SchoolQuince Orchard High School
Quince Orchard High School is a secondary school located on Quince Orchard Road in an unincorporated area of Gaithersburg in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. Quince Orchard's incoming freshmen come from Lakelands Park and Ridgeview Middle School as well as Roberto Clemente Middle School...
in Maryland, was murdered Jan. 23, 1999 at the age of 21.
Education
McMann attended McDowell High SchoolMcDowell High School (Marion, North Carolina)
McDowell High School is a public high school located in the western North Carolina town of Marion. Known for its reputable NJROTC program, successful athletic teams, musical directors, and computer programming classes, the 4A school of roughly 1,600 students is the only high school in McDowell County...
in Marion, North Carolina
Marion, North Carolina
Marion is a city in McDowell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,943 at the 2008 estimated census. It is the county seat of McDowell County.-Geography:Marion is located at ....
where, in addition to wrestling, she participated in theatre productions. She earned a degree in Theatre at Lock Haven University, where she was a member of the school's wrestling team under the coaching of Carl Poff from 1999-2003. She previously attended University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
-Morris from 1998-1999, where she was coached by Doug Reese. She has graduated from Gardner-Webb University with a Masters Degree in Mental Health Counseling.
Off the mat
Sara does volunteer work for Habitat for Humanity and Safe Homes. She traveled to Sri Lanka with Olympic teammates to help victims of the Tsunami rebuild homes for those displaced by the tidal wave. She also helps with youth clubs and speaks to upcoming girls and boys about wrestling.While driving her Jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
on the way to the Iowa with her fiance, former ASU
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
three-time NCAA All-American wrestler Steven Blackford
Steven Blackford
Steven Allen Blackford was a three-time NCAA All-American and two-time Pac-10 Champion wrestler for Arizona State University...
as her passenger, the vehicle ran off the road and rolled over. He was ejected from the vehicle, and died at the scene. McMann was hospitalized with a broken arm and other minor injuries. Blackford was attending the Columbus Law School at Catholic University.
Mixed martial arts career
McMann announced in late 2010 that she had signed a three-fight contract with StrikeforceStrikeforce
Strikeforce is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization based in San Jose, California. It is headed by CEO Scott Coker and owned by Zuffa, LLC...
. She planned to fight at 135 pounds. However, she did not sign on with the promotion due to an extension clause in the contract.
McMann was first scheduled to make her professional mixed martial arts debut on November 14, 2010 in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, but the event was cancelled due to safety issues with the cage.
She then had more fights fall apart after opponents backed out, including a scheduled April 30, 2011 fight against Mariah Johnson.
On May 28, 2011, McMann at last made her pro MMA debut at Universal Cage Combat: Revolution in Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Lawrenceburg is a city in Dearborn County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,042 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Dearborn County...
. She defeated Christina Marks by submission in the first round.
McMann faced fellow Olympian Julie Malenfant at Blackeye Promotions 4 on June 17, 2011 in Fletcher, North Carolina
Fletcher, North Carolina
Fletcher is a town in Henderson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,185 at the 2000 census.Fletcher is home to Asheville Regional Airport, which serves Western North Carolina...
. McMann defeated Malenfant by TKO early in the first round.
McMann faced Tonya Evinger
Tonya Evinger
Tonya S. Evinger is an American female mixed martial artist. She has previously competed for EliteXC and Raging Wolf.-Early life:Evinger's younger twin brothers, Chris and Owen Evinger, are also professional mixed martial arts fighters....
at Titan Fighting Championships 19
Titan Fighting Championships 19
Titan FC 19 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Titan Fighting Championships on Friday, July 29, 2011 at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. The event was aired live on HDNet.-Background:...
on July 29, 2011 in Kansas City, Kansas. The fight served as the co-main event. McMann defeated Evinger by unanimous decision.
McMann faced Raquel Pa'aluhi at ProElite: Arlovski vs. Lopez on August 27, 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii. She defeated Pa'aluhi by submission due to a keylock in the third round.
Mixed martial arts record
|-| Win
| align="center" | 4-0
| Raquel Pa'aluhi
| Submission (keylock)
| ProElite: Arlovski vs. Lopez
|
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 2:53
| Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 3-0
| Tonya Evinger
Tonya Evinger
Tonya S. Evinger is an American female mixed martial artist. She has previously competed for EliteXC and Raging Wolf.-Early life:Evinger's younger twin brothers, Chris and Owen Evinger, are also professional mixed martial arts fighters....
| Decision (unanimous)
| Titan Fighting Championships 19
Titan Fighting Championships 19
Titan FC 19 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Titan Fighting Championships on Friday, July 29, 2011 at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. The event was aired live on HDNet.-Background:...
|
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 5:00
| Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 2-0
| Julie Malenfant
| TKO (punches)
| Blackeye Promotions 4
|
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 0:32
| Fletcher, North Carolina
Fletcher, North Carolina
Fletcher is a town in Henderson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,185 at the 2000 census.Fletcher is home to Asheville Regional Airport, which serves Western North Carolina...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 1-0
| Christina Marks
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| Universal Cage Combat: Revolution
|
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 1:41
| Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Lawrenceburg is a city in Dearborn County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,042 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Dearborn County...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
|
Career highlights
- 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer OlympicsThe 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
- Silver Medal, Freestyle - 63 kg 2004 Athens, Greece
- 2003 World silver medalist
- 2005 World bronze medalist
- 2007 World bronze medalist
- Two-time Pan American Games champion (2003, 2007)
- Seven-time U.S. World Team member (2000-03, 2005-07)
- Six-time U.S. Nationals champion (2000-03, 2006-07)
- Fifth in 2000 Junior World Championships
- Two-time Pan American Games champion (2003, 2007)
- Seven-time U.S. World Team member (2000-03, 2005-07)
- Six-time U.S. Nationals champion (2000-03, 2006-07)
- Fifth in 2000 Junior World Championships
- The Hayastan Grappling Challenge Women's East Coast Champion (2009)
- Amateur mixed martial arts record: 3-0