The success of Memorial’s female athletes extends beyond the basketball court. While the Sea-Hawks were representing the university at the Canadian basketball championships earlier this month, Kerri-Ann Evely was doing something no Memorial female athlete had accomplished before: winning a national wrestling medal.

Ms. Evely took home a bronze medal in the women’s 70 kilogram class at the 2005 Canadian Interuniversity Sport wrestling championships at Brock University in St. Catharine’s, Ontario, March 6.

The Carbonear native didn’t start wrestling until her final year of high school and continued it into university. “All the senior wrestlers and Coach (Glenn) Clark welcomed me with open arms and I just kept it up.”

She’s now in the third year of the kinesiology program and intends to finish her degree next year, and perhaps finish some work at the Canadian championships. Her goal for next year’s national university championship is gold.

Ms. Evely said the program at Memorial – from Coach Clark to her teammates on the men’s and women’s squads – are what makes wrestling a special sport for her.
“Everyone says wrestling is an individual sport,” she said. “Wrestling is definitely a team sport. There’s no way you can do it without the support of your coach or teammates.”