LAS VEGAS -- When Missouri Valley College created the second women's wrestling program among American institutions of higher learning in 2000, Honolulu, Hawaii's Clarissa Chun was among the first to sign up.

Chun was an immediate star for the Lady Vikings, although a knee injury during her sophomore year slowed her down. She left Valley after her junior campaign to join the U.S. Olympic training program, but barely missed making the squad for the 2004 Athens Games.

However, when the torch is lit in Beijing in August, Chun will be a member of Team USA after knocking off long-time 48-kilogram rival Patricia Miranda at the U.S. Olympic Trials last week in Las Vegas.

Chun, a member of the Gator Wrestling Club, beat the 2004 bronze medalist twice Friday in a best-of-three format -- 4-0, 0-6, 3-1 in the first round and 1-0, 3-1 in the second, thanks to a double-leg takedown which broke a 1-1 tie in the second period.

Although the first to make the American team, Chun isn't the first Olympian produced by Valley -- and won't be the only one this year. Senior Maria Dunn won the Oceania freestyle championship earlier this year and will represent Guam in the 63 kilogram class. She is the second Viking to compete for Guam in the Olympics -- Jeff Cobb having done so in 2004 following his freshman season at MVC.

The three current Lady Vikings at Vegas all competed in the 63 Kg division, but none made it to the trophy rounds. Both sophomores Samantha Fee of Blairstown, N.J., and Shamaine Danner of Richmond won their opening matches by fall, but dropped their next two bouts.

Fee fell to eventual challenge tournament winner Sara McMann of the Sunkist Kids, who lost the championship to former Neosho County (Kan.) Community College grappler Randi Miller of the Gator club, and Danner was stopped by the New York Athletic Club's Alaina Berube -- who was beaten by McMann in the challenge finals.

Junior Jenny Germany of Chula Vista, Calif., was nipped 0-1, 1-0, 4-3 in the first round by Marina Piccolotti of Oklahoma City University, and eliminated by former Valley wrestler Tori Adams on the back side.

Adams finished third, while three other ex-Vikings also fell short: Stephany Lee (72 kilograms) also coming in third, Ashley Sword (72) eliminated by Lee in the wrestleback and Leigh Jaynes (55) dropped two matches after reaching the semifinal round.