U.S. Olympic Committee Honors Chaunte Howard, Hunter Kemper and U.S. Women’s National Goalball Team for May Accomplishments

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The U.S. Olympic Committee today named track and field athlete Chaunte Howard and triathlete Hunter Kemper as its May Athletes of the Month. The USOC Team of the Month honor was awarded to the Women’s National Goalball Team.

Howard (Riverside, Calif.), a junior at Georgia Tech, won her 28th consecutive collegiate high jump competition at the NCAA East Regional Championships in New York, N.Y., with a mark of 1.90m/6-2.75. She also tied her world-best mark in the women’s high jump at the Georgia Tech Invitational in Atlanta, Ga., with a clearance of 1.95m/6-4.75, setting a new George C. Griffin Track record to lead the Georgia Tech track and field team.

Kemper (Longwood, Fla.) became the first U.S. man to reach the No. 1 ITU World Cup ranking and the overall No. 1 ITU points ranking when he finished second at the ITU World Cup in Ishigaki, Japan. He solidified that ranking when he finished first at the Tempe International Triathlon in Tempe, Ariz., enduring temperatures over 100 degrees.

Jennifer Armbruster (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Asya Miller (Battle Creek, Mich.), Nicole Buck (Paw Paw, Mich.), Lindsay Sloan (Wauconda, Ill.) and Jaclyn Barnes (Vernon Hills, Ill.) claimed gold at the Malmo Ladies’ Intercup in Malmo, Sweden. The event is considered to be the second most prestigious women’s goalball tournament in the world behind the Paralympic Games. After going undefeated in pool play, Team USA defeated the squad from the Netherlands, 3-0, in the semifinals before routing European powerhouse Finland, 8-1, in the final game. Wing Armbruster led the tournament in goals, scoring 12 of the team’s total 25. Center Buck also had an outstanding tournament, blocking 65 shots during the final game and not giving up a goal during the tournament.

Second place for the women went to wrestler Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo.). Marano won all three of her matches during the 2005 Women’s World Cup of Wresting in Clermont-Ferrand, France. Marano was the only U.S. wrestler to remain undefeated during the competition. The U.S. competed in three dual meets, with Marano winning each of her matches against athletes from Japan, Russia and Venezuela to help the USA to a fifth-place finish in the team competition.

Goalball athlete Jennifer Armbruster placed third in the women’s vote after leading the U.S Women’s Goalball Team to the gold medal at the Malmo Ladies’ Intercup. Armbruster, the tournament’s high scorer, made 12 of Team USA’s 25 goals, including all three in the semifinal shutout against the squad from the Netherlands and three of eight in the win over the Finnish team.

Second place in the men’s ballot went to wrestler Justin Ruiz (Colorado Springs, Colo.). Ruiz won two gold medals in May, the first at a major international meet and the second at a qualifying event for the World University Games.  Ruiz won four bouts on his way to the title at the O. Karavaev Memorial International in Minsk, Belarus. Ruiz also won the gold medal at the University World Team Trials in Colorado Springs, Colo.  With that victory, Ruiz earned a spot on the U.S. team that will compete in the World University Games in Izmir, Turkey, Aug. 11-21.

Track and field athlete Walter Dix (Coral Springs, Fla.) finished third in the vote for male athletes.  Dix wrapped up the month of May with a record-setting, title-winning performance at the 2005 NCAA East Regional Championships in New York, N.Y. Dix advanced in the men’s 100m qualifying round in 10.06 seconds to lead all competitors.  With his time, he bettered the American junior record of 10.07. Following his record-setting qualifying round, he ran 10.22 to win the men’s 100m finals and also clocked 20.23 seconds to win the men’s 200m.  At the NCAA Regionals, the freshman ran the final leg for Florida State University’s 4x100m relay team, which finished in a season-best time of 39.35.

The 2005 World Championship Men’s Skeet Team took second place in the team vote. The shooters took the silver medal at the ISSF World Championships in Lonato, Italy. The team, comprised of Vincent Hancock (Eatonton, Ga.), SFC Todd Graves (Laurel, Miss.) and Staff Sgt. Mark Weeks (Clinton Township, Mich.), finished second with a score of 355. The Americans tied with first place-finisher Norway, but were placed second after a tiebreaking procedure. Their silver marked the highest finish for a U.S. team at the World Championships.

Placing third on the ballot were Nancilea Underwood (Spring, Texas) and Cassidy Krug (Coraopolis, Pa.). Underwood and Krug secured the bronze medal on synchronized 3-meter at the Speedo FINA Diving Grand Prix in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., with 279.12 points. They were in fourth place entering the fifth and final round.  Their 5152B was good for 66.60 points, the highest score the pair received. Their bronze was the lone medal for the U.S. at the event.

Results (first place votes in parentheses)

WOMEN

1. Chaunte Howard, Track and Field 20 (4)
2. Kristie Marano, Wrestling 19 (3)
3. Jennifer Armbruster, Goalball 18 (4)

Also receiving first place votes: Elizabeth Kolbe (Paralympic Swimming), Amber Neben (Cycling) and Rhonda Rousey (Judo)

MEN

1. Hunter Kemper, Triathlon 31 (10)
2. Justin Ruiz, Wrestling 16 (2)
3. Walter Dix, Track and Field 14 (1)

Also receiving first place votes: Demetrius Andrade (Boxing), Vincent Hancock (Shooting), Chris Parrish (Water Skiing)

TEAM

1. U.S. Women’s National Team, Goalball 44 (13)
2. World Championship Men’s Skeet Team, Shooting 38 (5)
3. Nancilea Underwood and Cassidy Krug, Diving 18 (0)

For more information, please contact the USOC Media & Public Relations Division at (719) 866-4529.