Olympians, World Champs Headline 2015 USA Boxing Elite National Championships Athlete Rosters

(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – Nearly 300 boxers with Olympic dreams are traveling to Spokane, Wash., for the 2015 USA Boxing National Championships, January 19-24. The deep list of pugilists includes three Olympians and four reigning or former World Champions all hoping to compete in the 2016 Olympic Games. The Pathway to the Podium will once again run through Spokane with the 2015 edition of USA Boxing’s key national championship event serving as an Olympic Trials qualifier for the 10 men’s weight divisions and three women’s Olympic weight classes.

With such high stakes, the athlete entry numbers have increased significantly from last year and the talent level of the boxers matches the quantity of the tournament participants. 2012 Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields (Flint, Mich.) once again headlines the list of competitors and she enters the 2015 event fresh off her first elite world title win in Korea. Fellow Olympic medalist Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas) won her first world championship in November as well and she will be competing for her ninth USA Boxing title in Spokane.

2012 Olympian Queen Underwood (Seattle, Wash.) will return to her home state for the fourth straight year to vie for her eighth USA Boxing national championship while 2012 World Champion and 2014 World Championships bronze medalist Tiara Brown (Fort Myers, Fla.) looks to defend her featherweight title.

In men’s action, multiple reigning national champions will compete for another USA Boxing national title alongside their younger counterparts making their elite division debuts in Spokane. Two-time national champions Jose Alday (Odessa, Texas) and LeShawn Rodriquez (Shirley, N.Y.) will chase the three-peat in 2015 while lightweight Genaro Gamez (San Diego, Calif.) and light welterweight Abraham Nova (Albany, N.Y.) will each look to defend their 2014 titles in Spokane. 2014 Youth World Champion and Youth Olympic Games silver medalist Darmani Rock (Philadelphia, Pa.) will make the move to the elite division next week with 2013 youth national champions Antonio Vargas (Kissimmee, Fla.), Gilbert Renteria (Houston, Texas) and John Luna (Milwaukee, Wis.) all making the transition to the older age division as well.

USA Boxing’s elite women continue to enjoy success internationally and with the top two tournament finishers in the three women’s Olympic weight divisions earning Olympic Trials berths, the flyweight (112 lbs), lightweight (132 lbs) and middleweight (165 lbs) divisions are all very deep in talent. The always-competitive lightweight division will once again feature multiple decorated athletes, including 2012 World Championships bronze medalist and 2012 national champion Mikaela Mayer (Los Angeles, Calif.). She will make another run at the USA Boxing National Championships gold as will 2013 Youth National champion Rashida Ellis (Lynn, Mass.). 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials participant N’tyeeyah Sherman (Barberton, Ohio) will also grace the ring at Spokane in the first Olympic Trials qualifier.

The flyweight division is packed as well with multiple athletes gunning for the top spot in the country. Two-time USA Boxing National Championship silver medalist Virginia Fuchs (Kemah, Texas) is hoping that the third time is the charm for her in 2015 action. While Fuchs is returning to familiar territory, two former national champions will compete for another national title in a new weight division. Two-time light flyweight titlist Alex Love (Fort Carson, Colo.) will return to the Olympic flyweight division for the 2015 event and her U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program teammate Melissa Parker (Fort Carson, Colo.) is moving down to the 112 pound weight class for a run at Rio. 2013 Youth National Champion Marisol Lopez (Stratford, Calif.) will vie for her first elite division title in Spokane as well.

The women’s middleweight division will also feature a slew of top competitors vying for the gold medal. Two U.S. Olympic Team Trials participants and USA Boxing national champions will challenge the reigning Olympic champion for the middleweight crown. 2012 National Champion and World Championships silver medalist Raquel Miller (San Francisco, Calif.) and former titlist Tika Hemingway (Breckinridge, Pa.) are each returning to the middleweight division for the 2015 tournament.

The 2015 USA Boxing National Championships participants will begin arriving in Spokane on Saturday prior to Sunday’s general weigh-in and tournament draw. Preliminary competition will begin on Monday and run through Thursday in two sessions daily at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the HUB Sports Center. Tournament action will shift to the Northern Quest Resort & Casino’s Pend Oreille Pavilion for semifinal competition on Friday at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday will feature two sessions of final round competition at noon and 6 p.m. Preliminary round tickets run only $10 and can be purchased at the HUB Sports Center. All-session passes and tickets for the semifinals and championship bouts are available online at www.northernquest.com.

The full list of registered athletes can be found below.

ELITE MEN

LIGHT FLYWEIGHT/108 LBS

Justin Dwight Dampac, Lynnwood, Wash.

Melik Elliston, Denver, Colo. (2015 USA Boxing National Championships bronze medalist)

Eric Gordon, Philadelphia, Pa.

Pablo Ramirez, Weslaco, Texas

Christian Carto, Deptford, N.J.

FLYWEIGHT/114 LBS

Luis Delgado, San Antonio, Texas

Adrian Ghisoiu, Junction City, Kansas

Thomas Huitt-Johnson, Saint Joseph, Mo.

Darrien Immel, Pueblo, Colo.

Gilbert Renteria, Houston, Texas (2013 Youth National Champion and 2012 Olympic Training Partner)

Isaac Rodriguez, San Antonio, Texas

Johnadier Santiago, Nashua, N.H.

Abel Soriano, Bellevue, Nebraska

Khalid Twaiti, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Antonio Vargas, Kissimmee, Fla. (2013 Youth Champion and 2014 Golden Gloves Champion)

BANTAMWEIGHT/123 LBS

Jesse Acosta, Tucson, Ariz.

Michael Angeletti, Spring, Texas

Daniel Bailey, Miami, Fla.

Javon Campbell, Powder Springs, Ga.

Anthony Chavez, San Bernardino, Calif.

Christopher Colbert, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Eric Estrada, Hillsboro, Ore.

Raul Estrada, Aloha, Oregon

Abraham Flores, Silvis, Ill.

Jose Gallegos, San Pedro, Calif.

Rudy Garcia, Los Angeles, Calif.

Frank Gonzalez, Hialeah, Fla.

Irvin Gonzalez, Worcester, Mass.

Xavier Griffin, Minneapolis, Minn.

Anteneh Kidanwold, St. Paul, Minn.

Efren Lopez, Fresno, Calif. (2014 National PAL Youth Champion)

Mikhail Montgomery, Macon, Ga.

Javier Oquendo, Philadelphia, Pa.

Yousif Saleh, Chicago, Ill.

Jose Santana, Tampa, Fla.

Luis Santiago, Nashua, N.H.

Sean Scott, Cincinnati, Ohio

Michael Stoute, Coram, N.Y.

Angelo Valencia, Albuquerque, N.M.

Nichatxu Vang, Minneapolis, Minn.

Eduardo Vasquez, Sheridan, Colo.

Cristian Williams, Chicago, Ill.

LIGHTWEIGHT/132 LBS

Jesus Arevalo, Sierra Vista, Ariz.

Jerrell Barbour, Tacoma, Wash.

Lorenzo Caldera, Portland, Ore.

Demarco Carter, Madison, Wis.

Gabriel Chacon, Hollywood, Fla.

Treven Coleman-Avant, Omaha, Neb.

Mariael Crumby, Compton, Calif.

Kelvin Davis, Norfolk, Va.

Herkin De La Rosa, Union City, N.J.

Nino Delgado, Anchorage, Alaska

Francisco Esparza, Las Vegas, Nev.

Jude Franklin, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Genaro Gamez, San Diego, Calif. (2014 USA Boxing National Champion

Jesse Garcia, Kingwood, Texas

Jose Gonzalez, New York, N.Y.

Jousce Gonzalez, Glendora, Calif. (2014 USA Boxing National Championships silver medalist)

Christopher Gooch, Ashburn, Va.

Rajiv Hernandez, Cleveland, Ohio

Giezwa Hobbs Jr., Burnsville, Minn.

Nasir Jones, Philadelphia, Pa.

Rosino Legan, Gilroy, Calif.

Israel Medina, Youngsville, La.

Abel Mendoza, El Paso, Texas

Roberto Meza, Escondido, Calif.

Maliek Montgomery, Macon, Ga. (2014 Golden Gloves Champion)

Rock Myrthil, Las Vegas, Nev.

Jamaine Ortiz-Rodriguez, Worcester, Mass.

Rodrigo Rubio, Waterloo, Iowa

Hector Tanajara, San Antonio, Texas (2014 National PAL Youth Champion)

Brannon Terry, Little Rock, Ark.

Jesus Vasquez, Englewood, Colo.

Charles Vazquez Vera, New Port Richey, Fla.

Thomas Walters, Cypress, Calif.

Titus Williams, Elmont, N.Y.

LIGHT WELTERWEIGHT/141 LBS

Christian Bermudez, Bronx, N.Y.

Terell Bostic, Wyandanch, N.Y.

Christian Camarena, Pasadena, Calif.

Chandler Clements, Cleveland, Ohio

David Craddock, Columbus, Ohio

Reynaldo Fajardo, Houston, texas

Luis Feliciano, Milwaukee, Wis. (2012 Olympic Trials participant)

Joshua Freeland, Humble, Texas

Eduardo Garcia, Houston, Texas

Rahim Gonzales, Sylmar, Calif.

Christopher Gonzalez, Tucson, Ariz.

Jabari Gregory, Charlotte, N.C.

Eric Hernandez, Leesburg, Va.

Michael Hughes, New York, N.Y.

Joe James, Eden Valley, Minn.

Evander Lamourt, New Port Richey, Fla.

Abraham Lopez, Rowland Heights, Calif.

Hector Madera, Stockton, Calif.

Arturo Marquez, Houston, Texas

Anthony Marsella, Smithfield, R.I.

Abram Martinez, Greeley, Colo.

Wilner Mendez-Lopez, Queens, N.Y.

David Mijares, Pasadena, Calif.

Jonathan Navarro, Los Angeles, Calif.

Douglas Northern, Philadelphia, Pa.

Abraham Nova, Albany, N.Y. (2014 USA Boxing National Champion)

Tra-Kwon Pettis, Atlanta, Ga.

Lorenzo Rosales, Milwaukee, Wis.

David Sample Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.

Kevin Serrano, Philadelphia, Pa.

Boubacar Sylla, Cincinnati, Ohio

Martin Urias, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

Gilbert Vasquez, Brownfield, Texas

Deonte Wilson, Madison, Wis.

WELTERWEIGHT/152 LBS

Matthew Abregu, Leesburg, Va.

Jose Alday, Odessa, Texas (Two-time USA Boxing National Champion)

Fabian Alvarado, Irving, Texas

Gabriel Ayala, Mercedes, Texas

Burim Beriqi, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Keon Burroughs, Mobile, Ala.

Jonathan Burrs, Frederick, Md.

Alemeo Carter, Kansas City, Mo.

Idemar Cordero, Philadelphia, Pa.

Jamaal Gregory, Charlotte, N.C.

Adrian Gutierrez, Chula Vista, Calif.

Jayquran Hazel, Newark, N.J.

Gabriel Hernandez, El Cajon, Calif.

Ardreal Holmes, Flint, Mich.

Kieron Hooks, Philadelphia, Pa.

Javaune James, Miramar, Fla.

Tyrone James, Bronx, N.Y.

Jordan Jones, Rowlett, Texas

Andy Kanene, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Paul Kroll, Philadelphia, Pa.

Michael Lee, Jersey City, N.J.

Damien Lopez, Newhall, Calif.

Chaz Mince, Lacombe, La.

Carlos Monroe, Snellville, Ga.

Michael Montgomery, Macon, Ga.

Jacob Operskalski, Oakland, Calif.

Veshawn Owens, St. Louis Park, Minn.

Ivan Pandzic, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

Zaquan Peterkin, Las Vegas, Nev.

Quinton Randall, Katy, Texas

Andrick Robinson, Sacramento, Calif.

Anthony Rodriguez, Humble, Texas

Art Saakyan, Montebello, Calif.

William Santiago, La Grange, Ky.

Michael Stegall, House Springs, MO.

Kenneth Thomas, Indianapolis, Ind.

Devlin Thompson, Omaha, Neb.

Kevin Torres, Bellingham, Wash.

Vardges Vardanyan, Panorama City, Calif.

Nikolas Vasquez, Seattle, Wash.

Diego Vermilye, Denver, Colo.

Robert Wallace, Jacksonville, Fla.

John Williams, Baton Rouge, La.

Trent Wilson, Denmark, Tenn.

Gregory Young, Hoover, Ala.

MIDDLEWEIGHT/165 LBS

Mark Joseph Antalan, Los Angeles, Calif.

Mentor Balidemaj, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Oleksiy Barker, Fullerton, Calif.

Lorenzo Boatman, Conway, Ark.

Chordelle Booker, Brooklyn, N.Y. (2014 USA Boxing National Championships silver medalist)

Jonathan Esquivel, Anaheim, Calif.

Randy Foster, Covington, Ga.

Emmanuel Guajardo, Tucson, Ariz.

Kalvin Henderson, Fayetteville, Ark.

Dillon Kasprzak, Philadelphia, Pa.

Lawrence King, Adelanto, Calif.

Matthew Kligerman, Rye, N.Y.

Raul Marquez, Houston, Texas

Eric Moon, Mobile, Ala.

Antonio Munoz, Chico, Calif.

Kuanysh Niyazov, Staten Island, N.Y.

Christopher Ousley, Middleton, Wis.

Leshawn Rodriquez, Medford, N.Y. (Two-time USA Boxing National Champion)

Ezekiel Scruggs, Little Rock, Ark.

Gerald Sherrell, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Christopher Thompson, Flint, Mich.

Leonel Urias, Dallas, Texas

Antonio Woods, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT/178 LBS

Vincent Baccus, Okmulgee, Okla.

Joshua Balbuena, Smyrna, Ga.

Chase Calloway, Saint Joseph, Mo.

Aaron Casper, Savannah, Ga.

Kevin Green, New Orleans, La.

Xavier Hayden, Minneapolis, Minn.

Maurice Horne, Middletown, Del.

Deantwon Jackson, Canal Winchester, Ohio

Marcell Jackson, Chicago, Ill.

Lesly Jean, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Duane Johnson, Bellevue, Neb.

Jasper McCargo, Oakland, Calif. (2014 USA Boxing National Championships silver medalist)

Joseph Merrill, Jacksonville, Fla.

Edward Ortiz, San Antonio, Texas

Adam Paolino, Warwick, R.I.

Julio Perez Campusano, Roxbury, Mass.

Ronnie Pratt, Cleveland Heights, Ohio

Niko Valdes, Miami, Fla. (2014 USA Boxing National Championships bronze medalist)

Tory Williams, Mandeville, La.

Smbat Bagdassarian, Burbank, Calif.

HEAVYWEIGHT/201 LBS

Alejandro Bermudez, Gatesville, Texas

Oscar Bruce, Freeport, N.Y.

Manuel Contreras, St Paul, Minn.

Alvin Davie, Bal Harbour, Fla.

Benjamin Dobbs, Virginia Beach, Va.

Patrick Ferguson, Spokane, Wash.

Tristan James, Des Moines, Iowa

Vardan Khachatrian, Los Angeles, Calif.

Daniel Mejia, Hesperia, Calif.

Kato Montgomery, Garfield Heights, Ohio

Sardius Simmons, Flint, Mich. (2014 USA Boxing National Championships silver medalist)

Adrian Taylor, Mesquite, Texas (WSB and World Championships Team Trial silver medalist)

Ryan Watson, Duluth, Minn.

SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT/201+ LBS

Ignacio Camacho, Paterson, N.J.

Ramel Clasablanca, Bremerton, Wash.

Lorenzo Deloney, Little Rock, Ark.

Elvis Garcia, Tacoma, Wash.

Brandon Glanton, Ellenwood, Ga.

Leonid Grachev, Boulder, Colo.

Alante Green, Garfield, Ohio

Tyrrell Herndon, San Antonio, Texas

John Luna, Milwaukee, Wis. (2013 Youth National Champion)

Owen Minor, Worcester, Mass.

Marlo Moore, Hayward, Calif.

Darmani Rock, Philadelphia, Pa. (2014 Youth Champion and Youth Olympic Games silver medalist)

Kurtis Taylor, Las Vegas, Nev.

Edward Barr, Fresno, Calif.

ELITE WOMEN

LIGHT FLYWEIGHT/106 LBS

Jennifer Amato, Keene, N.H.

Sarah Dawson, Spring, Texas

Brittany Delgado, Center Moriches, N.Y.

Maureeca Lambert, Glen Ellyn, Ill.

Jennifer Morales, Houston, Texas

Felicia O’Brien, Sudbury, Mass.

Arlene Villalobos, Whittier, Calif.

FLYWEIGHT/112 LBS

Ivette Delgado, Yonkers, N.Y.

Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas (Eight-time National Champion and 2014 World Champion)

Virginia Fuchs, Kemah, Texas (Two-time USA Boxing National Championships silver medalist)

Dacia Jacquez, Bloomfield, N.M.

Traci Konas, Simi Valley, Calif.

Marisol Lopez, Stratford, Calif. (2013 Youth World Championships bronze medalist)

Alexandra Love, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Two-time USA Boxing light flyweight national champion)

Melissa Parker, Fort Carson, Colo. (Former USA Boxing featherweight national champion)

Amanda Pavone, Burlington, Mass.

Rianna Rios, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Karina Sarabia, El Monte, Calif.

Maryguenn Vellinga, Heber City, Utah

BANTAMWEIGHT/119 LBS

Jennifer Chieng, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Melanie Costa, Norton, Mass.

Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y. (Four-time USA Boxing National Champion)

Jacquelyn Cuddeback, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Leesa Daniel, Austin, Texas

Kathy McPherson, Mesa, Ariz. (2014 USA Boxing National Championships bronze medalist)

Shurretta Metcalf, Dallas, Texas

Jamie Mitchell, Pacific Grove, Calif.

FEATHERWEIGHT/125 LBS

Tiara Brown, Hyattsville, Fort Myers, Fla. (2012 World Champion & 2014 World Championships bronze medalist)

Kristin Carlson, Chicago, Ill.

Nataly Chavez, Splendora, Texas

Felisha Estrada Gonzalez, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Ashleigh Moore, Buzzards Bay, Mass.

Indeya Smith, Grand Prairie, Texas

LIGHTWEIGHT/132 LBS

Alycia Baumgardner, Clyde, Ohio

Caroline Carnero, Passaic, N.J.

Aleah Dillard, Dallas, Texas

Rashida Ellis, Lynn, Mass. (2014 USA Boxing National Championships bronze medalist)

Nakarri Jones, Tampa, Fla.

Stalacia Leggett, San Diego, Calif.

Chasity Martin, Pompano Beach, Fla.

Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif. (2012 National Champion & World Championships bronze medalist)

Monayah Patterson, Warren, Mich.

Temitope Pedro, San Francisco, Calif.

Lisa Porter, Van Nuys, Calif.

Kim Putzier, St. Cloud, Minn.

Rory Santos, Jber, Alaska

N'Yteeyah Sherman, Barberton, Ohio (2012 Olympic Trials participant)

Queen Underwood, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Seven-time national champion and 2012 Olympian)

Carmen Vargas, Houston, Texas

Mioshia Wagoner, Lawrence, Kansas

Alexandria Williams, Elmont, N.Y.

LIGHT WELERWEIGHT/141 LBS

Katherine Bouldin, Live Oak, Texas

Catarina Lentini, Bethlehem, Pa.

Nisa Rodriguez, Bronx, N.Y.

Lilian Santander, Mesa, Ariz.

Jasmine Singh, Anaheim, Calif.

WELTERWEIGHT/152 LBS

Melissa Kelly, Everett, Mass.

Samantha Kinchen, Lexington, Ky. (2013 Youth National Champion)

Stacey Parker, Aurora, Ill.

Danyelle Wolf, San Diego, Calif. (Two-time USA Boxing National Champion)

MIDDLEWEIGHT/165 LBS

Abigail Castro, Kapolei, Hawaii

Naomi Clark, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Jillian Erstad, Spokane, Wash.

Chatiqua Hemingway, Brackenridge, Pa. (Former national champion and 2012 Olympic Trials participant)

Raquel Miller, San Francisco, Calif. (2012 National Champion and World Championships silver medalist)

Joy Rotstein, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Claressa Shields, Flint, Mich. (2012 Olympic Gold Medalist and 2014 World Champion)

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT/178 LBS

Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md. (Five-time USA Boxing national champion)

Heidi Henriksen, St Louis Park, Minn. (2014 USA Boxing National Championships silver medalist)

HEAVYWEIGHT/178+ LBS

Krystal Dixon, New Rochelle, N.Y. (2014 USA Boxing National Champion)

Shadasia Green, Paterson, N.J.

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