PRESS RELEASE

Chandler & Mocco #1
Las Vegas, NV - The Glenville, NY based Jason Morris Judo Club (JMJC) capped off their major judo tournament season with four total medals at the US Open in Las Vegas, September 25 - 26. This was in addition to winning three medals at the Rendez Vous Canada in Montreal on September 18 - 19 and five medals at the USA Judo's Fall Classic in Denver, CO on September 4-5 to finish the major North American competition season as the top club in the nation. The JMJC won a total of 12 medals (2 gold, 3 silver, 7 bronze) during this stretch edging out the Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Colorado Springs, CO who had 11 total medals. This feat is very significant as the OTC is funded to the tune of $110,000 by USA Judo a year which includes a full time coach and a travel fund. They also receive about $250,000 a year value in kind from the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) which pays for the OTC athletes room and board.

The JMJC is a privately funded group that receives ZERO funding or benefits from USA Judo.
Carrie Chandler (23) led the way for the JMJC as she moved down a weight class to 52kg from 57kg and won a bronze at the US Open where she was 3-1, bronze at the Rendez Vous Canada with a 3-1 record and a gold at the Fall Classic where she went 5-1. These results catapulted Chandler to the #1 spot in USA Judo at 52kg. Carrie didn't compete in the Ladder tournament which is held with the Fall Classic due to her knee injury. Chandler managed all these results with a partially torn ACL in her left knee which she injured a week before the Fall Classic during a training session. She will now concentrate on rehabing for the rest of 2004 to prepare for the 2005 European tour.

Katie Mocco (20) joined her JMJC teammate, Chandler gaining the #1 spot as she claimed it at 70kg with a bronze medal performance at the US Open going 3-1, a silver medal showing at the Rendez Vous Canada also with a 3-1 record and a bronze at the Fall Classic. Katie also took a gold at the Ladder tournament at 78kg with a 3-0 record. Mocco suffered an mild AC left shoulder separation at the US Open and will have to mend before the next big tournaments in 2005.

Liz Burns (19) turned some terrific results in 57kg as she has permantly moved up from 52kg where she was the 2004 Olympic alternate. Burns went 4-1 at the US Open to win a bronze, went 4-1 for a bronze at the Rendez Vous Canada and had a 4-2 record in a silver medal performance at the Fall Classic. Burns place secong at the ladder tournament posting a 4-2 record at 63kg. These results have already moved Burns into the #2 slot in 57kg behind veteran and 1992 Olympian, Valarie Gotay (30). Burns has had an opportunity to fight Gotay three times this year but has yet to registar a win against her main rival for the 2005 world team.
Nate Torra (21) moved up to the #2 slot in 66kg by going 4-1 at the US Open to capture a bronze and win a gold at the Fall Classic posting a 5-0 record. Nate also picked up a gold going 5-0 at the Ladder tournament at 73kg. Torra did not place at the Rendez Vous Canada losing to Canadian #1 Sasha Mehmedovich in a tight second round bout. Torra is currently behind former JMJC teammate, Justin Flores (25) for the top sopt in 66kg. Flores holds a 4-0 mark against Nate.

Yuko Sin (17) broke onto the big time scene taking ninth place at the Rendez Vous Canada with a 2-2 record. His losses were to USA's current #1 at 81kg, Rick Hawn and Canada's #1, Kalem Kachur. Sin displayed big time potentential with this performance. Sin also won a silver medal at the Ladder tournament that was held with the Fall Classic in Denver. Yuko lost both his matches at the Fall Classic which was the held the day before the Ladder.

Dave Chapman (18) has sewn up a spot on the Jr. World team that will compete in Budapest, Hungary October 14-17 with his results over the 2004 season. He lost a tough first round match at the US Open to Nobuhiro Imanaka (Japan) and was eliminated. Chapman went 2-2 at the Rendez Vous Canada to finish with a promising Ninth place. Chapman became the fourth JMJC product to make a Jr. World team joining Nate Torra (2000), Carrie Chandler (2000), and Liz Burns (2002). The Jr. Worlds is held every two years. The JMJC became the first club to put students in three consecutive Jr. World teams.