National Collegiate Taekwondo Association Announces NCTA All-American Award Application
Continuing last year’s successful implementation of the NCTA All-American award, the NCTA is pleased to continue the NCTA All American award certificate, which will be awarded to an athlete that finishes in the Top 4 of a poomsae or sparring division at the 2019 NCTA Championships.
In addition, if the athlete has a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher, they will also be qualified for the NCTA Scholastic All American award certificate.The criteria for each award is:
2019 NCTA All-American (Collegiate and High School divisions)
• Top 4 finish at NCTA Nationals in any division
• Recommendation by Coach or Athletic Director of College/University (Online submittal form)
• Deadline to Submit June 25, 2019
• Approved by NCTA Awards Committee
2019 NCTA Scholastic All-American (Collegiate and High School divisions)
• Top 4 finish at NCTA Nationals in any division
• 3.3+ cumulative GPA in the specified year
• Recommendation by Coach or Athletic Director of College/University (Online submittal form)
• Deadline to Submit June 25, 2019
• Approved by NCTA Awards Committee
In order to receive a certificate the coach or athletic direction is responsible for submitting their athlete by emailing NCTA Award Chair Justin Faiferlick. An official transcript will need to be included with the application form if the athlete qualifies with the 3.3 or above cumulative GPA.
The application for the award can be downloaded by clicking here.
Please submit your materials to Mr. Faiferlick at justin.faiferlick@gmail.com
Chuang Elected President of the National Collegiate Taekwondo Association
April 19, 2019 (Austin, TX) At the annual spring meeting of the National Collegiate Taekwondo Association (NCTA), Dan Chuang of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was unanimously elected president of the National Collegiate Taekwondo Association.
Chuang has previously served 8 years as secretary General and 4 years as Vice President before assuming the post. Chuang has also served twice acted as as head coach of the US National Collegiate Taekwondo Team and is currently head coach of the USA Taekwondo National Poomsae Team. Outgoing president Dr. Russell Ahn said, “Coach Chuang has my full support and I’m excited to see what he brings to the organization. It has been my honor to serve as president for the past 8 years.”
Added President Chuang, “I’m eager to first support the National Collegiate Team at the Summer World University Games in Naples, Italy this July. When I get back, I’ll put our first emphasis on growing our organization in a way that benefits both our grassroots athletes as well as our elite ones, in both poomsae and sparring.”
Meeting minutes can be found by clicking here.
Coaching Interest Form for Summer World University Games Open
All coaches interested in attending and participating in the 2019 Summer World University Games for the USA Team for taekwondo should complete the survey accessed by clicking here by Monday, April 29, 2019.
USA Team for the 2019 Summer World University Games Selected
The National Collegiate Taekwondo Association completed its team selection by holding a 2019 Summer World University Games team trials for its poomsae athletes at the 2019 NCTA Championships on April 20 at the University of Texas at Austin. One 3-person male female team and 3-person male team only were selected. Each team was asked to compete with one freestyle and one recognized poomsae in the final round.
In the female poomsae division, the winners were Adalis “AJ” Munoz (University of Texas, Arlington), Christy Quintanilla (Johns Hopkins University), and Titania Thao (Gustavus Adolphus College). The male poomsae athletes selected were Kody Han (Foothill College), Edward Jeong (University of Bridgeport), and Sean Wallace (Santa Clara University).
These 6 athletes will join the 12 athletes selected at the sparring team trials held on March 9 at the Ft. Worth Convention Center and journey to Naples, Italy this July to compete at the Games. The female sparring athletes include Lizette Salas (-49kg, California State University, Northridge), Logan Weber (-53kg, Johnson County Community College), Starla Santana (-57kg, Miami Dade Community College), Amanda Bluford (-62kg, De Vry University), Cheyenne Lewis (-67kg, University of California, Berkeley), and Makayla Gorka (-73kg, University of Central Oklahoma).
The male sparring athletes include Alejandro Bravo (-58kg, Miami Dade Community College), George El-Chemali (-63kg, University of Southern California), Charles Buset (-68kg, American Military University), Matthew Klein (-74kg, University of Dayton), Connor Wilson (-80kg, University of California, Los Angeles) and Abdul Rahman (-87kg, College of Southern Maryland).
Said incoming NCTA president Dan Chuang, “Congratulations to these athletes who have earned the right to represent their country on the largest collegiate stage in the world. I look forward to seeing this incredibly talented and hard working group of athletes give their best in July.”
2019 NCTA Championships Held at University of Texas at Austin
The National Collegiate Taekwondo Association held the 44th National Collegiate Taekwondo Championship and 6th National High School Championship at the University of Texas at Austin on April 20 and 21, 2019. The NCTA president was Dr. Russell Ahn and the tournament host was Joseph Van of the University of Texas at Austin. The Tournament Committee Chair was Tara Sarathi, the Referee Chair was Mike Wickham, and the Medical Chair was Dr. Sherri Lashomb.
Said President Ahn at his final Championships as president, “Thank you very much for the successful National Collegiate and High School Taekwondo Championships at the University of Texas Austin. I am grateful for our dedicated officials, medical staff, referees, coaches and most importantly, athletes. It has been such a wonderful privilege and a great honor to work with such an intelligent and passionate group of people.” President Ahn will be succeeded by Dan Chuang of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as president.
The first day of competition on April 20 featured the black belt collegiate championship poomsae divisions. Winning these poomsae divisions were Christina Castillo (Austin Community College) in the Female Individual category, Kevin Jiang (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in the Male Individual Category, Adalis “AJ” Munoz and Michael Pascua in the Mixed Pair Category, Nina Anwar, Renee Zhao and Elizabeth Zou (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in the Female Team category, and Alex Kim, Shuka Park and Richard Zhao (University of California, Berkeley) in the Male Team category.
The black belt collegiate sparring divisions were contested on the second day of competition, April 21. The winners in the female division were Jenna Slota (-46 kg, Northeastern University), Sommer Jones (-49kg, College of Southern Nevada), Logan Weber (-53kg, Johnson County Community College), Starla Santana (-57kg, Miami Dade College), Danica Deaton (-62kg, University of Texas at Austin), Cecilia Cozza (-67kg, University of Maryland, College Park), Jordan Stewart (-73kg, George Mason University), and Amanda West (+73kg, University of Michigan).
The men’s winners were Cole Crawford (-54kg, University of Texas at Austin), Isaac Weintraub (-58kg, University of Central Oklahoma), Edgard Castillo (-63kg, University of Dayton), Luis Orozco (-68kg, Eastfield College), Joao Costa (-74kg, Massasoit Community College), Connor Wilson (-80kg, University of California, Los Angeles), Tyler Edmiston (-87kg, Northlake College), and Adrian Villalobos (+87kg, University of Texas at Austin).
Special recognition was given to Starla Santana of Miami Dade College, who was named Freshman of the year, Danica Deaton of University of Texas at Austin, who was named Female Athlete of the Year, and Connor Wilson of the University of California, Los Angeles, who earned Male Athlete of the Year honors. Coach Joseph Van of the University of Texas at Austin was named Coach of the Year.
Team awards were given based on the total number of gold, silver and bronze medals earned. In the Championship Division (black belts), first place went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, second place to the University of California, Berkeley and third place to the University of Texas at Austin.
In the Combined Division (black belts and color belts), first place was earned by the University of Texas at Austin, second place by Brown University, and third place by the United States Military Academy at West Point.
In the Novice Division (color belts), the same standings held with first place earned by the University of Texas at Austin, second place by Brown University, and third place by the United States Military Academy at West Point.
In the High School divisions athletes competed for the title of high school national champion. In poomsae the high school champions were Jacqueline Vasquez (El Camino High) in the individual female division, Jospeh Yoo (New Providence High) in individual male poomsae, and Vazquez and Yoo in mixed pair poomsae. In Male Team Poomsae, Sunny Chen (Temple City High), Dylan Do (W.T. Woodson High), and Yoo earned gold, with Jenna Do (W.T. Woodson High), Aabia Hasan (Shrewsbury High), and Vasquez earning gold in Female Team.
Female high school sparring champions included Karine Leclercq (-46kg, Westwood High), Katie Smith (-49kg, Mercy High), Sophia Venetis (-52kg, Falmouth Academy), Sarah Ziehme (-55kg, Edmond High), Judy Hong (-59kg, Decatur High), Lauren Kheylik (-63kg, Milpitas High), and Zoe Osborn (-68kg, Bear Creak School).
The male high school sparring champions were Bryan Shon (-48kg, Stadium High), Kaishi Fukami (-51kg, Dublin High), Tyler Balestracci (-55kg, Norwell High), Alan Randall (-59kg, Stafford High), Raymond Malphurs (-63kg, Bole’s High), Chan Park (-68kg, Westlake High), Hadi Zreik (-73kg, Farquier High), and Robert Church (-78kg, Cathedral Catholic High).
For medal results and standings, please click here. For poomsae score results, click here.
Press release written by Dan Chuang, NCTA Secretary General.