Hot Start for USA Team Taekwondo at Summer World University Games with Gold and Silver
7 years
by NCTA Admin
in Uncategorized
Naples, Italy – (July 7, 2019) A hot start for USA Team as both Individual Poomsae athletes medaled in the above 90 degree temperature at the Pala Casoria Arena, the Taekwondo venue for the 30th Universiade, as Adalis “AJ” Munoz earned gold and Edward Jeong earned silver.
Munoz followed her 2017 Universiade bronze performance and gold medal performance at the 2018 World Poomsae Championships in Taipei, Chinese Taipei with this commanding performance. She grew stronger as the day progressed, placing 7th in her flight performing Taegeuk 5 and 6, then placing 6th in the semis with Taegeuk 8 and Koryo. In the finals, she performed Taebaek and a freestyle poomsae, jumping from 6th seed to first with a dominating freestyle performance.
“I am very emotional and overwhlemed that I medaled, let alone won a gold medal. This year has been a struggle for me balancing all of the things in my life and I was somewhat doubtful that I would do well at this event. Thank you to my family and all of the people who helped me get here.’
The Silver medalist from the 2017 Universiade in Taipei, Chinese Taipei, Eddie Jeong was able to repeat this feat once again against the best collegiate athletes in the world. Jeong, also won a bronze medalist at the 2018 World Poomsae Championships in the Mixed Team Poomsae Division, also improved dramatically from the preliminary round, placing 7th in his flight with Taegeuk 7 and 8, then jumping to 2nd place in the semifinal round with a balanced and solid Koryo and Keumgang. In the finals, Eddie performed Pyongwon and a freestyle performance to solidly outpace the competition, surpassed only by 1st seed Korea in the subsequent performance.
“After medaling at this event in 2017, I knew that this year’s event would be a challenge because the competitive landscape had changed so much. I and my coach stayed tactical and adjusted round by round, and I focused on just getting my ‘A’ run and thankfully it resulted in this silver medal. Thanks to my coach and teammates for the onsite support allowing me to have the confidence to perform the ‘A’ run I was shooting for,” said Jeong.
Tomorrow, men’s and women’s team poomsae will be contested, with Munoz, Christy Quintanilla and Titania Thao in the women’s division and Jeong, Kody Han and Sean Wallace in the mens.
USA Team Taekwondo Ready for 2019 World University Games
7 years
Naples, Italy – (July 6, 2019) The USA Taekwondo Team, consisting of 18 athletes and 10 staff have arrived at the 30th Summer World Universiade to battle it out with the world’s best collegiate athletes.
Representing USA Team in poomsae are Adalis “AJ” Munoz (University of Texas, Arlington), Christy Quintanilla (Johns Hopkins University), and Titania Thao (Gustavus Adolphus College). Munoz will represent in individual poomsae, and the three female athletes will represent in female team poomsae. The male poomsae athletes selected are Kody Han (Foothill College), Edward Jeong (University of Bridgeport), and Sean Wallace (Santa Clara University). Similarly, Jeong will represent in individual poomsae, and the three male athletes will represent in team poomsae.
12 athletes will represent in female sparring. The female sparring athletes are 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).
Representing in the male sparring divisions are 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).
Competition begins tomorrow with the male and female individual poomsae divisions, when Jeong and Munoz will take the mat to open the competition for USA Team. These are the third Games for Jeong and second Games for Munoz. Both are defending medalists from the 2017 World University Games with Jeong having earned a silver medal and Munoz a bronze medal at those games in individual poomsae.
Supporting the athletes are NCTA President and Head of Team, Dan Chuang (Cambridge, MA), Director, Sung C. Kim (Rochester, NY), Manager, Justin Faiferlick (Fort Dodge, Iowa), Doctor, Sherri Lashomb (Buffalo, NY), Head Poomsae Coach, Huy Nguyen (San Jose, CA), Poomsae Coach, Haksung Kim (Irvine, CA), Head Sparring Coach, Richard Lee (Los Angeles, CA), Sparring Coach, Dongyoung Kim (Newark, CA), Sparring Coach, Toby Oliver (Fort Myers, FL) and Sparring Coach, Adrian Zambrano (Sylmar, CA).
Said President Chuang, “I’m very pleased with the selflessness and team chemistry displayed by all of the athletes at the start of this trip. The athletes have been training hard and seem relaxed, focused and ready going into the start of the competition. I’m also very grateful for the hard works and efforts of all of the staff and organizing committee to realize this trip!”
National Collegiate Taekwondo Association Announces NCTA All-American Award Application
7 years
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
7 years
by Webmaster
in Announcements
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
7 years
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.
