They're tough. Their talented. The Missouri Valley womens wrestling team is ranked third in the country.

"The first misconception is they need to be treated differently. I've had success treating them like wrestlers and thats what they are," Coach Carl Murphree said.

This past summer former Missouri Valley Wrestler Clarissa Chun competed in the Beijing Olympics, and the team is still producing champions with four girls currently ranked in the top 10.

Currently ranked first nationally in her weight class, Junior Samantha Fee started wrestling when she was nine years old.

"I dont know really, I just wanted to do it. My older brother did it and my dad coached, my dad wrestled when he was little," Wrestler Samantha Fee said.

When her hometown in New Jersey didn't have a place for a female wrestler, she battled with the boys.

"I came from an all guys team and so making the switch from an all male team to an all female team, its been interesting," Fee said.

Twelve years after she first started on the mats she said she's amazed at how some people still view female wrestlers.

"I know some very girlie girl wrestlers that are actually really good athletes. Theyre actually very feminine," Fee said.

"They expect to see this six foot, 200 pound girl walk up to them. Thats not true at all, we come in all shapes and sizes. You can be beautiful and still wrestle, I do a good job," Wrestler Samantha Richardson said.

The Lady Vikings wrestle Saturday at Missouri Valley when they host Oklahoma City, Lindenwood, and Missouri Baptist.

Reported by Rhonda Craig
Edited by Megan Holly