World Championships await freshman Ensler

Everyone who comes to Princeton expects to be surrounded by one of the brightest and most talented student bodies in the world. With published authors, Olympic athletes, business entrepreneurs and various other prodigies thrown into the mix, it is hard to stand out at this institution. Yet freshman Katherine Ensler, who will be traveling to the Junior Judo World Championships in Budapest, Hungary this week, has managed to do just that.

After winning the 2004 Fall Classic National Championships in the 57-kilogram weight class, Ensler has earned herself a No. 1 national ranking among juniors (under 20) and a No. 3 senior ranking.

Though Ensler is humble about her achievements and takes her judo success a day at a time, she has come a long way from the youth classes in which she got her start at her local YMCA. Deciding to stick with the sport — and practicing and competing two to four times a week at a nearby club — paid off as her high school career culminated in last year's Olympic trials.

"The trials were really exciting," Ensler said. "My biggest accomplishment was just getting there because they only take the No. 1 person in each weight class."

Despite not making the U.S. Olympic squad, Ensler viewed the Olympic trials as a success and looks forward to continuing her string of accomplishments this week at the World Championships.

Out of the 100 teams competing in the tournament, Japan should prove to be the toughest opponent. Traditional powerhouses from Eastern Europe, as well as a strong Ecuadorian team, could also impede U.S. success.

"The U.S. does not normally do so well at Worlds," Ensler said. "I'm just hoping to win a couple of matches and ideally place in the top seven."

Ensler certainly has her work cut out for her, but she also has the skill and experience necessary to place well among the world's top competitors. Her teammates, Olympians Ronda Rousey and Nicole Kubes, both of whom placed ninth in Athens, should also help give Team USA a much needed boost.

The competition will commence this Thursday with the elimination and consolation rounds for the women's 48 kg, 52 kg, 57 kg and 63 kg events.

The men's team will also have several matches that day. If Ensler performs well on Thursday and wins enough of her matches, she will advance to the semifinals and perhaps to the finals, which will be held on Saturday. Though Saturday would be the last day of competition for Ensler's weight class, the tournament is not officially over until Sunday.

When asked how she feels about the opportunity to travel to Budapest and compete on such a grand stage, Ensler gives a very simple reply.

"I'm nervous about missing the week before midterms," she said.

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To Ensler, school has always come first, and she plans to keep it that way. Even when choosing where to apply to college, she and her parents decided on the school first and only later researched judo clubs in the area.

"I tried to put school first and just hoped judo would fit in," Ensler said. "It was easy to do that in high school: we'll see about Princeton."

After the World Championships, Ensler is planning on taking a much-needed break from judo in order to relax and fully adjust to her new college career. An intensified training and competition schedule over the past few months in preparation for this week has delayed Ensler's full assimilation into Princeton life and she is looking forward to the opportunity to immerse herself on campus.

"I don't really have any expectations for the future," Ensler said. "I'm just excited to take a break after Worlds and adjust to college."

But for the time being, Ensler is focused on the task that lays immediately ahead of her, an opportunity which could turn into one of the highlights of her already impressive judo career. And after all is said and done this week, Princeton will be glad to welcome back its star and offer her the cliché college experience and the opportunity to be just like the rest of us.