Sara Bahoura (Fulp-Allen)
Sara Bahoura (Fulp-Allen) ('07) has cemented her legacy in the wrestling world as both a competitor and an ambassador for the sport. In four seasons on the mats at Menlo, Sara put together one of the most successful careers of any women's wrestler in team history. She came to Menlo as a freshman under legendary head coach and her father, Lee Allen, in just the third season of existence for the program. She brought with her a trio of California Girls' State Championships and she carried that winning pedigree to the collegiate level. Her time on the mats at Menlo from 2003-04 to 2006-07 saw her win the first WCWA Individual National Championships in school history. She would go on to win three WCWA National Championships during her time as an Oak and was a three-year team captain and the 2007 co-Female Athlete of the Year at Menlo. She was the first three-time collegiate national champion in U.S. history.
"My time at Menlo College were some of the best years of my life," said Bahoura. "I loved being a part of a women's team; traveling and training together. Women's college wrestling was still in the early growth stages at that point, but despite low numbers and less college based events, the camaraderie and friendship has lasted well beyond my collegiate years."
In addition to her successes at Menlo College, Sara also made a name for herself on the national scene, both during and after her time as an Oak. She was one spot away from representing the United State in the Olympics twice in her career, placing third at the Olympic Team Trials in 2004 and 2008. She also was a 2005 US National Champion, placed silver at the 2005 Junior Worlds and Bronze at the 2005 University Games. In 2008 she was the Dave Schultz Champion and won Silver at the University Worlds. From 2007-12 she was a resident at the Olympic Training Center and was a seven-time member of the US National Team.
"I was very surprised and honored when Keith [Spataro] called me about the nomination into the Menlo College Hall of Fame," said Sara. "I did not expect this, and I am very excited to become the first inductee for women's wrestling."
Off the mats, she continues to serve as an ambassador for the sport, following the framework set by her father Lee and mother Joan Fulp. Currently, she is the State Women's Director for the Virginia Wrestling Association (VAWA) – a branch of USA Wrestling – where she has created a women's club for the state.
In 2013 she was inducted into the Half Moon Bay High School Hall of Fame and in 2015 she was inducted into the Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame.
