Women's Field for 2014 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest

13. Val “Valkyrie” Bromann Chicago, IL 5’5”, 148 lbs, 33 y/o How She Got Here: Won Tunica, MS, Qualifier with 5.75 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min

• In her rookie year as a Major League Eater • Making her first appearance at Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Contest • Major League Eating’s #1 Super Fan: Has traveled around the world to attend MLE events in Iowa, Texas and Thailand • A bohemian besotted by wanderlust, Bromann has traveled extensively, to nations including Laos, Honduras, India and Colombia • Holds a Masters degree in writing, with a specialization in creative nonfiction

12. Nicole Kulig Brockton, MA 5’6”, 140 lbs, 28 y/o How She Got Here: Won Boston, MA, Qualifier with 7.5 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min

• In her rookie year as a Major League Eater • Boston qualifying event was her first competitive eating contest • Making her first appearance at Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Contest • Has run two marathons • Works in accounting at Emerson College

11. Marlene Wigginton Troy, IL 5’7”, 155 lbs, 34 y/o
 How She Got Here: Won St Louis, MO, Qualifier with 9.5 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min

• In her rookie year as a Major League Eater • Making her first appearance at Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Contest • Is a software engineer • Has wanted to compete in Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Contest since she was in high school

10. Nicole Rodriguez Crestwood, IL 5’6”, 145 lbs, 30 y/o How She Got Here: Won Cleveland, OH, Qualifier with 10 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min

• In her rookie year as a Major League Eater • Making her first appearance at Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Contest • Is a teacher • Is the sister of World #18 Juan “More Bite” Rodriguez, who is competing in the Men’s Championship

9. Mary Bowers Dana Point, CA 5’3”, 115 lbs How She Got Here: Won Houston, TX Qualifier with 11.75 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min

• #38-Ranked Eater in the World by Major League Eating • Third year competing at Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Contest
 • Placed 7th last year; 10 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min • Has competed in gyoza, pretzels, burgers, and Philly cheese steaks • Known on the MLE circuit for designing and competing in costumes inspired by the food discipline of the day • Is a model, poet and webmaster of eatbemary.com, a website dedicated to her numerous passions and pursuits

8. Neslie Ricasa San Jose, CA 5’2”, 126 lbs, 26 y/o How She Got Here: Wild Card entrant. Ate 12 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min at Sonoma, CA, Qualifier

• #34-Ranked Eater in the World by Major League Eating • Placed 6th last year; 14 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min • Naturally gifted at Tetris and the Rubik’s Cube, suggesting an analytical mind with a bent toward problem solving • Joey Chestnut’s trainer/chef/girlfriend

7. Mrs. Carlene LeFevre Henderson, NV
 How She Got Here: Won Las Vegas, NV, Qualifier with 13 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min


• Emerged from a nine-year retirement to win the Las Vegas, NV, Qualifier • Legend of competitive eating, formerly world’s #2-ranked female eater • Fourth year competing at Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Contest
; competed in 2003, 2004 and 2005 • Ate 25 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min • Pioneer of the “Carlene Pop,” a vigorous jumping motion used during the contest to speed digestion. This has since become de rigueur on the circuit • Is married to former MLE Member Rich Lefevre • Lives in a pink house in Henderson, NV, and regularly engages in aerobics

6. “The Real Deal” Larell Marie Mele Long Pond, PA
 5’6”, 140 lbs, 49 y/o
 How She Got Here: Won Queens, NY, Qualifier with 14 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min


• #30-Ranked Eater in the World by Major League Eating • Third year competing at Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Contest
 • Placed 5th last year; 21 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min • Ate 13 cannoli in 6 min
 • Ate 48 pierogi in 10 min
 • Ate 4 lbs of frozen yogurt in 6 min

5. Meredith “Deep Fried Diva” Boxberger Barrie, Ontario, Canada 5’8”, 130 lbs, 27 y/o
 How She Got Here: Won Charlotte, NC, Qualifier with 18 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min

• #19-Ranked Eater in the World by Major League Eating
 • #1-Ranked Eater in Canada • Third year competing at Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Contest • Placed 4th last year; 26 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min • Ate 82 Hooters Chicken Wings in 10 min • Ate 23.5 pancakes in 10 min

4. “The Lovely” Juliet Lee
 Germantown, MD 
 5’4”, 100 lbs, 47 y/o
 How She Got Here: Won Long Pond, PA, Qualifier with 27.5 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min

• #8-Ranked Eater in the World by Major League Eating 
 • Placed 2nd last year behind Sonya Thomas; 36 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min, losing by a mere ¾ of a Hot Dogs & Bun • World Jellied Cranberry Sauce Eating Champion, 13.23 lbs in 8 min
 • World Ultimate Eating Tournament (Various Foods) Champion, 7 chicken wings, 1 lb of nachos, 3 hot dogs, 2 personal pizzas, 3 Italian ices in 7 min • Became only the second woman to break 30 Hot Dog & Bun mark in May 2009
 • Ate 219 Shrimp Wontons in Bangkok, Thailand in 2012 • Former chemistry professor in Nanjing, China, now owns a hair salon in Maryland • A proud mother of two

3. Michelle Lesco Tucson, AZ 5’4”, 115 lbs, 29 y/o How She Got Here: Won Bloomingdale, IL, Qualifier, with 28.5 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min

• 9th-Ranked Eater in the World by Major League Eating • Placed 3rd last year; 27.5 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min • In 2013 became the first female eater to defeat Sonya Thomas in sanctioned competition in the Creek Indian taco discipline • A debris-food specialist who is at her best in ribs and chicken wing events • Ate 4.18 lbs of rib meat in 8 min • Ate 166 chicken wings in 12 min • Ate 142 Day-Lee Foods Gyoza in 10 minutes • She is currently working to bring water to villages in Africa.

2. Miki Sudo Las Vegas, NV 5’7”, 120 lbs, 28 y/o How She Got Here: Won Sonoma, CA, Qualifier, with 40 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min

• #4-Ranked Eater in the World by Major League Eating • #1-Ranked Female Eater in the World by Major League Eating • Ate 40 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs & Buns in her 2013 Major League Eating debut • World Kimchi Eating Champion, 8.5 lbs in 6 min • Two-time Ribfest Chicago Rib-Eating Champion, including victory over Joey Chestnut in 2013 • Placed 2nd in the 2013 Hooters World Wing-Eating Championship behind Joey Chestnut with 155 wings in 10 minutes • Reigning US National Buffalo Wing Eating Champion • Has never been defeated by Sonya Thomas in MLE competition. Faces her on July 4th for the first time in hot dogs • Ate 13.5 pints of ice cream in 6 min • Ate 71 Twinkies in 6 min • Ate 61.5 bratwurst sausages in 10 min

1. Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas Alexandria, VA
 5’5”, 100 lbs, 46 y/o
 How She Got Here: Sponsor’s Exemption (2013 Women’s Champion) 


• #5-Ranked Eater in the World by Major League Eating • #2-Ranked Female Eater in the World by Major League Eating • Nicknamed “The Black Widow” for her ability to defeat men up to 4 times her size • Won 2013 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Women’s Contest with 36.75 Hot Dogs & Buns in 10 min • In 2012, Thomas set the Women’s World Record by eating 45 Hot Dogs & Buns • Three-time undefeated Women’s Division Champion, 2011-2013 • 2014 marks her record 11th consecutive appearance on 4th of July • Holds 23 World Records • World Baked Beans Eating Champion, 8.4 lbs in 2 min. 47 seconds • World Cheesecake Eating Champion, 11 lbs. in 9 min
 • World Deep-Fried Okra Eating Champion, 9.75 lbs in 10 min • World Fruitcake Eating Champion, 4 lbs, 14.25 oz in 10 min • World Jambalaya Eating Champion, 9 lbs in 10 min • World Maine-Lobster Eating Champion, 44 Lobsters (11.3 lbs) in 12 min • World Oysters Eating Champion, 47 Dozen Acme Oysters in 8 min • 5-Time U.S. National Chicken Wing Eating Champion • Favorite food is hard-boiled eggs—has eaten 92 hard-boiled eggs in 8 min • Defeated Joey Chestnut head-to-head in Nathan’s hot dogs and buns in 2005 (37 to 32)