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Newberg is on ‘Team Tenley’ ... and so is the world

Reality TV — Newberg candidate on ‘The Bachelor’ draws fans from as far as Japan

• By: Amanda Newman  
• Published: 1/12/2010 2:40:19 PM
• Last Updated: 1/13/2010 4:38:04 PM

Molzahn
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   Newberg native Tenley Molzahn is still in the running for Jake’s heart and family, friends and strangers from throughout the world are coming together to show their support.
   Molzahn, 25, is a competitor on ABC’s “The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love,” where she is competing for the affections of Texas commercial pilot Jake Pavelka. In the Jan. 4 season premiere, she won the first kiss and the first impression rose and made the cut from 25 to 15 contestants; in Monday’s episode, she was one of 12 girls kept in the running.
   A 2002 Newberg High School graduate and former George Fox University student, Molzahn now lives in Huntington Beach, Calif., and works in admissions for the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.
   Back home in Newberg, people are showing support for their own, with “Bachelor” watching parties throughout town drawing in veteran viewers and newcomers alike.
   “We are very proud of Tenley for making it onto ‘The Bachelor ...,’” said Kristen Coats, owner and artistic director of Chehalem Valley Dance Academy, where Molzahn studied and taught for many years. “Tenley is someone we are very proud to call an alumna and (we) look forward to watching her journey on ABC.”
   Coats would not comment on the possibility that “The Bachelor” filmed at CVDA, identified by former dancers as the site of a photograph of Tenley and Jake dancing on www.abc.com.
   But Newberg isn’t the only town with eyes on Tenley — a Facebook group, created by her friend Krista Lenggiere-Ward, has amassed nearly 1,500 members in little more than a week, drawing from family, friends and others from throughout the country, even reaching Japan.
   Lenggiere-Ward met Molzahn in 2002 when both were dancing at Disneyland, and was a personal reference on her application for “The Bachelor.” A group of their friends began referring to themselves as “Team Tenley” in the week before the show debuted.
   “After the premiere, I was on a high — I had just seen one of my best friends on one of my favorite shows!” Lenggiere-Ward said in a Facebook message. “She was so genuine, and the only (contestant) who didn’t (seem) fake. You really saw who she was. I knew that America was now on Team Tenley.”
   Lenggiere-Ward went home and immediately created the Facebook group Team Tenley. She made the group “public” in case others wanted to join ... and was amazed when, two days later, the members had exceeded 1,000.
   Molzahn texted Lenggiere-Ward, saying she had read all the comments and was blown away by the overwhelming support from strangers.
   Another friend, Rachel Parkinson, stepped up to create a fan Web site, tenleymolzahn.com. Both outlets have posted pictures of Molzahn — from “The Bachelor” and from life — and links to media coverage of her. Team Tenley’s “wall” is covered in comments from scores of fans.
   “I believe Team Tenley is popular because of Tenley, simple as that. She was genuine and showed America what a pure heart she has and how beautiful she is inside and out,” Lenggiere-Ward said. “It makes me want to cry because I know her faith is with her and I think she is inspiring in many ways, whether it’s faith, taking a chance on love, or being a good person. Each week we are going to have more members, because each week we are going to see how wonderful Tenley is.”

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