In 2000, the future looked bright for the U.S. at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. in Greco-Roman. Garrett Lowney of the Minnesota Storm, who had not even wrestled his first college match, won a bronze medal at the Sydney Olympics. It was the most promising Olympics in U.S. Greco-Roman history, with Lowney becoming one of three medalists.    Within two years, Lowney began to suffer numerous injuries while mixing college wrestling with Greco-Roman. After visits to doctors, he found out that he was having severe problems with the vertebrae in his neck, and that his career was possibly in jeopardy.    Even though he earned a spot on the 2003 U.S. World Team, Lowney was forced to miss the Pan American Games and the World Championships that year due to the injury. Young Justin Ruiz of the New York AC, who at the time was on an Olympic Redshirt from college, took over the spots, and fared well for a wrestler not long removed from a two-year hiatus for a Mormon Mission.    Lowney battled back and earned the Olympic birth in 2004 over Ruiz. However, not much has been heard from Lowney since the Athens Games, where he suffered a frustrating loss. Even Lowney has not yet officially retired from wrestling, which could make the next couple of years interesting.    But for now, Ruiz is the defending U.S. Nationals champion at 96 kg. And he has prepared as such, competing in 23 matches and seven tournaments so far this year. He has won medals at five of those tournaments. His large, thick frame will make it tough for his opponents to push him around the mat and score on him, and even tougher to throw him, even from the new double-underhook clinch.    One wrestler that has slipped under the radar somewhat this year is Adam Wheeler of the Gator WC. Wheeler is 1-1 this year with Ruiz and has posted some really big wins internationally as well. He has four top-five finishes out of five tournaments this season.    Phil Johnston of the U.S. Air Force has also been solid this year, winning three international medals and a gold medal at the Armed Forces Championships recently. Johnston has losses to Ruiz and Wheeler so far this season, but they have been close losses.    R.C. Johnson of the New York AC lost a close match to Wheeler earlier this year, and was defeated by a solid margin against Ruiz a month later, but he has earned his place in the top five in the U.S. with other very solid wins.    Frank Workman of the U.S. Marine Corps and Al Sankey of the U.S. Army are two very solid competitors. Workman has struggled against most of the top competitors in the U.S., especially in the old clinch, but he has not yet competed in the new clinch.    Sankey did not get any matches in until the end of January, but has since competed in seven matches. He has losses to Ruiz and Johnston, neither in very close matches. He will have to learn how to close the gap and possibly for a coin toss for the clinch.    J.D. Bergman of the Ohio International WC, a two-time NCAA All-American at Ohio State, has even begun to make his mark, winning a University Nationals title this year and placing eighth last year at the U.S. Nationals. He will have the toughest time breaking through this weight class since he doesn't get to train Greco-Roman full time.    Deon Hicks of the U.S. Marine Corps has been very tough the last two seasons, but he has not yet competed this year. If he does step back on the mat, his rustiness under the new rules may be tough to shake off.    Jason Loukides of the U.S. Army also has not competed this season, and he will most likely retire at this point according to some of his teammates.    There is actually a lot of depth at this weight class. Not many American wrestling fans have been paying attention to the "others" in this weight, though, since Lowney first made the Olympic Team in 2000. With so much youth and talent in the U.S. at 96 kg, this weight class could go back-and-forth between a few competitors before the next Games in Beijing. But this year's winner will get a definite upper hand towards earning that next Olympic spot.      2004 U.S. NATIONALS RESULTS  1st - Justin Ruiz, Salt Lake City, Utah (New York AC) dec. Garrett Lowney, Kaukauna, Wis. (Minnesota Storm), 2-2, ot  3rd - Dan Hicks, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marine Corps) dec. Jason Loukides, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 4-2  5th - Adam Wheeler, San Diego, Calif. (Gator WC) by med. forf. over Frank Workman, Spotsylvania, Va. (U.S. Marine Corps)  7th - Philip Johnston, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force) by fall over J.D. Bergman, Oak Harbor, Ohio (Ohio International WC), 1:25    THEMAT.COM RANKINGS FOR APRIL 1, 2005  1. Garrett Lowney, Kaukauna, Wis. (Minnesota Storm)  2. Justin Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  3. Adam Wheeler, San Diego, Calif. (Gator WC)  4. Philip Johnston, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force)  5. R.C. Johnson, Plymouth, Minn. (New York AC)  6. Jason Loukides, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)  7. Frank Workman, Spotsylvania, Va. (U.S. Marine Corps)  8. Al Sankey, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marine Corps)  9. Deon Hicks, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marine Corps)  10. J.D. Bergman, Oak Harbor, Ohio (Ohio International WC)