MATT LINDLAND NAMED 1998 USA WRESTLING GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLER OF THE YEAR 
  Matt Lindland (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids) has been named the 1998 Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling. It is the first time that Lindland has won this prestigious award. 
  Lindland placed sixth at 167.5 pounds at the 1998 Greco-Roman World Championships in Gavle, Sweden, the top international performance of his career. He was one of three U.S. wrestlers to place in the top 10 of their weight classes at the World Championships, leading the USA to an 11th place team finish. 
  Lindland won his first two bouts at the World Championships, including a clutch 4-0 win over Attila Batky of Slovakia in the quarterfinals. He dropped a controversial 4-0 decision to 1996 Olympic Champion Filiberto Azcuy of Cuba in the semifinals, then was eliminated by Nazmi Avluca of Turkey in the consolation rounds. 
  He qualified for his second straight U.S. World Team by claiming the 1998 World Team Trials in New Orleans, La., defeating Keith Sieracki of the Army in two straight matches. He also won a second career national Greco-Roman title by claiming the 1998 U.S. National Championships, defeating T.C. Dantzler of the Wildcat WC in the finals. 
  He also won a silver medal at three international competitions during the 1998 season. Lindland was second in the 1998 Concord Cup, competing up one weight class at 187.25 pounds. He also won silver medals at the 1998 Granma Cup in Cuba and the 1998 Vehbi Emri Tournament in Turkey. 
  Lindland competes for the Sunkist Kids club. He was a college wrestling star at the Univ. of Nebraska, as well as a junior college national champion for Clackamas CC in Oregon. Originally from Gladstone, Ore., Lindland was an Oregon state high school runner-up. 
  He works as a coach for the Husker Wrestling Club, which is affiliated with the Univ. of Nebraska. 
  PAST GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLER OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS 
  1998 - Matt Lindland, Lincoln, Neb., Sunkist Kids 
  1997 - Rulon Gardner, Gilbert, Ariz., Sunkist Kids 
  1996 - Dennis Hall, Stevens, Point, Wis., Sunkist Kids 
  1995 - Dennis Hall, Stevens Point, Wis., Sunkist Kids 
  1994 - Dennis Hall, Stevens Point, Wis., Sunkist Kids 
  1993 - James Johnson, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids