The top Greco-Roman wrestlers in the United States will be competing at the 1998 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team Trials in the Grace King Center in Metairie, La., June 26-27. The event is being hosted by USA Wrestling and Louisiana USA Wrestling. 
 Only the top wrestlers in the country are eligible to compete in the tournament. The top eight placewinners at each weight class from the 1998 U.S. National Championships in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., April 25-26, qualified for the World Team Trials. The 1998 University Nationals champions also qualify to compete. 
 The U.S. Nationals champions in each of the eight weight divisions receive the top seed in the tournament. They will advance directly to the best two-of-three championship finals series beginning at 10:00 a.m on Saturday, June 27. The remaining qualifiers will compete in a ôMini-Tournamentö to determine who will advance to the finals series.  The ôMini-Tournament will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, June 26. 
 The champion at each weight class will earn the opportunity to compete in the 1998 Greco-Roman World Championships to be held in Gavle, Sweden, Aug. 27-30. 
 1996 Olympic silver medalists Dennis Hall (Plover, Wis./Sunkist Kids) at 127.75 pounds and Matt Ghaffari (Avon Lake, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 286 pounds lead the list of National champions who will attempt to qualify for the 1998 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team. 
 Hall, a seven-time U.S. Nationals champion,  will attempt to make his fifth straight World Team. Hall, the 1995 world champion, is dedicated to regaining his number one world ranking with this competition being an important step towards that goal. 
 Ghaffari, a 1995 world bronze medalist, returns to the U.S. World Team Trials after taking a year off from competition. In April Ghaffari made the first successful step back to regaining  his form that won him the 1996 Olympic silver medal. He defeated Rulon Gardner (Gilbert, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) to claim his sixth U.S. Nationals title. Gardner finished fifth in the 1997 World Championships. 
 After the 1996 Olympics, Ghaffari had knee surgery that kept him from competing in 1997. Ghaffari is remembered as one of the biggest stories of the Atlanta Olympic Games. He lost a close contest in the 286 pound Greco-Roman finals to the legendary Alexander Karelin of Russia. Upon claiming his silver medal Ghaffari was overcome with emotion on the awards stand, a scene that has been replayed many times on national television. 
 Another top contender will be 1998 U.S. Nationals champion Shawn Sheldon (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC) at 119 pounds. Sheldon, a two-time Olympian, will attempt to qualify for his eighth U.S. World Team. Sheldon, who has not represented the U.S. at the World Championships since 1995 will be challenged by a strong group of contenders for the top spot. 
 Other 1998 U.S. National champions to watch include Shon Lewis (Colorado Springs, Colo./No Limit Soldier) at 138.75 pounds, Chris Saba (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 152 pounds and Matt Lindland (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids) at 167.5 pounds. 
 Lewis, a four-time U.S. Nationals champion, last represented the U.S. at the World Championships in 1993. He is a five-time Armed Forces champion for the U.S. Army. He was an alternate on the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team. 
 Saba, a member of the 1997 U.S. World Team, is a two-time U.S. Nationals champion. He is a resident athlete at the United States Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, Colo. 
 Lindland, the 1996 Greco-Roman World Cup champion, was a member of the 1997 U.S. World Team. Lindland is a two-time U.S. Nationals champion. 
 Attempting to qualify for their first U.S. World Team are Dan Niebuhr (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 187.25 pounds and Jason Klohs (Osseo, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 213.75 pounds. 
 Niebuhr, a USOTC resident athlete, claimed his first U.S. Nationals title and will now challenge for his first World Team. Niebuhr, who competes at 187.25 pounds, is in one of the toughest weight divisions. Expected to battle Niebuhr for top spot is two-time Olympian and two-time U.S. World Team member Dan Henderson (Huntington Beach, Calif./Sunkist Kids). 
 Klohs, also a first time U.S. Nationals champion, will be faced with a strong group of challengers including 1997 U.S. World Team member Randy Couture (Corvallis, Ore/Sunkist Kids). Couture placed ninth in the 1997 World Championships and was unable to compete in the 1998 U.S. Nationals due to an injury. 
 QUALIFIERS FOR THE 1998 U.S. GRECO-ROMAN WORLD TEAM TRIALS 
 at Grace King Center, Metairie, La., June 26-27 
 * Athletes are listed based on their 1998 U.S. Nationals place followed by hometown and club affiliation. 
 54 kg/119 lbs.  
 U.S. Nationals Champion - Shawn Sheldon, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  
 Mini-Tournament Qualifiers: 2. - Jeff Cervone, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces); 3.  - Steven Mays, Pensacola, Fla. (Armed Forces); 4. - Anthony Wilkes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces); 5. - David Laymon, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces); 6. - Broderick Lee, Tarzana, Calif. (Peninsula); 7. - Masahiko Yanagihara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC); 8. - Chris Mirabella, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC) 
 University Nationals Champion - Josh Fox, Colorado Springs, Colo. 
 58 kg/127.75 lbs. 
 U.S. Nationals Champion - Dennis Hall, Stevens Point, Wis. (Sunkist Kids) 
 Mini-Tournament Qualifiers: 2. - James Gruenwald, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids); 3. - Duaine Martin, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces); 4. - Jacob Hey, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces); 5. - James Shillow, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces); 6. - Tom Uccellini, Troy, N.Y., (ATWA); 7. - Barrett Golyer, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minn. Storm); 8. - Robert Wimberly, Pembroke Pines, Fla. (Marauders) 
 University Nationals Champion - Joe Warren, Grand Rapids, Mich. (Cliff Keen WC) 
 63 kg/138.75 lbs. 
 U.S. Nationals Champion - Shon Lewis, Colorado Springs, Colo. (No Limit Soldier) 
 Mini-Tournament Qualifiers: 2. - Kevin Bracken, Dekalb, Ill. (New York AC); 3. - Glenn Nieradka, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids); 4. - Marco Sanchez, Phoenix, Ariz.  (Sunkist Kids); 5. - Jason Tolbert, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces); 6. - Charley Carbaugh, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces); 7. - Brandon Mc Nab, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Dave Schultz); 8. - Anthony Hamlett, Lakewood, Wash. 
 University Nationals Champion - Curt Onstad, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces/Marines) 
 69 kg/152 lbs.  
 U.S. Nationals Champion - Chris Saba, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 
 Mini-Tournament Qualifiers: 2. - Herb House, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces); 3. - David Zuniga, New Brighton, Minn. (Minn. Storm); 4. - Marcel Cooper, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces); 5. - Derek Mountsier, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids); 6. - Heath Sims, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Dave Schultz); 7. - Willy Knight, Shaker Heights, Ohio (Ohio International); 8. - Steve Woods, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces) 
 University Nationals Champion - Herb House, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces/Army) 
 76 kg/167.5 lbs.  
 U.S. Nationals Champion - Matt Lindland, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids) 
 Mini-Tournament Qualifiers: 2. - T.C. Dantzler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Wildcat); 3. - Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces); 4. - Mike Uker, Colorado Spring, Colo. (Hawkeye); 5. - William Carr, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces ); 6. - Tom Ciezki, Evanston, Ill. (Wildcat); 7. - Patrick Owens, Quantico, Va. (Armed Forces); 8. - Ryan Henry,  Dayton, Ore. 
 University Nationals Champion - Aaron Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force) 
 85 kg/187.25 lbs. 
 U.S. Nationals Champion - Dan Niebuhr, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 
 Mini-Tournament Qualifiers: 2. - Ethan Bosch, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC); 3. - Kenneth Owens, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces); 4. - Dan Henderson, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Dave Schultz); 5. - Brad Vering, Lincoln, Neb. (Husker); 6. - Quincey Clark, Eagan, Minn. (Minn. Storm); 7. - Kevin Vogel, Temperence, Mich. (MichiganWC); 8. - Chael Sonnen, Eugene, Ore. (Dave Schultz