THE BEST FREESTYLE WRESTLERS IN THE NATION TO COMPETE IN FREESTYLE WORLD TEAM TRIALS IN WATERLOO, IOWA, JUNE 12-13 
  
 The best freestyle wrestlers in the nation will travel to Waterloo, Iowa, to compete in the 1998 Freestyle World Team Trials at the Young Arena, June 12-13. 
  
 The winners at each weight class from the World Team Trials will qualify for the U.S. team at the 1998 World Freestyle Championships in Tehran, Iran, Sept. 8-11.  
  
 In addition, the champions will also compete on the U.S. team at the 1998 Goodwill Games in New York, N.Y., July 25-26. The top three placewinners in each weight class qualify for the 1998-99 Freestyle Team USA, and are eligible for training and subsistence funds. 
  
 Leading the field is 1997 World Champion Les Gutches (Corvallis, Ore./Sunkist Kids) at 187.25 pounds. Gutches was seventh in the 1996 Olympic Games, and has won three straight U.S. Nationals titles.  
  
 Another top veteran is 1993 World Champion Melvin Douglas (Mesa, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 213.75 pounds. Douglas has won seven career U.S. Nationals titles, as well as four career World medals. 
  
 Claiming his second straight U.S. Nationals title was Lincoln McIlravy (Iowa City, Iowa/Gateway 2000) at 152 pounds. McIlravy, who competed in the 1997 World Championships, was a three-time NCAA champion at the Univ. of Iowa. 
  
 Five top-ranked wrestlers won their first career U.S. Nationals titles this year. They include Sam Henson (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids) at 119 pounds, Tony Purler (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids) at 127.75 pounds, Shawn Charles (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Sunkist Kids) at 138.75 pounds, Steve Marianetti (Urbana, Ill./New York AC) at 167.5 pounds and Tolly Thompson (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids) at 286 pounds. 
  
 Purler is the only one of the first time champions to ever compete in the Freestyle World Championships, placing 10th in the 1997 World Championships. 
  
 Qualifying for the World Team Trials are the top six place winners from the 1998 U.S. Nationals, which was held in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., April 25-26. In addition, a number of other athletes may be added to the field through a petition process. 
  
 Many of the athletes participating in the World Team Trials have a strong Iowa connection. Of the 48 original qualifiers, 14 either went to high school, college or have trained with a club in the state of Iowa. 
  
 The first day of the World Team Trials on Friday, June 12, features the ³Mini-Tournament,² including all of the athletes except the U.S. Nationals champion. One athlete in each weight class will win the Mini-Tournament, and earn the right to advance to the next day. The Mini-Tournament is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on June 12. 
  
 The final day of the event, Saturday, June 13, is the Championship Finals Series. The 1998 U.S. Nationals champion in each weight class will battle the winner of the Mini-Tournament in a best-of-three series. Session times for the Championship Finals Series are 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. 
  
 All-session tickets can be ordered for $12 a person, by mailing a check or money order to the Black Hawk Wrestling Club, 311 Big Jim Ct., Dunkerton, IA 50626. Orders receive after June 2 will be held at the Will Call window. Tickets will also be available at the door for $5 a session. 
  
 The tournament will be held alongside the Veterans National Championships, which includes athletes 35-years old and above.  
 For more information, contact Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling at 719-598-8181. 
  
 1998 FREESTYLE WORLD TEAM TRIALS at Waterloo, Iowa, June 12-13 
  
 Qualifying athletes 
  
 54 kg/119 lbs. - 1998 U.S. Nationals champion - Sam Henson, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids); Mini-Tournament athletes: 2nd - Lou Rosselli, Edinboro, Pa. (New York AC); 3rd - Eric Akin, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye); 4th - Stephen Abas, Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids); 5th - Jeff Prescott, State College, Pa. (New York AC); 6th - Sheldon Thomas, Clarion, Pa. (Dave Schultz WC) 
  
 58 kg/127.75 lbs. - 1998 U.S. Nationals champion - Tony Purler, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids); Mini-Tournament athletes: 2nd - Yero Washington, Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids); 3rd - Eric Guerrero, San Jose, Calif. (Cowboy); 4th - Chris Bollin, Colorado Springs, Colo., (Sunkist Kids); 5th - Jeff Bedard, Atlanta, Ga. (Sunkist Kids); 6th - Danny Felix, Phoenix, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) 
  
 63 kg/138.75 lbs. - 1998 U.S. Nationals champion - Shawn Charles, Mt. Pleasant, Mich. (Sunkist Kids); Mini-Tournament athletes: 2nd - Troy Steiner, Madison, Wis. (Team Excel); 3rd - T.J. Jaworsky, Chapel Hill, N.C. (New York AC); 4th - John Fisher, Ypsilanti, Mich. (Sunkist Kids); 5th - Bill Zadick, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye); 6th - Alan Fried, Iowa City, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) 
  
 69 kg/152 lbs. - 1998 U.S. Nationals champion - Lincoln McIlravy, Iowa City, Iowa (Gateway 2000); Mini-Tournament athletes: 2nd - Terry Steiner, Madison, Wis. (Team Excel); 3rd - John Giura, New York, N.Y. (Dave Schultz); 4th - Pat Santoro, Bethlehem, Pa. (New York AC); 5th - Townsend Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids); 6th - Ken Ramsey, Columbus, Ohio (Ohio International) 
  
 76 kg/167.5 lbs. - 1998 U.S. Nationals champion -  Steve Marianetti, Urbana, Ill. (New York AC); Mini-Tournament athletes: 2nd - Daryl Weber, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye); 3rd - Tony Robie, Edinboro, Pa. (New York AC); 4th - Pat Smith, Stillwater, Okla. (Cowboy); 5th - Frank Trigg, Phoenix, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids); 6th - Dan St John, Tulsa, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) 
  
 85 kg/187.25 lbs. - 1998 U.S. Nationals champion - Les Gutches, Corvallis, Ore. (Sunkist Kids); Mini-Tournament athletes: Kevin Jackson, Gilbert, Ariz. (Team Excel); 3rd - Jon Mc Govern, Burke, Va. (Dave Schultz); 4th - Barry Weldon, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids); 5th - Dean Morrison, Morgantown, W.Va. (NYAC); 6th - Derek Jones, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minn. Storm) 
  
 97 kg/213.75 lbs. - 1998 U.S. Nationals champion - Melvin Douglas, Mesa, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids); Mini-Tournament athletes: 2nd - Mike Van Arsdale, Phoenix, Ariz. (Team Excel); 3rd - Joel Sharratt, Bethlehem, Pa. (Dave Schultz); 4th - J.J. Mc Grew, Stillwater, Okla. (Sunkist Kids); 5th - Dominic Black, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Armed Forces); 6th - Rex Holman, Blacklick, Ohio (Sunkist Kids) 
  
 130 kg/286 lbs. - 1998 U.S. Nationals champion - Tolly Thompson, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids); Mini-Tournament athletes: 2nd - Tom Erikson, W. Lafayette, Ind. (Sunkist Kids); 3rd - Airron Richardson, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen); 4th - Justin Greenlee, Ames, Iowa (NYAC); 5th - Kerry McCoy, State College, Pa. (NYAC); 6th - Stephen Neal, Bakersfield, Calif. (Dave Schultz) 
  
 Note: Other athletes may be added to the field through a petition process. These athletes will be announced prior to the competition.