The U.S. men's freestyle wrestling team has established itself as an international power and an annual contender for the World Team Title. The 2001 U.S. team features a mix of experience and youth, representing a new generation of athletes aiming to continue the tradition of excellence established by previous U.S. athletes and teams.    The United States claimed the Team Title in freestyle in Toronto, Canada in 1993 and a home-field victory in Atlanta, Ga. in 1995.  Those U.S. teams were very experienced and featured some of the greatest U.S. freestyle stars in history. The 2001 team hopes to match the achievements of those squads, and create a few new legends of their own.    Leading the effort is 2000 Olympian Kerry McCoy of the New York AC, who has earned the No. 1 ranking in 130 kg for the USA for three of the last four years. McCoy was fifth in the 2000 Olympics and fourth in the 1998 World Championships, and seeks his first World-level medal.    He should have a strong and active local crowd behind him. McCoy was a high school star at Longwood High on Long Island, and won two NCAA titles for Penn State Univ. He is now a coach at Lehigh Univ. Friends and fans from all three locations will be in the stands supporting his efforts.    Three members of the 1999 U.S. World Team have also qualified to compete in New York: Eric Guerrero of the Sunkist Kids at 58 kg, Joe Williams of the Sunkist Kids at 76 kg and Dominic Black of the U.S. Army at 97 kg.     Guerrero placed seventh at the 1999 World Championships, his first major taste of international competition. He also won a silver medal at the Pan American Games that year. Guerrero has had a good season, winning titles at the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials to make the team.    Williams placed a strong fourth in the 1999 World Championships, in his first time out on the world stage. Since then, he has won a pair of World Cup gold medals, and returned to the top of the U.S. rankings.    Black did not place in the top 10 at the 1999 World meet, but has picked up considerable international experience since then. He was second in the 2000 Olympic Team Trials to veteran Melvin Douglas, after suffering an injury in the finals. Black competes for the U.S. Army and trains at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.    The fate of the U.S. team performance could come down to four rookies. New members of the U.S. World Team in freestyle will be Stephen Abas of the Sunkist Kids at 54 kg, Bill Zadick of the Hawkeye WC at 63 kg, Chris Bono of the Sunkist Kids  at 69 kg and Cael Sanderson of the Sunkist Kids at 85 kg.    Two of these athletes are still competing on the college level, Abas at Fresno State and Sanderson at Iowa State. They will be taking some time off from their studies and their preparation for the collegiate season in order to pursue medals for the USA.    Abas has won two NCAA titles and will be seeking a third in 2002. He has shown great skills on the age-group levels, winning a Junior World gold medal. When Abas defeated international veteran Eric Akin to earn the spot on the U.S. team, he showed that he is ready for the big time now.    Sanderson is on his way to becoming the greatest college wrestler in history. He has won three straight NCAA titles and Outstanding Wrestler awards, and has never lost a college match. His freestyle skills are also very impressive, featuring a University World gold medal last fall.    Zadick and Bono are examples of star athletes who have paid their dues, and will be getting their chance to show their stuff to the rest of the world for the first time. Both placed second in the 2000 Olympic Trials, placing behind international medalists Cary Kolat and Lincoln McIlravy, respectively.    During their years climbing the ladder within the United States, both Zadick and Bono have logged considerable time overseas at international events. Bono competed most recently in the World Cup, capturing a silver medal and testing himself against some of the World's best.    The college wrestling system has played a part in the development of this entire team. Seven of the eight team members were NCAA Div. I champions (with Black being the exception). Abas, Guerrero, Williams, Sanderson and McCoy all won the NCAA title more than once.    Iowa college programs produced half of this group, with Zadick and Williams hailing from the Univ. of Iowa and Bono and Sanderson coming out of Iowa State. Powerhouse Oklahoma State developed Guerrero. Black's alma mater is West Virginia. As mentioned before, McCoy was from Penn State and Abas attends Fresno State.    This group of stars, with high expectations, has a chance to provide the U.S. freestyle program a great start to the new century.    2001 U.S. FREESTYLE WORLD TEAM  Weight/Name/Residence/College/High School/Club  54 kg - Stephen Abas, Fresno, Calif, Fresno State, James Logan (Calif.), Sunkist Kids  58 kg - Eric Guerrero, Stillwater, Okla., Oklahoma State, San Jose Independence (Calif.), Sunkist Kids  63 kg - Bill Zadick, Iowa City, Iowa, Iowa, Great Falls (Mont.), Hawkeye WC  69 kg - Chris Bono, Gilbert, Iowa, Iowa State, Bolles School (Fla.), Sunkist Kids  76 kg - Joe Williams, Iowa City, Iowa, Iowa, Mount Carmel (Ill.), Sunkist Kids  85 kg - Cael Sanderson, Heber City, Utah, Iowa State, Wasatch (Utah), Sunkist Kids  97 kg - Dominic Black, Colo. Spgs., Colo., West Virginia, Henry Clay (Ky.), U.S. Army  130 kg - Kerry McCoy, Bethlehem, Pa., Penn State, Longwood (N.Y.), New York AC  Head Coach - Mark Manning, Lincoln, Neb.  Assistant Coach - Zeke Jones, Morgantown, W.Va.  National Freestyle Coach - Kevin Jackson, Colorado Springs, Colo.