USA Wrestling has approved a change in its World Team Trials qualifying system that will include select Senior Regional Championships as qualifiers for the 2002 World Team Trials in men?s freestyle, men?s Greco-Roman and women?s freestyle wrestling.    In the past, these Regional Championships were not among the qualifying events for the World Team Trials. However, during Olympic years, Regional Olympic Trials were developed and included as a part of the trials process.     Champions of the select 2002 Senior Regional Championships will qualify for the Challenge Tournament at the 2002 World Team Trials in the style that they win the Regional. Only champions advance to the World Team Trials; even if the champion also qualifies at another event, no other place finisher at the Regional event will advance. This is the same qualifying format used in the Regional Olympic Qualifiers in the past.    Not every USA Wrestling Junior Regional Championships has a Senior Regional Championships attached to it. This year, there will be three Senior Regional men?s freestyle and Greco-Roman events that will also be World Team Trials qualifiers.    The qualifying men?s Senior Regionals are: the Northern Plains Senior Regionals in LaCrosse, Wis., March 27-30; the Rocky Mountain Senior Regionals in Laramie, Wyo., March 28-30; the Northeast Senior Regionals in Brockport, N.Y., April 5-7.    ?Adding the Northern Plains, Northeast and Rocky Mountain Regionals as World Team Trials qualifiers was a joint decision within USA Wrestling,? said Pete Isais, Director of National Events. ?USA Wrestling feels that providing additional World Team Trials qualifying opportunities will be positive for the sport of wrestling.?    This year, USA Wrestling has identified two Senior Women?s Regionals as World Team Trials qualifiers: the Northern Plains Women?s Regionals in LaCrosse, Wis. on March 29-30, and the Northeast Women?s Regionals in Brockport, N.Y., April 5-7. In past years, these have been the largest and most competitive of the Women?s Regionals.     USA Wrestling will not host any other Senior Women?s Regionals this year. The goal is to build these two Women?s Regionals in size and prestige, then add more Women?s Regionals in the future.    ?The expansion and growth of women?s wrestling is a major goal as we gear up for the 2004 Olympics,? said Isais. ?We hope that concentrating on promoting two Women?s Regionals, the level of competition and the number of quality matches will increase, helping us to reach our goals for the Women?s program.?    Each style has its own qualifying requirements for the World Team Trials. Below are the qualifying standards for each style:    Freestyle Qualifying Criterion: 1. Top seven at 2002 U.S. Nationals; 2. Current National Team Member - top three; 3. Top-three finish in a FILA A Championship in the past two years, including Pan Ams, but not Sunkist; 4. Past World or Olympic Team member; 5. Medalist at Junior World Championships in the last two years; 6. Champion at 2002 Northern Plains, Rocky Mountain and Northeast Senior Regionals    Greco-Roman Qualifying Criterion:  1. Top seven at 2002 U.S. Nationals; 2. Current National Team Member - top three; 3. Top-three finish in a FILA A Championship in the past three years, including Pan Ams, but not Sunkist; 4. 2002 University National Champions; 5. Past World or Olympic Team member; 6. Medalist at Junior World Championships in the last two years; 7. Champion at 2002 Northern Plains, Rocky Mountain and Northeast Senior Regionals    Women?s Qualifying Criterion:  1. Top seven at 2002 U.S. Nationals; 2. Current National Team Member - top three; 3. Top-three finish in a FILA A Championship in the past three years, including Pan Ams, but not Sunkist; 4. 2002 University National Champions; 5. Past World Team member; 6. Champion at 2002 Northern Plains and Northeast Women?s Regionals