Western Junior Regionals start championships Wednesday at Convention Center's Hall S-3     LAS VEGAS--Wrestlers, from U.S. Olympians to would-be international stars, will be in Las Vegas this week for the 2002 Las Vegas United States National Wrestling Championships, presented by Knickerbocker. Being held Wednesday through Saturday at the newly-expanded Las Vegas Convention Center, over 2,000 entries from across the country will be competing for championships.    Featuring Olympic-style wrestling, the 2002 Las Vegas United States National Wrestling Championships, presented by Knickerbocker, will be held in the spacious new Hall S-3 at the Convention Center. The massive tournament will also include the U.S. Freestyle Nationals, the U.S. Greco-Roman Nationals, the U.S. Women*s Nationals, the U.S. Veteran*s Nationals, and the Western Junior Regionals. ESPN2 will televise the event nationally on a delayed basis. The Women's Freestyle Finals will be televised on the Oxygen Network, also on a delayed basis.    Action on 20 mats in the Western Junior Regionals will run from 12:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday and 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday. The other divisions all start on Friday.    On Saturday, the semifinals and 3-5-7th place medal matches will run from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., followed by the championship finals in Senior Freestyle, Senior Greco-Roman and Senior Women*s Freestyle starting at 6 p.m.    In the Senior competition, defending 187.25 Freestyle national champion Cael Sanderson, already the most honored and decorated collegiate wrestler of all time, will also resume his Olympic dreams in Las Vegas.    Having completed an unprecedented collegiate career at Iowa State with a perfect 159-0 career record, four NCAA titles and the only wrestler ever to be honored four consecutive years as the most outstanding wrestler of the NCAA Championships, Sanderson will now take center stage in the entertainment and sports capital of the world. Last year in Las Vegas,Sanderson defeated Charles Burton, Bloomington, Ind., 4-1, to earn his first national freestyle championship.    Over 40 entries from Nevada are expected. Leading the Nevada contingent will be Las Vegas brothers Eddie, Greg and Chris Gifford, Josh and Jared Medina, Mesquite*s Skyler and Scott Woods, Reno's Chad Espinoza, along with Las Vegas' Eugene Harris and Matt Azevedo. Eddie Gifford, Josh Medina, Skyler Woods, Harris and Azevedo will wrestle in Senior Freestyle while the others will all compete in Junior Freestyle.    Two-time defending super heavyweight freestyle national champion Kerry McCoy returns to Las Vegas as the favorite in the weight class he has been so strong in for eight years.    McCoy, who was the 1994 and 1997 NCAA champion while competing at Penn State, and is currently the No. 1 ranked U.S. Freestyle wrestler at 264.5 lbs., went undefeated in five matches April 6-7 to lead Team USA to the title of the Northern Quest 2002 World Cup of Wrestling.    An assistant wrestling coach at Lehigh University, the muscular 6-2 McCoy's complete focus is on Las Vegas, where he has finished in the top five in each of the last eight years.     Besides his gold medals the last two years, McCoy*s enviable record of consistency in the nationals includes two silver medals (1996, 1997) and two bronze medals (1995, 1999). McCoy had a fourth in his first year (1994) and his lowest finish in this event was fifth (1998).       Among the challengers who will attempt to quench McCoy's quest to become the first freestyle wrestler in his weight category to win at least three straight since the legendary Bruce Baumgartner's 14 consecutive crowns (1983-1996) is Tolly Thompson, the 1998 national champion. McCoy beat Thompson for the title last year, 5-2.    An important factor in the nationals this year is the change in international weight classes, from eight to seven. With fewer divisions, many athletes will be competing against new competitors this year.    In senior Greco-Roman at 132 lbs., the fiercest rivalry in American wrestling should continue this year between No. 1 Jim Gruenwald and No. 2 Dennis Hall, Wisconsin natives and international stars. For many years, the edge went to Hall, a 10-time national champion who won an Olympic silver medal, as well as World gold and bronze medals. The last two years, Gruenwald, of Colorado Springs, Colo., made the U.S. Team (2000 Olympics, 2001 Worlds), but Hall, of Plover, Wisc., has beaten Gruenwald at the Nationals and other events.    The biggest name in wrestling not competing in Las Vegas will be Greco-Roman Super Heavyweight Rulon Gardner. Still recovering from frostbite and the loss of one toe, Gardner is the reigning Olympic and World champion. Gardner is hopeful to be back on the competition mats this summer.    Advance VIP, Preferred and General Admission All-Event tickets are on sale through Tuesday at the LVSC ticket office at 702.838.4091. With admission for all four days, VIP All-Event packages are $150 each, Preferred All-Event tickets are $65 each and General Admission All-Event tickets are on sale for $45 for adults and $20 for students (6 to 17 years old).    Preferred and General Admission daily tickets will be available at the door only. Preferred daily tickets will be $35 while General Admission daily tickets will be $25 for adults and $15 for students.     Tickets to the finals only (to be held on Saturday, April 27) will be available on the day of the event at the door. Preferred will be $25 each while General Admission tickets for the finals (6 p.m., Saturday, April 27) will be $20 for adults and $10 for students.    Las Vegas has hosted and the LVSC and USA Wrestling have worked together to hold 12 previous Nationals in the Southern Nevada area, including the past three years.    In Las Vegas, America's finest wrestlers will be starting the road to the World Championship. National Championships will be decided in the seven international weight categories for senior men and women competitors.    There will be six weight divisions for the veteran's divisions, split into five divisions based on ages.    Titles in 12 weight divisions will be decided in the Western Junior Regionals. Any qualified junior wrestler may compete in one of seven regional championships held annually by USA Wrestling across the country.    The top seven place winners in each weight class in men's freestyle and Greco-Roman along with the top eight women's place winners in each weight class qualify for the World Team Trials.    For men, the weight divisions are: 121 lbs. (55 kilograms), 132 lbs. (60 kg), 145.5 lbs. (66 kg), 163 lbs. (74 kg), 185 lbs. (84 kg), 211.5 lbs. (96 kg) and 264.5 lbs. (120 kg).     The seven women's weight divisions are: 105.5 lbs. (48 kg), 112 lbs. (51 kg), 121 lbs. (55 kg), 130 lbs. (59 kg), 138.75 lbs. (63 kg), 147.5 lbs. (67 kg) and 158.5 lbs. (72 kg).    For 17 years, the LVSC, a non-profit organization benefitting the youth of Las Vegas under the direction of President Larry Barnson, has been producing special events in the Las Vegas area. Other major wrestling events produced by the LVSC include the 1997 USA Wrestling Freestyle World Team Trials, the 1998 NAIA National Wrestling Championships and the 1998 Junior World Freestyle Wrestling Championships. In July of 1999, the LVSC presented the U.S. Taekwondo Junior Olympics with over 5,000 participants. Area youth have received nearly $250,000 in event proceeds.    Additional information is available from the LVSC offices at 702.361.5017 or on the organization*s website at www.lvsports.org.