One of the most wide-open weight classes on the U.S. freestyle national scene is 96 kg/211.5 pounds. There is a new national champion, Tim Hartung of the Minnesota Storm, who had his best effort to date by taking it all in Las Vegas this year. Hartung locked up a cradle late in the match and turned finals opponent Chad Lamer of the Hawkeye WC for the winning points in his 4-2 win for the gold. Both of these athletes have proven to be worthy international competitors, and both are seeking their first U.S. World Team berth.    Hartung recently made the commitment to compete up at this division, after testing the waters down at 187.25 pounds in other seasons. He says that he feels strong and confident at this weight, and showed some of that by winning the Kiev Grand Prix in Ukraine this winter.     Lamer was a silver medalist at the World Cup and gave the reigning World Champion Georgi Gogchelidze from Russia a tremendous battle in a loss in the final dual meet in Spokane, Wash., causing Gogchelidze to be carried off the mat at the end. Lamer was second in the 2001 World Team Trials, and now has the experience of competing in that pressure-cooker format. A gold medal at the University Worlds a few years ago was his top international achievement.    For the last few years, Dominic Black of the U.S. Army has been the top talent in this division. Black did not wrestle this season, after entering officer school to advance his military career. Although he has been back in Colorado Springs, Black may be a year away from being ready to reclaim his spot at the top of the heap here. Black still seeks his first World medal and his U.S. foes aim to keep him from having another chance at this goal.    Veteran Dean Morrison of the New York AC had a strong performance at the U.S. Nationals, placing third. He was a Team USA member down at 187.25 pounds in the past. A former NCAA champion, Morrison has committed to this new weight class and has been doing what it takes to be a champion. Placing fourth at the U.S. Nationals was another person who is paying his dues in freestyle, former Cal-Bakersfield star Raphael Davis of the Dave Schultz WC, who has been getting additional international experience and training as he moves up the ranks.    College wrestler Nick Preston of Ohio International surprised many with his fifth-place effort at the U.S. Nationals. He is still rather new to the Senior level freestyle scene, but will be a difficult match to anybody he faces in the Challenge Tournament. Another exciting talent is Franklin Lashley of the U.S. Army, who was sixth in Las Vegas. Lashley, a former NAIA star at Missouri Valley, moved up to this weight class this year and should continue to improve as he adds freestyle experience.    Former NCAA champion Mark Munoz of the Gator WC was seventh at the U.S. Nationals and has proven his freestyle talents by taking a Junior World silver medal a few years ago. His teammate at Oklahoma State, Daniel Cormier, was having a tremendous year until he broke his arm in a European event this winter. Cormier has healed enough to wrestle in Saint Paul, but it remains to be seen if he will be anywhere near his best. Cormier was No. 3 on Team USA last year, and many believe he could be the new star at this weight division.    NCAA runner-up Jon Trenge of Lehigh qualifies for this event by making the finals in Albany, but he also placed a solid eighth at the U.S. Nationals this spring. Trenge has made a few U.S. Junior World Teams, and has a good future in freestyle. Another former U.S. Nationals placewinner, Zach Thompson of the Sunkist Kids, qualifies for the Challenge Tournament by making the finals at the 2001 Dave Schultz International. Thompson was a Junior World medalist himself, and has the ability to win close matches. Another who may be in the field is Regional champion Roy Mokosso.    Two names from the past, Olympians Melvin Douglas and Kurt Angle, keep coming up lately. Douglas has not wrestled since making the 2000 Olympic team, but many believe he could still be competitive at this weight class, even at the age of 39. Angle, a 1996 Olympic champion who is a world-famous pro wrestler now, has told the media that he plans to return for a run at the 2004 Olympic team. Many wonder if either will ever step on the mat again. Talk about these past stars at this weight may disappear if one of the younger wrestlers step up and win a medal for the United States at this year's World meet.     Hartung and Lamer seem to have the edge at this weight class, based upon performance in recent events and momentum. Their battle in Las Vegas was very close, and a best-of-three finals series between them could be a classic in Saint Paul. Lamer's first assignment will be to win the Challenge Tournament, something he was able to do last year. Although he will be favored, he will have to wrestle very well to get out of the Challenge Tournament. Beware of Cormier if he has been able to return to his top form from injury rehab. The U.S. National Coaches are looking for one of these wrestlers at this weight to make a big step forward this year, especially if the U.S. hopes to challenge for a World Team title in the near future.     96 kg/211.5 lbs. qualifiers  National champion - Tim Hartung, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)  U.S. Nationals #2 - Chad Lamer, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)  U.S. Nationals #3 - Dean Morrison, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York AC)  U.S. Nationals #4 - Raphael Davis, Bakersfield, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC)  U.S. Nationals #5 - Nick Preston, Columbus, Ohio (Ohio International)  U.S. Nationals #6 - Franklin Lashley, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)  U.S. Nationals #7 - Mark Munoz, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)  Team USA member - Dominic Black, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)  Team USA member -Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)  NCAA Div. I finalist - Jon Trenge, Orefield, Pa. (New York AC)  Regional champion - Roy Mokosso, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)  Past World and Olympic team member - Melvin Douglas, Mesa, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)  Medalist at Group A Tournament - Zach Thompson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)    Men's Freestyle criteria: 1. Top seven at 2002 Senior National Championships; 2. Current National Team Member - Top three; 3. Top three Finisher in a FILA A Championships 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 past two years; 6. 2002 NCAA Div. I Finalist; 7. 2002 Regional Tournament Champion from the Northeast, Northern Plains and Rocky Mountain Regionals    Note 1: Some athletes qualified in more than one way, although just one is noted in this list.  Note 2: Other wrestlers who meet qualifying criterion may identify themselves, and will be added to this list leading up to the event. Some of the anticipated qualifiers may choose not to attend.    Starting on May 30, TheMat.com will feature a daily interview with one of the 2002 U.S. Nationals champions, as well as a preview of that weight class for the upcoming World Team Trials, set for Saint Paul, Minn., June 21-23. Visit TheMat.com daily to read about America's best international athletes and learn about the exciting action expected at this year's World Team Trials.