The traditional start of the international wrestling season in the United States is the annual Sunkist Kids/ASU International Open, set for the Wells Fargo Arena at Arizona State Univ. in Tempe, Ariz., October 24-25. This is the 19th year that this event has been hosted, and it will feature all three styles of Olympic wrestling: men's freestyle, men's Greco-Roman and women's freestyle.    This year, however, has added importance with the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece just months away. The athletes on the mats during the tournament will be gaining valuable experience in their quest to earn a spot in next summer's Olympic Games.    Many of America's best wrestlers in all three styles will be competing, as well as some top competitors from other nations.    2000 Olympic champion and 2001 World Champion Rulon Gardner (Cascade, Colo./Sunkist Kids) is expected to enter the Greco-Roman competition at 120 kg/264.5 pounds. Gardner is competing after his 10th place finish at the recent Greco-Roman World Championships in France. He has made a remarkable comeback after missing the 2002 season due to frostbite injuries that caused the amputation of a toe.    According to Assistant National Greco-Roman Coach Momir Petkovic, a majority of the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) resident athletes will be competing, except those who were on the U.S. World Team or those who have committed to participating in the Greco-Roman World Cup in Kazakhstan in late October.    National Women's Coach Terry Steiner indicated that almost the entire USOTC resident program for women are intending to compete. This includes the members of the U.S. Women's World Team, which just defeated Japan in the Women's World Cup in Tokyo, Japan.    No. 1 women wrestlers who are expected to wrestle are: Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Jenny Wong (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 59 kg/130 lbs., Sara McMann (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 67 kg/158.5 lbs. and Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/Cumberland College) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. All of these athletes won medals at the 2003 World Championships in New York City.    National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson indicated that a majority of the USOTC men's freestyle resident athletes will also be participating. That includes National Team members Lee Fullhart (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Jason Kutz (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 60 kg/132 lbs.    Jackson also expects to see two-time U.S. World team member Chris Bono (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) and one-time U.S. World team member Bill Zadick (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC), both National Team members, to be competing at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. One of the nation's top young stars, National Team member Mike Zadick (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) should be in the field at 60 kg/132 lbs.    The nation's top international wrestling clubs are usually very active at this event, with large teams expected from the Sunkist Kids, Dave Schultz WC, New York AC, U.S. Army, U.S. Marines, U.S. Air Force and many other top clubs.    This event qualifies for the NCAA Waiver for Outside Competition, so college wrestlers may compete. In past years, a number of talented college athletes and teams have participated to kick off their new season.    In addition, many of the top college athletes who have taken an Olympic red-shirt year to pursue their Olympic dream will be featured in the tournament. Among the prominent college stars who is taking that redshirt year and will be competing at the Sunkist Kids/ASU International Open will be 2003 NCAA champion Steven Mocco (N. Bergen, N.J./Hawkeye WC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.    This is also a prize-money event, as part of USA Wrestling's national teams program. Champions in the men's freestyle and Greco-Roman divisions receive $1,000 and the champions in the women's division receive $750. U.S. citizens will receive prize money for earning second and third place in their weight class.    Athletes from Canada, Mexico and Colombia have indicated that they will attend this year. There has also been interest from Latvia and the Ivory Coast concerning the event.    Last year, the United States won all of the gold medals in the men's freestyle and men's Greco-Roman divisions. Five of the seven women's champions were also from the United States. Among the 2002 Sunkist Kids International Open champions who went on to make the 2003 U.S. World Team were men's freestylers Stephen Abas (Frenso, Calif./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. plus women freestyle wrestlers Jenny Wong (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs and Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/Cumberland College) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.    In addition to the wrestling action, the Sunkist Kids/Sun Devils Coaches and Wrestlers Fall Clinic will be held on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 24-25. Among the featured clinicians are 2003 U.S. World Team member Stephen Abas (Fresno, Calif./Sunkist Kids), NCAA champion and Dan Hodge Trophy winner Eric Larkin (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) and 1991 World champion and 1992 Olympic silver medalist Zeke Jones (Morgantown, W.Va./Sunkist Kids). The clinic fee for coaches includes a USA Wrestling Copper certification clinic, plus five hours of instruction and free admission to the wrestling action on Saturday. The cost is $80 for coaches, $50 for wrestlers and $30 for coaches who register five wrestlers for the clinic.     For more information, contact tournament director Tim Gressley at (480) 483-2907 or visit the tournament website at www.sunkistkids.org.    Complete coverage of the Sunkist Kids/ASU International Open will provided on TheMat.com.    SUNKIST KIDS INTERNATIONAL OPEN SCHEDULE  Thursday, October 23  9: 00 am 12: 00 pm - FILA Officials Clinic, Session #1 (TPH)  2: 00 pm 4: 00 pm - FILA Officials Clinic, Session #2 (TPH)  4: 00 pm 6: 00 pm - FS & GR Registration (WFA)  6: 00 pm 6: 30 pm - FS & GR Weigh-in, + 2KG (WFA)  [TPH indicates Twin Palms Hotel & WFA - indicates Wells Fargo Arena]    Friday, October 24  9: 00 am 1: 00 pm - Men's FS & GR Preliminaries  3: 00 pm Finish - Men's FS & GR Preliminaries & Quarter Finals  6: 00 pm 7: 00 pm - Women's Registration (WFA)  7: 00 pm 7: 30 pm - Women's Weigh-in + 2KG (WFA)  6: 30 pm 9: 30 pm - Sunkist/Sun Devil Coaches & Wrestler's Clinic    Saturday, October 25  9: 00 am 12: 30 pm - Women's Preliminaries  10: 00 am 11: 15 am - Men's FS & GR SemiFinals  1: 30 pm 2: 45 pm Women's Quarter Finals/Repechage  3: 00 pm 3: 45 pm Women's Semi Finals  4: 00 pm 5: 00 pm FS, GR & Women's Third Place matches  5: 15 pm 6: 30 pm All Finals (FS, GR & WM)  6: 30 pm 9: 30 pm Sunkist/Sun Devil Coaches & Wrestling Clinic  Schedule Subject to Change    (WFA) = Wells Fargo Arena    2002 SUNKIST KIDS/ASU INTERNATIONAL OPEN CHAMPIONS    Women's freestyle   105.5 - Carol Huynh (Canada); 112 - Jenny Wong (USA); 121 - Tela O'Donnell (USA); 130 - Tonya Evinger (USA); 138.5 - Sara Eriksson (Sweden); 147.5 - Katie Downing (USA); 158.5 - Tocarra Montgomery (USA)    Men's freestyle    121 -  Stephen Abas (USA); 132 - Michael Lightner (USA); 145.5 - Adam Tirapelle (USA); 163 - Joe Heskett (USA); 185 - Aaron Simpson (USA); 211.5 - Daniel Cormier (USA); 264.5 - Tolly Thompson (USA)     Men's Greco-Roman   121 - Michel Santos (USA); 132 - Dennis Hall (USA); 145.5 - Keith Wilson (USA); 163 - Brandon McNab (USA); 185 -  Quincey Clark (USA); 211.5 - Ross Thatcher (USA); 264.5 - Matt Lamb (USA)