Philadelphia, Pa. - When the wrestlers from the 13 participating schools take to the mat on March 6th and 7th at The Palestra on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia--they will be making history.  They will also be competing on the same mats that Donald Rumsfeld the U.S. Secretary of Defense (Princeton 1954), former White House Advisor George Stephanopoulos (Columbia 1982), Chief Economic Advisor Steven Friedman (Cornell 1959), General H. Norman Schwarzkopf (West Point 1956), 2000 Olympic champion Brandon Slay (Penn 1998) and David Pottruck - President and CEO Charles Schwab -- (Penn '70 and '72 Wharton) did when they were undergraduate student-athletes competing for their respective universities.     The folks at the University of Pennsylvania and the EIWA realize this. Thus, Penn Head Coach, Roger Reina, announced comprehensive plans for the 100th running of the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Championships-the oldest running tournament in the history of the United States. The 2004 EIWA championships presented by Charles Schwab will feature a weekend full of festivities befitting this prestigious tournament.      There will be a "Parade of Champions," an "EIWA Centennial Banquet," a "Silent Auction"; in addition, there will also be a special Centennial Celebration "Documentary Film" (with highlights of 100 years of the EIWA) shown at the March 6th banquet.  Schools like the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, Cornell, Brown, Syracuse, Yale, Franklin and Marshall, the United States Naval Academy, United States Military Academy (West Point), Wilkes College, Princeton, Columbia, Temple, Penn State University, East Stroudsburg, Lehigh University, the University of Pittsburgh, Rutgers and newcomer American University  will all take part in this memorable weekend of festivities. (Please note that Penn State has move to the Big Ten; Pitt now competes in the EWL, and sadly--Temple, Syracuse and Yale have eliminated their wrestling programs.)     "The University of Pennsylvania wrestling program is extremely proud to be hosting the 100th running of the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Championships. Our goals are to run a memorable tournament and honor the member schools and their outstanding individuals who have competed in the Easterns," stated Reina.    The University of Pennsylvania is the home of 2000 Olympic champion, Brandon Slay and 2000 NCAA champion Brett Matter.  In all, Penn has produced 17 All-Americans... with 14 earning the honor since 1997.      EIWA FACTOIDS: DID YOU KNOW.... That?  
President Bush's Chief Economic Advisor Steven Friedman was an EIWA champ in 1959 for Cornell  
G. Gordon Liddy grappled for the Brown Bears  
Sixteen (16) athletes have reached All-America status for Franklin & Marshall  
East Stroudsburg University featured two-time NCAA Champion, Jack Cuvo (1988, 1989)
  
General H. Norman Schwarzkop wrestled for legendary coach LeRoy Alitz at the United States Military Academy in the early 1950's
  
Former Penn wrestler David S. Pottruck is the President and CEO of Charles Schwab Corporation 
  
Dick DiBatista won two NCAA titles for the University of Pennsylvania (1941, 1942)
  
Two-time NCAA finalist Brandon Slay (Penn, '98) won a gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games
  
Syracuse had three Olympians: Gen Mills (1980), Chris Catalfo (1984), and Jason Morris (four-time Olympian and 1992 silver medalist, judo)
  
Brown featured judo Olympian Jimmy Pedro, who just defeated the Olympic champion and is currently attempting to make his fourth Olympic appearance
  
Donald Rumsfeld tried out for the 1956 Olympic team while he was an undergraduate at Princeton (he was also a team captain and an All-East selection)
  
Oscar-award winning writer John Irving competed for the University of Pittsburgh
  
Former White House Advisor George Stephanopoulos and former ABC Sports chief, Roone Arledge, wrestled for Columbia University
  
Bobby Weaver (of Lehigh fame) won the gold medal in 105.5 lbs at the 1984 Olympic Games (Los Angeles)
  
Harvard senior Jesse Jantzen is ranked #1 in the USA at 149 lbs. and could become the first NCAA champion for the Crimson since 1938
  
Travis Lee of Cornell only a junior is going for his second NCAA crown this year
    There have been many NCAA champions who competed in the EIWA.  Here they are:     SYRACUSE: Gene Mills, Mark Kerr, Jim Nance and Tom Schlendorf and Art Baker  LEHIGH: Mike Caruso, Pete Yozzo, Kirk Pendleton, Mark Leiberman, Mike Lieberman, Matt Ruppel, Henry Matthes, Tom Sculley, Ed Eichelberger, Joe Gratto, Mike Frick, Darryl Burley, Bill Stuart, Ben Bishop, Tom Sculley,  Howell Scobey, Ed Hamer, Rob Rohn and John Engle and Harold Masem  PENN: Dick DiBatista, Brett Matter  CORNELL: Dave Auble, Dave Hirsh, Glenn Stafford, Frank Bettuci, Don Dickerson and Travis Lee (Lee is still active)  NAVY: Pete Blair and Dan Muthler    EAST STROUDSBURG: Jack Cuvo     HARVARD: John Harkness  WEST POINT: Mike Natvig  YALE: Andy Fitch and Jim Bennett  TEMPLE: Bill Hyman and Wayne Boyd  PRINCETON: Brad Glass  PITT: Hugh Peery, Ed Peery, Joe Solomon, Ed Dewitt, Tom Alberts, Ron Schirf, Paul Powell, Larry Lauchle, Jim Harrison and Pat Santoro.      The festivities will take place at The Palestra on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania March 6th and 7th, 2004. The Centennial Celebration banquet will take place on Saturday, March 6th at the Wyndham Franklin Plaza.  To order tickets to this memorable EIWA weekend, please call. 215-898-6151. You can also log onto www.pennathletics.com/2004eiwas for further information regarding this 2004 EIWA championships presented by Charles Schwab. For information regarding the Centennial Celebration banquet call 215-493-5818.