2000 Olympic bronze medalist Garrett Lowney is seeking his second Olympic team berth. Although he has won the last three World Team Trials, he has only competed in the World Championships once this Olympic cycle. In 2001, when the World meet was moved from New York after 9/11, he did not attend due to his college wrestling season. Last year, a severe neck injury that required surgery and threatened his career, kept him out of the World meet and the Pan Am Games. The scuttlebutt was that Lowney was done, and he moved back to Wisconsin and started considering life after wrestling.    This winter, Lowney got back on the mats and was medically cleared to compete. He won a silver medal at the Dave Schultz International, losing only to a World class competitor from Kyrgyzstan and beating his top American rival. Then he went to Serbia for the Olympic Qualification Tournament, where he had to wrestle six times against many of the best on the planet. Lowney won five times, earning fifth place and putting the USA in the Athens Games at this weight class. The injury is still out there, perhaps a factor. But Lowney erased all doubt that he has lost that World-class edge that made him the most exciting U.S. athlete at the Sydney Games.    Ranked No. 2 is Justin Ruiz, a Univ. of Nebraska student who is taking the year off to chase an Olympic team spot. Ruiz competed at the 2003 World Championships and Pan American Games when Lowney could not go. Ruiz, who missed a few seasons for a Mormon mission, has trained fulltime in Colorado Springs, and has been getting in as much competition as he can. A silver medal at the World Cup shows he can beat tough foreign athletes. His loss to Lowney shows Ruiz where he is in his development, and may have helped him focus for another shot at him in Las Vegas. Lowney and Ruiz were competitors going back to their FILA Junior days. This is a rivalry which continues to be interesting and exciting. However, Ruiz knows he has a lot of top athletes to beat before facing Lowney again.    Taking the No. 3 spot on the national team was Marine wrestler Frank Workman, his best career performance to date. Workman has already earned his ticket to Indianapolis, with a victory in a Regional tournament at 120 kg. Often Workman has wrestled at heavyweight, then made the move down for the U.S. Nationals and Olympic Trials. He won a controversial and heated match overtime match with Jason Loukides to make the National Team last year.    Jason Loukides, a veteran who competed in the 2001 World Championships, is looking to return to top form. His gold medal at the Armed Forces Championships for the U.S. Army provides him a spot in the Olympic Trials. Loukides has wrestled many matches this year, which should help in the long and challenging road through the U.S. Nationals field. He lost a competitive match with Ruiz at the Dave Schultz Memorial, an indication that he remains a true challenger for top honors.    R.C. Johnson of the USOEC University program has become a consistent challenger with a bright future. He was a silver medalist at the Sunkist Kids International, losing in the finals to Egypt's World silver medalist Karam Gaber. Johnson will offer a tough match every time, and has been gaining the experience that is so important against top competition.     Veteran Dan Hicks has qualified for the Greco-Roman national team many times, but has yet to claim a No. 1 spot in his career. Last year was a down season for the U.S. Marine athlete. He has rebounded with some solid performances this year. He lost in an Olympic Regional finals to 2000 Olympian Quincey Clark, who jumped up in weight for the tournament. Hicks has the training and experience to beat good opponents, and this may be his last try at a U.S. team.    Phillip Johnston of had a career best performance by reaching the U.S. Nationals finals, but has not been consistent since then. He has been active, wrestling in a number of events so far this season, so he should be ready for the Nationals this season.  Deon Hicks  of the U.S. Marines is also capable of challenging for a medal on the national level. He has paid his dues at this division, and can not be overlooked.    Brandon Ruiz, Justin's older brother, should also be among the contenders here. Ruiz has been training alongside his younger brother in Colorado Springs this year, and has been entering a number of events. Mark Knauer, who wrestled in college for Iowa State, has qualified for the Olympic Trials through one of the Regionals. Mike Mathers, who has been a Greco-Roman specialist, has also secured an Olympic Regional Trials gold medal.    Adam Wheeler of the U.S. Navy placed second behind Loukides at the Armed Forces event this year, and is fully capable of being an All-American in Las Vegas. Al Sankey, a former Team USA member, has been on the mats this season, but has taken losses to a number of his opponents. Chris Moen, when healthy, is capable of winning matches and challenging for the medal rounds. Nate Patrick has wrestled at this division in Greco-Roman this year, but may be dropping down for the Olympic push. He may also decide not to compete in both styles, something he has been doing all season.    The Garrett Lowney story continues. A surprise Olympic medalist, Lowney has had to overcome injuries and strange circumstances in recent years, challenging his character and showing him how much wrestling means to him. Justin Ruiz has earned the right to be the man pushing Lowney, hoping for the big breakthrough this year. A mix of experienced contenders and fast-developing young athletes should make for some exciting matches in Las Vegas this year.     THEMAT.COM RANKINGS FOR APRIL 2004  96 KG/211.75 LBS. IN MEN'S GRECO-ROMAN  1. Garrett Lowney, Freedom, Wis. (Minnesota Storm)  2. Justin Ruiz, W. Salt Lake City, Utah (New York AC)   3. Frank Workman, Spotsylvania, Va. (U.S. Marine Corps)  4. Adam Wheeler, San Diego, Calif. (U.S. Navy)  5. Dan Hicks, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marine Corps)  6. Jason Loukides, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)  7. R.C. Johnson, Plymouth, Minn. (New York AC)  8. Phillip Johnston, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force)  9. Brandon Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Elite WC)  10. Deon Hicks, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marine Corps)    ATHLETES ALREADY QUALIFIED FOR THE OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS  Armed Forces Champion  - Jason Loukides, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)  West Regional Trials Champion - Mike Mathers (Oregon)  North Regional Trials Champion -  Mark Knauer, Ames, Iowa (Cyclone WC)  Central Regional Trials Champion -Quincey Clark, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm)