March 5, 2004

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Coming off one of its most convincing wins of the season, the University of North Carolina wrestling team (5-11, 1-4 ACC) takes aim at defending its 2003 Atlantic Coast Conference title Saturday at Virginia's University Hall. The Cavaliers are hosting both the ACC and Southern Conference wrestling championships in the 2004 Mat Jam. Action begins at 11 a.m. and finals are slated to start at 7 p.m.

Heavyweight Ryan Adams and 184-pounder Mark Canty both enter the championships with perfect 5-0 records in ACC bouts this season. Canty won the conference title at 174 pounds a year ago, while Adams finished second in his class. This season, Adams is 28-10 and is tied for seventh nationally in wins among all heavyweights and earned ACC Wrestler of the Week honors twice. Canty enters the weekend with a 23-15 mark.

Venroy July (197 pounds) and Bobby Shaw (133 pounds), who are both 3-2, are the only other Tar Heels with winning marks in conference action. July stands 20-17 overall, while Shaw is 16-20.

Also scheduled to compete for Carolina Saturday are Drew Forshey (125 pounds, 14-11, 1-4 ACC), Mike Booth (141 pounds, 6-9, 0-1 ACC), Andrew Slack (149 pounds, 11-19, 1-3 ACC), Ashton Buswell (157 pounds, 14-20, 1-4 ACC), Garrett Atkinson (165 pounds, 12-20, 2-3 ACC) and Joshua Lee (174 pounds, 6-18, 1-2 ACC).

Carolina has won 15 ACC titles to rank second behind Maryland, who has won 20 of the 50 conference crowns.

In its final dual match of the season, Carolina defeated defending SoCon champion Appalachian State, 36-6, on Feb. 28.