March 8, 2000

COLLEGE PARK, Md.-Sophomore Brandon York, a two-time ACC champion, has moved back into the national rankings at No. 19 by Intermat.

York defended his ACC championship at 133-pounds on March 4 in Cole Field House by defeating North Carolina's Brad Byers for the second straight year. With the win, York is poised to become the first Maryland wrestler to win four conference titles in his career.

On March 16, York and three other Terps--all of whom are only sophomores and include Josh Weidman, Mark Mansueto and Rob Booth--will travel to the NCAA Tournament in St. Louis, Mo. for the three day event. York was the lone Maryland qualifier last year and was knocked out in the first round.

The Terps' four qualifiers mark the most Maryland wrestlers to compete in the NCAA Tournament since 1996-97, when the school finished No. 29 nationally after having five Terps make the trip to Cedar Falls, Iowa. That year, 134-pound senior Jim "The Guzzler" Guzzio finished fifth to earn All-American honors and the highest Maryland finish since current assistant coach Tom Miller, at 142 pounds, took third in 1992. Shane Mack, Jeff Whalen, Arash Alizadeh and Damon Stephens also qualifed but fell short in the first round.

York was also named Student-Athlete of the week along with women's lacrosse player Jen Adams, who scored six goals in two games on the week.