March 15, 2000

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Four sophomores from the University of Maryland - Rob Booth (Atco, N.J.), Mark Mansueto (West Chester, Pa.), Josh Weidman (Hershey, Pa.) and Brandon York (Gaithersburg, Md.) - will make up the largest Terrapin contingent for the NCAA Wrestling Championships since 1997 when they open competition Thursday at the Kiel Center. The wrestlers qualified for the tournament with their performances at the ACC Wrestling Championship on March 4 held in Cole Field House.

York, currently ranked No. 19 by Intermat at 133 pounds, won his second ACC title at 133 pounds by defeating North Carolina's Brad Byers for the second straight year. At 34-6, he has been the most consistent wrestler for the Terps over the last two years, placing in 11 tournaments and winning seven individual titles.

Weidman, also ranked in the top 25 at 165, brings his 28-7 record to St. Louis as one of the team's best tournament wrestlers. Before losing in the ACC finals to Joel Dramis of NC State, 5-2, Weidman had been Maryland's hottest wrestler, winning 10 consecutive matches. In his last four matches, he has defeated both No. 17 Denis Alampiev of American and defending ACC champion Jamie Groudle of North Carolina. He also beat Groudle on Jan. 15 in the deciding match of the Terps' 21-19 upset of ACC champion North Carolina.

In the shadow of York and Weidman, Mansueto quietly led the Terps with a 10-1 dual record at 141 pounds. After sweeping the ACC regular season to finish at a perfect 4-0, he fell short in the tournament finals, losing to Virginia's P.J. Bory, 6-4. At 19-11, Mansueto is the grittiest wrestler on the team, also demonstrated by his 131-win high school career.

Booth, at 157, was a leading candidate for the ACC tournament's outstanding wrestler through the first two rounds after pinning Duke's Geoff Anderson at 4:21 and upsetting Don Carlo-Clauss of Virginia, 3-1 until he ran into the Wolfpack's Scott Garren in the finals. Although his 15-14 record does not represent his success this season, Booth can be dangerous, exemplified by his team-high six falls.

Four NCAA qualifiers is the largest Maryland group since All-American Jim Guzzio led the Terps to a 29th place finish nationally with five qualifiers in 1997. Guzzio, who had a 39-2 record, including a school-record 38 straight wins, finished fifth in the nation.

The tournament commences Thursday at Noon EST with first round pigtail matches, although the Terps will not know their opponents until the brackets are announced Wednesday evening. The Maryland wrestlers can be followed on the NCAA's web site, ncaawrestling.com.