March 16, 2000

ST. LOUIS, Mo.-University of Virginia wrestler Steve Garland advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships with two victories on the opening day of the competition on Thursday (March 16). Garland, a graduate student from Middletown, N.Y., is seeded eighth at 125 pounds. He defeated Adam Tramutola of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga 8-0 in the first round and then beat ninth-seeded Michael Kawamura of Arizona State 7-3 in the second round.

Garland's next opponent on Friday (March 17) is top-seeded Jody Strittmatter of Iowa.

Three other Virginia wrestlers lost their first round matches. Junior P. J. Bory (Suffern, N.Y.) lost in a technical fall to eighth-seeded Carl Perry of Illinois at 141 pounds and graduate student John Pozniak (State College, Pa.) lost in a technical fall to fourth-seeded Jared Lawrence of Minnesota at 149 pounds. Virginia sophomore Ryan McGrath (Blairstown, N.J.) lost to ninth-seeded Rob Ruhn of Lehigh 4-1 at 184 pounds.

The losses by Bory, Pozniak and Ruhn moved them into the consolation bracket.