CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina wrestlers Ryan Adams, Mark Canty and Venroy July will each compete at the 2004 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, set for Thursday through Saturday at the Savvis Center in St. Louis.

Canty is making his third NCAA appearance, while Adams and July, who each won Atlantic Coast Conference titles this year, will be making their first trip to the national meet.

Adams (30-10) will open competition in the heavyweight division against eighth-seeded Clinton Walbeck (28-4) of Fresno State. Canty, who is 24-16 at 184 pounds, opens against No. 9 Brian Glynn (29-6) of Illinois, and July (22-17) will face ninth-seeded KC Walsh (25-7) of Boise State in the first round at 197 pounds.

Carolina finished 34th at last year's NCAA Championships. The top eight finishers in each weight class earn All-America honors.

CAROLINA'S 2004 NCAA QUALIFIERS:
Ryan Adams (Senior, Rock Hill, S.C.)
Led Carolina with a 30-10 overall record and a 15- 3 mark in dual match competition ... Tied for eighth nationally with 30 wins in the heavyweight division ... Recorded eight wins via fall and won five bouts via major decision ... Has won 14 of his last 15 matches ... After opening the season 9-7, has gone 21-3 over his last 24 bouts ... Atlantic Coast Conference champion in the heavyweight division ... Also finished fifth at the Rubbermaid Open, the Southern Scuffle and sixth at the Beast of the East.

Mark Canty (Junior-RS, Gahanna, Pa.)
Owns a 24-16 record for the season and is 11-7 in dual matches ... Making his first NCAA appearance at 184 pounds after wrestling at 174 in each of the last two years ... Won four matches via fall and led the Tar Heels with six major-decision victories ... After a five-match losing streak in December and January, rallied to go 11-4 over his last 15 bouts ... Atlantic Coast Conference runner-up at 184 pounds ... Also finished second at the Rubbermaid Open and fourth at the Mat-Town USA Invitational and Beast of the East.

Venroy July (Junior-RS. Bronx, N.Y.)
Owns a 22-17 record on the year, including an 11-7 record in dual matches ... Won his first Atlantic Coast Conference title at 197 pounds ... Also finished fourth at the Southern Scuffle and eighth at the Mat-Town USA Invitational ... Won 19 of his last 30 bouts after starting the season 3-6.