March 10, 1999

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - On the heels of its third consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference championship, the University of North Carolina wrestling team is currently preparing for next week's NCAA Tournament in State College, Pa., set for March 18-20. The Tar Heels will send nine wrestlers to the NCAA meet, the most a Carolina team has qualified for nationals since the 1994 team sent all 10 starters to the NCAA Championships hosted by UNC in the Smith Center.

Last Saturday, North Carolina won its third straight ACC championship, riding on strong performances by nine finalists at University Hall in Charlottesville, Va. This is the Tar Heels seventh ACC championship title in eight years.

JohnMark Bentley (149), Corey Bell (184), and Matt Kenny (HWT) scored championship wins for North Carolina. UNC coach Bill Lam was named the 1999 ACC Coach of the Year as well. Bentley, ranked #5 nationally, and Bell both won their second consecutive titles while tonight's victory was Kenny's first.

Although Carolina, Virginia and N.C. State each had three individual champions, the Tar Heels prevailed by exploiting their depth and placing nine finalists all told in the field.

The ACC championship was the University's third of the 1998-99 school year and the first in a men's sport. Previously women's soccer and women's indoor track claimed ACC titles. UNC's men's basketball team will go after the school's fourth ACC title of the school year Sunday against top-ranked Duke at Charlotte, N.C.

At 125, Virginia's eighth ranked Matt Roth claimed his first ACC title by upsetting two-time defending champion and sixth ranked Chuckie Connor of UNC in the much anticipated contest. Roth avenged his 2-0 loss to Connor earlier this season. Roth stuck Joe Guzzio with 12 seconds to go in the semifinal and went on to claim the Outstanding Wrestler Award as well.

N. C. State had three wrestlers win championships, and all three of them were first-time champions: Tommy Davis (141), Pierre Pryor (157), and Kevin Boross (174). Davis is currently ranked #15 in the country.

Virginia's Jim Harshaw, ranked #11 nationally, won his third consecutive ACC title, after winning the last two at 150 and tonight's victory at 165. Brandon York of Maryland wonhis first title at 133, and joining him in the winner's circle for the first time was Craig Fenstermaker of Virginia, who won at 197.

The ACC will send 20 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, which will take place in State College, Pa., March 18-20. A list of UNC's qualifiers is listed below.