Recovering from surgery for a ruptured disk ... driven worker on the mats who is expected to contribute once he has completed rehabilitation.

At Oakton High: Placed fourth in the state as junior and senior ... two-time place-winner in AAU tournament (fourth) ... three-time team MVP ... 36-7 record, 23 pins senior year ... finished career 138-28 ... team captain.

Personal: Eric Amstutz, b. San Clemente, Calif. … has an uncle who wrestled at UC Santa Barbara ... economics.

At Columbia: Injured for most of the season as a first year ... finished the season 1-2.

At Moses Lake High: Three-time Washington state placewinner … fourth as a junior at 148 and as a senior at 158 … third as a sophomore at 141 … went to Japan in 1998 with Washington Wrestling Exchange Program.

Personal: Golden James Baker, b. 8/14/80 in Moses Lake, Wash. … liberal arts.

At Marion Harding High: Was ranked in the top 15 wrestlers in the nation as a senior ... placed third in the state at Division I ... Three-time All-Ohio Heartland Conference Champion ... Columbus all - metro Team ... first - team all - central ... senior year had 33-2 record, with 25 pins ... finished career 151-20 ... also lettered in football ... ranked in top five linebackers in state as a senior ... team captain in both football and wrestling ... honor roll.

Personal: William Clayton Beechum, b. 1/6/84 … liberal arts.

At Columbia: Did not wrestle last season ... In 2001, finished the season 4-7 overall, with a 2-1 record in duals and one major decision... Sophomore season was 7-7 overall with two pins and one major decision.

At Lecanto: Was undefeated his senior season with a record of 35-0 and 74 takedowns ... two-time state champion ... placed third at AAU Nationals ... two-time captain.

Personal: Nick Carrier, b. 3/6/80 in Providence, R.I. ... son of Roger and Joleen Carrier ... computer science.

At Columbia: After impressive showing in brief 2000 action, was expected to move into regular role before suffering knee injury just before the 2001 season opener …wrestled only in the Lions’ first tournament in 2000 season as a first year, the East Stroudsburg Open, but won four of five to take fifth place … gained fifth with 4-3 decision over Jeff Sauve.

At Bloomfield High: Football and wrestling … earned All-American honors his senior year, when he placed second in the state, first in the region and district … placed third at high school national tournament … 42-2, with 33 pins … 29-5 as soph, 35-2 as a junior with 25 pins, when he placed 3rd at states … 122-17 in his career, with 86 pins, setting Bloomfield records for wins and pins … led Bengals to district, regional, and county titles … two-year captain.

Personal: Joseph Paul Chiaravallo, b. 6/5/82 in Livingston, N.J. … fishing enthusiast … father Joe played the line for Nebraska in the late 1960’s … liberal arts.

At Arroyo Grande: State runner-up as a senior ... All-American at Nationals (seventh place) ... League champ three years (So., Jr., Sr.) ... Placed first and third at Master’s ... earned seven letters in football (4) and wrestling ... team captain ... also was an All-League linebacker.

Personal: Kirk Davis ... business.

At Columbia: Has been slowed down by injuries and is still rehabilitating ... is an asset to the team.

At Delbarton School: Four wrestling letters … captain as a senior, helping Delbarton to its best season ever … undefeated when forced out by mid-season injury … all-conference as sophomore and junior … placed in every tournament in last three seasons … won King of the Beach Summer Classic … accomplished baseball player, pitched perfect game as a sophomore … scholar-athlete award.

Personal: Ravi Rajendra Desai, b. 1/7/83 in Hoboken, N.J. … enjoys writing poetry … brother Kapil graduated from Columbia College in 1998 … economics.

At Columbia: Will be one of the contenders for the top spot at heavyweight this season …strength is an asset to the team ... bench presses 405 pounds.

At San Benito High: Six letters in wrestling and football … captained both … NHSCA All-American … first in Monterey Bay League, second in Central Coast Section as a senior … compiled 32-7 record … placed in prestigious Reno Tournament of Champions … league champion, fourth in the section as a junior … made state championships both seasons, but failed to place … San Benito Haybalers won league title both years, Central Coast Section in 2000 … outstanding football player ... honorable mention all-state offensive lineman (San Jose Mercury-News) … FreeLance (newspaper) Senior Male Athlete of the Year … National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award … Governor’s Scholarship Program award recipient … high honors on Golden State Exams in biology, chemistry, economics, and geometry.

Personal: Matthew Benjamin Engwall, b. 2/23/83 in Hollister, Calif. …father Mats attended Sweden’s Royal Institute of Technology, played basketball in Swedish Elite League … center on the Swedish National Team in 1966 … liberal arts.

At Columbia: One of the key leaders of the team ... last season finished 15-15 on the season ... placed 2nd in the Aggie Tournament at UC Davis ... as a first year, lost his first nine bouts while adjusting to tough collegiate opposition, but won 8 of last 18, including 6-3 win over veteran Princeton’s veteran Joe Rybacki, and 13-3 major decision over Luke Welch of RIT for seventh in the NY States … won 16-2 and 10-3 decisions earlier in the State meet.

At Minisink Valley High: Five letters in wrestling and football … fourth in New York State as a senior, with a 35-2 record … 88-15 career … captain as a junior and senior … 84 tackles and 12 sacks for Minisink’s 1999 team, ranked fifth in the state.

Personal: Michael Joseph Gerstl, b. 6/13/82 in Middletown, N.Y. … enjoys mountain biking … economics major.

At Columbia: Last season was 8-9 ... placed fifth at EIWA’s … As a first year, 3-1 record in Ivy League earned him honorable mention All-Ivy … fought to a superb 9-7 decision over Alejandro Alvarez of Cornell, also beat Brian Kirschbaum of Princeton and Ryan Gill of Brown (by pin) … 6-5 in duals … slick, scrappy matman who finds ways to win.

At Union High: Oklahoma state runner-up as a junior, third as a senior … ranked in the nation’s top six at one point in his senior season … 35-1 as a senior, 86-22 in his career … captain as a junior and senior, leading team to second in states in 1999 and third in 2000 … fifth in Junior National Greco-Roman and sixth in Junior National Freestyle.

Personal: Daniel Isaiah Green, b. 3/25/82 in Claremore, Okla. … political science.

At Lemoore: As a senior, ranked 12th in the state ... two-time place- winner in the state (fourth) ... fifth at Senior High School Nationals ... 52-8 as a senior ... placed second in the state freestyle as junior and senior ... two-time All-American ... two-time team MVP ... team was ranked 12th in state ... team captain ... came to the United States as a junior, via an exchange program, and stayed.

In Germany: Member of the German National team as sophomore ... placed third in German Greco Nationals ... placed fifth in European Greco Championships.

Personal: Born in Leipzig, Germany ... enjoys snowboarding ... mother, Silvia, won an Olympic bronze medal for East German National team in gymnastics ... computer science.

At De La Salle Institute: Was third in the state as a senior ... All-Chicago Catholic League as junior and senior ... 39 wins senior season, 17 pins ... Academic All Conference ... two-time team captain.

Personal: Sam Kuntz … enjoys lifting and reading ... liberal arts.

At Blair Academy: Earned six letters in wrestling (2), lacrosse (3) and cross country ... team was No. 1 ranked in the nation ... was on the Commended List for nine terms ... won both the History and Chinese Awards.

Personal: Andrew Lebed ... has cousin who wrestled for Clarion ... economics.

At Blair Academy: NJ State Prep School Champ ... three-time Maryland Independent School Champion ... national champ at High School Senior Nationals ... 190-8 career record ... 40-0 as a senior ... Asics High School First Team All-America ... NHSCA No. 1 ranking at 171 ... two-time national prep champ ... two-time national prep runner-up ... 2002 NJ All-Star Wrestling Team ... team was No. 1 in nation in 2002.

Personal: enjoys chess ... three-time magna cum laude on the National Latin exam ... liberal arts.

At Toms River H.S.: Ranked first and second in New Jersey as senior ... Pat McGrath 1995 state champ for Toms River East ... ranked 17th nationally prior to injury at Senior Nationals ... 112-18 career ... 36-2 senior year, when he was ranked third in N.J. ... was first ever at school to be four-time district champ ... two-time region champ and super region champ ... three-time all county, two-time all shore ... placed third at Beast of the East ... third at high school nationals ... two-time team MVP ... team’s Most Dedicated Wrestler for four years ... team ranked ninth in state ... earned four letters ... three-time team captain.

Freestyle: placed first in States ... placed third at Tulsa Nationals ... three-time member of NJ State National Freestyle team.

Personal: Enjoys surfing, snow boarding and sky diving ... grandfather and uncle attended Columbia ... liberal arts.

At Columbia: Went 6-13 in first season with the Lions ... brings tremendous work ethic to the team.

At Ramapo High: Four wrestling letters … three-year captain … 34-3 as a senior, when he was all-league, all-county and all-state … won division, county and section at 135 … division champ, all-league and all-county as a junior … led Gryphons to four sectional titles and three years in state’s top 10 finishers … third in New York State junior freestyle … wrestled at the New York Athletic Club … Journal-News Rockland County Scholar-Athlete of the Week … chosen to attend National Youth Leadership Council convention in Washington.

Personal: Arash Najafi, b. 9/20/83 in Queens, N.Y. … loves to play the guitar, and writes music … father, Vahiel, was a champion wrestler at Mashad University in Iran … pre-medical

.

At Columbia: Was 18-7 last season as a sophomore ... placed fourth at the East Stroudsburg Open ... at NY State Tournament was eighth ... as a first year, led Lions with 22 victories and made third team All-Rookie Team (AWN) … 10-4 in duals … debuted by winning five of first six bouts in East Stroudsburg Open, losing only to nationally-ranked Eric Schmiesing of Hofstra … took third in the tournament with a 7-5 victory over Nate Wachter of Penn State … beginning with Binghamton Duals, continuing through Duke Duals, Columbia Duals, and NY State Championships, won 11 of 12 matches, losing only to Tommy Davis of N.C. State, 3-1 in Duke Duals … earned first seed in NY States and gained the title, defeating Eric Miller of Army, 3-2 in the semis, and Gabe Webster of Cornell, 3-1 in the finals … also defeated Miller, 4-3, in the Binghamton Duals.

At St. Joseph Regional High: Heralded scholastic wrestler was a high school All-American … third in high school senior nationals and World Team Trials … New Jersey state champion as a senior, runner-up as a junior, fifth as a sophomore … won four Bergen County wrestling titles, only the second person ever to do so, with county-record 134 wins, 7 losses, and 79 pins … three regional titles, four district crowns … New Jersey state freestyle champion nine times, Eastern freestyle champ six times … English medal … writing scholarship..

Personal: Erik Reed Norgaard, b. 12/4/81 in Englewood, N.J. … father and brother (both named Karl) wrestled for Rutgers … liberal arts.

At Blair Academy: NJ State Prep School Champ ... three-time Maryland Independent School Champion ... national champ at High School Senior Nationals ... 190-8 career record ... 40-0 as a senior ... Asics High School First Team All-America ... NHSCA No. 1 ranking at 171 ... two-time national prep champ ... two-time national prep runner-up ... 2002 NJ All-Star Wrestling Team ... team was No. 1 in nation in 2002.

Personal: enjoys chess ... three-time magna cum laude on the National Latin exam ... liberal arts.

At Columbia: Finished 1-7 last season ... will likely back up Norgaard at 149 ... off-season work has greatly improved his strength.

At St. Paul’s School (Concord, NH): New England runner-up at 145 as junior and senior … team won New England’s his soph and junior seasons … 105 career victories … Honor Roll every year … cum laude graduate. Personal: Matthew James Pierce, b. 1/9/81 in New York City … Dean’s List … grandmother attended Columbia Law School … classics.

At Columbia: As a junior placed third at NY State Championships ... finished fourth at EIWA ... was 16-14 on the season ... tied for second on the team in dual meet finishes at 7-6 ... co-captain … enjoyed superb sophomore season, winning 21 matches, second on the team, against 14 losses … 10-4 dual-meet record tied Erik Norgaard for the squad lead … led the Lions with nine pins, four in consecutive matches … also had three technical falls … honorable mention All-Ivy with 3-2 record; one of two losses, to Jeff Eveleth of Penn, was due to injury default … in one stretch, posted consecutive decisions by scores of 20-2 (Princeton), 18-5 (Brown), and 17-0 (Seton Hall) … seeded sixth in the Easterns at 133, but hurt by injuries, and forced to default in third bout … finished fifth in the New York State Championships … sixth in the States as a first-year at 125, and third in the Ivy League Classic … coaches feel he should reach the NCAA’s this season.

At Reynolds High: Starred in wrestling and baseball … fourth in Pennsylvania state championships as a senior, going 38-3, and fifth as a junior, with a 37-4 record … three-time section and district champ … two-time region champion … posted more than 100 career victories … helped Reynolds to 1998 PIAA AA state title … captained wrestling and baseball (twice) … second team all-league pitcher … Reynolds VFW Award … Presidential Academic Education Award.

Personal: Steven Nicholas Popovitch, b. 8/20/80 in Greenville, Pa. … avid pro baseball fan … loves hunting … urban studies.

At Columbia: Last season placed seventh at NY State Championships ... has good size, strength, and athleticism to the heavyweight (285) weight class … also recruited for football at Columbia.

At Suffern High: Eight letters in wrestling (4), football, and baseball … captained football and wrestling … two-time New York State placewinner — third as a senior, when he was 37-1, sixth as a junior … three-time county and division champion, two-time sectional champ … twice Suffern’s MVP … 90-26 in his career … helped the Mounties to four league titles, three county crowns, three sectional titles … Section I Wrestling Excellence Award … twice All-Rockland County and all-section tight end, all-league three times … Academic All-State … Journal-News Rockland County Scholar-Athlete of the Week.

Personal: Bart Alan Seemen, b. 3/28/83 in Bronx, NY … film studies.

At Inglemoor H.S.: Three-time league champ ... two-time regional champ ... placed fifth and sixth in state ... 88-17 career ... 32-4 as a senior ... earned three letters ... two-time team captain.

Freestyle: State runner-up in 2001.

Personal: Worked as a cook and in construction this summer ... younger brother Mike also wrestles ... interested in law ... political science.

At Columbia: After a difficult transition last season, will look to make some gains this year ...was 4-13 last season.

At Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy: Ten letters in wrestling (4), football (4), and soccer … Ohio state champion as a junior and senior at 171 … won districts and sectionals both years; as a senior, captured prestigious Walsh Ironman Tournament and Hudson Holiday Tournament crowns; third in Medina Invitational Tournament and Alliance Topgun Tournament … sectional champ and state qualifier as a sophomore … Cadet All-American after finishing eighth in 1998 Cadet Nationals in freestyle … third in 2000 National Open Championships in Alabama … first in both freestyle and Greco-Roman in Michigan Ironman … widely recruited … also starred in football — second team all-state, first-team all-county at linebacker … German Honor Society.

Personal: Christopher Charles Smolk, b. 7/7/82 in Akron, Ohio … wants to be a physical therapist … biology.

Fresno City College: Placed fifth at Junior College Nationals ... team won the state JC championships.

At Buchanan: League and Valley placewinner ... earned seven letters in wrestling, football and baseball ... two-time team captain in wrestling ... 4.0 GPA last three years of high school.

Personal: collects baseball cards ... political science.

At Howell High School: First team all county, County Wrestler of the Year ... first team all- area Ann Arbor ... Detroit News All-Metro ... two-time conference champ ... two-time regional and district champ ... third in state at 215 junior, senior years ... career 155-36 ... senior season 52-2, 40 pins ... two-time MVP ... earned eight letters in wrestling (4), football and track ... also excelled in football ... Associated Press honorable mention all state linebacker ... two-time all-county, all-area, all-conference in football ... twice conference Defensive MVP as linebacker ... All-State Academic Dream Team ... won three conference academic awards ... three-time team captain in wrestlin ... two-time team captain in football.

Personal: enjoys rugby and golf ... economics.

At Columbia: Has a variety of moves … never stops working.

At American High: Four wrestling letters … three-time captain … placed fourth in California state championships as a 145-lb. senior … 48-9 with 31 pins … 184-48 in his career, with 78 falls … four-year state qualifier … high school All-American after finishing sixth in the 2001 High School Nationals … third in Junior Nationals as a senior … three-time Greco-Roman All-American … fourth in Greco-Roman nationals as a sophomore, sixth as a junior … four-year North Coast Section Scholar-Athlete Award … twice CIF Scholar-Athlete.

Personal: Dustin Richard Tillman, b. 10/30/83 in Hayward, Calif. … hails from a family of athletes … father Hank wrestled at San Jose State in mid-70’s (mother also went there) … brothers Brandon and Bret wrestled at Brigham Young and Fresno State, respectively, in late 1990’s … cousin Kevin Tillman played third base for the Cleveland Indians this season, and cousin Pat Tillman is the strong safety for the Arizona Cardinals … liberal arts.

At Rim of the World: California state champ ... National High School All-American ... also wrestles freestyle and greco roman ... Greco Roman All-American ... California Triple Crown Winner .. two-time team captain ... honor roll every semester of high school.

Personal: Ricky E. Turk, b. 7/18/84 ... enjoys fishing, ceramics, basketball ... worked as an assistant wrestling coach for kids aged 5-14 ... plans to coach and work in business ... economics.