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BUFFALO, NY - Four University at Buffalo wrestlers, Labe Black (Ventnor, NJ/Absegami), Ryan Bentley (Ripley, NY/Ripley), Gary Cooper (Adams, NY/South Jefferson) and Charlie Voorhees (Warsaw, NY/Warsaw), are heading to Bulgaria and to Paris, France for a 13-day All-American Tour, sponsored by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Buffalo assistant coach Sean Gibbs is the director of the 16-man squad, and Buffalo head coach Jim Beichner will serve as an assistant. Beichner will assume the director's role next summer.

Over half of the members of the NWCA All-American Tour are All-Americans, and one member, John Lockhart of Illinois, was the 2001 NCAA National Champion at heavyweight. After flying into Paris tonight, the wrestlers will travel to Bulgaria for seven days and participate in four dual meets in four different cities before returning to Paris for one final dual meet and flying back to the United States on June 10.

"This is an incredible opportunity for our wrestlers, both athletically and culturally," said Gibbs. "They are going to have an opportunity to train with a great group of athletes during this trip, and they will be exposed to great competition and a different style of wrestling. It's also a great experience for us as coaches to be working with this group of guys."

In addition to Buffalo's four wrestlers, the other wrestlers on the NWCA All-American Tour are: Jason Effner from Cleveland State; Dave Shunamon from Edinboro; Matt Lackey and John Lockhart from Illinois; Mario Stuart and Chris Vitale from Lehigh; Clark Forward and Otto Olson from Michigan; Mark Conley from Navy; Rick Springman and Michael Faust from Pennsylvania; and Luke Moore from Ohio University.