Could college wrestling be making a comeback?

A combination of Division I schools dropping the sport, Iowa and Oklahoma State hogging championships, the emergence of other sports such as soccer, lacrosse and hockey, and date conflicts with football and basketball created pessimism about college wrestling's future.

But like its participants, college wrestling has shown resiliency and received this jolt of encouraging news on March 27: the NCAA Division I championships reached a record television audience.

According to an ESPN news release, the four telecasts on ESPNU and two telecasts on ESPN last week reached 8.6 million people. ESPN also attracted 12.8 million on its digital platforms. The finals and semifinals were shown live on ESPN in primetime slots.

Wrestling fans are devoted, so the numbers don't take into account repeat customers, which were likely numerous. On the flip side, wrestling's presence on ESPN likely attracted new fans.

Last week's tournament included many memorable moments, ranging from a tight team race involving Penn State, Minnesota and Oklahoma State to the individual star power provided by athletes such as Ohio State's Logan Stieber and Penn State's Ed Ruth and David Taylor. The generous bonus Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith received for Stieber's accomplishments has kept college wrestling in the news this week. Penn State won its fourth straight team title last week, another sign the sport is expanding from its Midwest nucleus.

Few sports offer the drama wrestling provides. Years of training produce solitary moments, exhausting physical and mental capacities. My wife once compared watching a wrestling meet to viewing a play except nobody knows the outcome. The sport also leaves room for underdogs. An athlete doesn't need to be a high school champion to succeed at the Division I level and small schools such as Edinboro, which finished fifth in the team standings, can compete with major institutions. All of this plays well on television.

This year's rating suggest ESPN will offer more college wrestling next year.

In wrestling terms, consider the development bonus points for a sport that needs some.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Time to ponder the $18,000 question?

We'll get to Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith's bonus for Logan Stieber's third NCAA title later in this post.

For now, let's explore the possibility of two Ohio programs winning NCAA team wrestling titles in 2015.

Notre Dame College will enter the season as the reigning Division II champion. As of now, the Falcons will have three returning national champs: 157-pounder Jonatan Rivera, 174-pounder Joey Davis and 184-pounder Garrett Lineberger. Things are subject to change with Davis, who is being pursued by multiple Division I programs.  

NDC's 2014-15 roster will be stacked. Last week, we examined the Falcons' prowess. Even if Davis leaves, Coach Frank Romano's team should be a prohibitive favorite to repeat in 2015.

Only one team defeated NDC in a dual meet this past season: Division I Ohio State. This brings us to the 2015 Division I team race.

Penn State has won four straight national titles after decades of mixed results. By cultivating abundant wrestling resources, ranging from spectacular donor and fan support to Pennsylvania's deep high school talent base, Coach Cael Sanderson has constructed a dynasty.

But Penn State loses two mega-talents in 165-pounder David Taylor and 184-pounder Ed Ruth. The duo combined for five NCAA individual titles and scored points in bunches. Replacing them is the biggest challenge Sanderson has encountered since arriving at Penn State.

The program best positioned to topple a Penn State lineup without Taylor and Ruth might be one looking for its first NCAA team title. 

Ohio State finished sixth last weekend in Oklahoma City, an encouraging performance considering  Coach Tom Ryan redshirted two four-time Ohio state champions, Nathan Tomasello (125 pounds) and Bo Jordan (165), and All-American 149-pounder Hunter Stieber, Logan Stieber's brother.

Besides Logan Stieber, a 141-pounder who could become the fourth four-time champion in Division I history, Ohio State returns NCAA qualifiers Nick Roberts (125 pounds), Johnni DiJulius (133), Mark Martin (174), Kenny Courts (184) and Nick Tavanello (285). A few returning NCAA qualifiers are in jeopardy of losing their jobs because Ohio State's recruiting class includes three elite talents in Kyle Snyder, Micah Jordan and Thomas Haines. The possibility of producing a four-time NCAA champion and winning a team title in the same season  might convince Ryan to unveil his best lineup in 2014-15.

Snyder, the nation's No. 1 overall recruit according to InterMat, skipped his senior high school season to train at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He's projected to replace NCAA finalist Nick Heflin at 197 pounds. Jordan, a four-time Ohio state champion, could start immediately at 157, and Thomas Haines, a four-time Pennsylvania state champion, should immediately challenge Tavanello for the heavyweight spot. Two-time Beachwood state champion Ryan Harris is also part of the Buckeyes' recruiting class.

In a strange twist, NDC's Davis could be a wrestler who decides the 2015 Division I team race. Ohio State and Penn State have expressed interest in Davis, who handled Martin in a dual meet this season. Davis should immediately compete for All-American honors -- and perhaps a national title -- at the Division I level. Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Cornell are other contenders for the 2015 team title.

Davis hasn't made a decision on his future. His father, Joey Davis Sr., told The News-Herald earlier this month Davis might take a year off from competition in 2014-15.

As Logan Stieber chases his fourth NCAA title and the sport's top programs chase Davis, Smith will be depositing a big check.

Next year's check should be bigger if the Buckeyes win their first NCAA wrestling team title in 2015.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

A diversion for those not interested in filling out college basketball brackets...

125:  Nico Megaludis, Penn State, over Jesse Delgado, Illinois

Ohio qualifiers: Kory Mines (Edinboro, Maple Heights); Cory Stainbrook (West Virginia, Walsh Jesuit); Ryan Taylor (Wisconsin, St. Paris Graham); 

133: Tony Ramos, Iowa, over Tyler Graff, Wisconsin

Ohio qualifiers: Johnni DiJulius (Ohio State, Walsh Jesuit); Vicent Pizzuto (Eastern Michigan, Jackson Milton)

141: Logan Stieber, Ohio State, over Mitchell Port, Edinboro

Ohio qualifiers: Edgar Bright (Pitt, St. Edward); Anthony Collica (Oklahoma State, Solon); Logan Stieber (Ohio State, Monroeville)

149: Kendric Maple, Oklahoma, over Chris Villalonga, Cornell

Ohio qualifiers: Tywan Claxton (Ohio University, Brush); David Habat (Edinboro, St. Edward); Zach Neibert (Virginia Tech, St. Paris Graham), Gus Sako (Virginia, St. Edward)

157: Derek St. John, Iowa, over James Green, Nebraska

Ohio qualifiers: Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin, St. Paris Graham); Ian Miller (Kent State, Oak Harbor); Markus Scheidel (Columbia, St. Edward)

165: David Taylor, Penn State, over Tyler Cadwell, Oklahoma State

Ohio qualifiers: Pierce Harger (Northwestern, Moeller); Harrison Hightower (Ohio University, University); Nick Sulzer (Virginia, St. Edward); David Taylor (Penn State, St. Paris Graham); Zach Toal (Missouri, Troy Christian)

174: Chris Perry, Oklahoma State, over Andrew Howe, Oklahoma

Ohio qualifiers: Caleb Marsh (Kent State, Marysville); Mark Martin (Ohio State, St. Edward); Cody Walters (Ohio University, St. Peter Chanel); Bradley Wukie (Penn, University)

184: Ed Ruth, Penn State, over Max Thomusseit, Pitt

Ohio qualifiers: Dominic Abounader (Michigan, St. Edward); Max Thomusseit (Pitt, St. Paris Graham)

197: Scott Schiller, Minnesota, over J'Den Cox, Missouri

Ohio qualifiers: Nick Heflin (Ohio State, Massillon Perry); Phil Wellington (Ohio University, Villa Angela-St. Joseph); 

285: Tony Nelson, Minnesota, over Mike McMullan, Northwestern

Ohio qualifiers: Jeremy Johnson (Ohio University, Brecksville-Broadview Heights); Ty Walz (Virginia, St. Edward); Nick Tavanello (Ohio State, Wadsworth)

Team: 1. Penn State, 2. Minnesota, 3. Iowa, 4. Oklahoma State

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

The question reverberated throughout Public Auditorium last weekend.

How good is the Notre Dame College wrestling team?

The Falcons were the class of Division II, beginning the season No. 1 and ending 4 1/2 grueling months as NCAA team champions. They left little doubt about their status atop the Division II hierarchy by going a combined 8-0 in the finals and semifinals. In short, the final day represented a dream for Coach Frank Romano and his wrestlers.

But let's dream a little more. Let's ponder how the Falcons would fare in Division I.

Only 79 Division I wrestling programs remain. The maximum number of scholarships a program can distribute is 9.9, meaning plenty of talented high school wrestlers are receiving little financial assistance for their athletic abilities. Division II programs are permitted to distribute as many as nine scholarships. Fully funded wrestling programs are dwindling, but a Division II school with a supportive administration such as NDC can offer more athletic much scholarship money than Division I schools with lukewarm support.

The numbers also suggest the talent gap between Divisions I and II isn't as great in wrestling as it is in football, where Division I programs receive 85 compared to 36 for Division II. The difference in basketball is 13-10. Wrestling programs need 10 athletes to fill a starting lineup. Basketball programs need five.

Wrestling programs operate on limited travel budgets, allowing for more interactions between Division I and II programs. NDC wrestled Ohio State, a top-10 Division I program, on Nov. 15 and lost 29-11. The Falcons won three bouts, but neither team was operating at full strength. Since starting wrestling in 2007, NDC is 83-7 in dual meets. Three of their losses are to Ohio State.

Open tournaments give the Falcons another forum to compete with Division I programs. Five Falcons placed at the Cleveland State Open: Joey Davis (first, 174), Maurice Miller (second 141), Brandonn Johnson (third, 197), Marty Carlson (fourth, 133) and Brian Hauser (sixth, 125). Eric Burgey, who became a two-time national champion last weekend, wasn't in the Falcons' lineup.

The results are impressive. But the backgrounds of NDC's national qualifiers might be the best way to gauge the program's strength. The Falcons recruit nationally.

Three of NDC's nine national qualifiers -- Andrew Bannister (VMI), Carlson (Utah Valley) and  Johnson (Kent State) -- started their careers at Division I schools. Burgey was NAIA champion before arriving at NDC. Davis, a California native who is 72-0, was considered a big-time recruit who landed at NDC for academic reasons. Freshman Garrett Lineberger (Maryland) and Jonatan Rivera (Georgia) were Dave Schultz Award recipients for their respective states as high school seniors. Senior 125-pounder Brian Hauser (Brush) and junior 141-pounder Maurice Miller (Canton McKinley) were the only Ohio natives in the NCAA tournament lineup.

More talent is either in or headed to South Euclid. Former Massillon Perry state champ Sam White has transferred from Illinois to NDC. White was one of the nation's top 125-pound recruits as a high school senior. Tony Dailey, a Massillon Perry standout who won a state title earlier this month, is part of the incoming recruiting class.

Few Division I programs besides Ohio State are willing to wrestle NDC in a dual meet, a fact that bothers Romano. Still, enough evidence exists to determine that the Falcons would be a competitive Division I program.

How competitive?

The guess here is somewhere in the top 35.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Brush grad Tywan Claxton had to fret.

University grads Harrison Hightower and BradleyWukie and VASJ grad Phil Wellington slept easy the past three nights.

Claxton became the fourth wrestler from an area high school to reach the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships when he learned March 12 that he received an at-large bid at 149 pounds. Claxton (26-7), an Ohio University junior, entered waiting mode when he fell in a "true" fourth-place bout at the MAC Championships on March 11.

The NCAA Championships are March 20-22 in Oklahoma City. Claxton has never qualified for the tournament.

In fact, three of the four qualifiers from area high schools will be making their NCAA debuts.

Wellington, an Ohio University sophomore, is the lone NCAA veteran in the group. He qualified for his second national tournament by finishing second in the MAC. Wellington (33-3) received the eighth seed in what could be an unpredictable 197-pound bracket.

Hightower (31-11), a junior and three-time state champ at University, also wrestles for Ohio. He claimed his first NCAA spot by finishing second in the MAC at 165.

Wukie (14-8), a University of Pennsylvania senior, needed the best tournament of his life to earn his NCAA spot. Seeded eighth at 174 pounds, Wukie reached the EIWA finals last weekend.

NCAA wrestling brackets

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Mid-American Conference Wrestling Championships

When: March 8-9

Where: M.A.C. Center, Kent State

Participating teams:  Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Missouri, Northern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Ohio University, Old Dominion

The skinny: Yes, Missouri, Northern Iowa and Old Dominion are in the MAC -- for at least one sport. The trio has bolstered the conference's wrestling profile, with the MAC receiving 41 automatic spots to the NCAA Division I Championships. The Big Ten (74) and Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (47) are the lone conferences with more automatic qualifiers. ... Two area wrestlers are a big part of resurgent Ohio University's success. Sophomore Phil Wellington (VASJ) is the No. 1 seed at 197 pounds. Junior Harrison Hightower (University) is seeded third at 165. Six MAC teams received votes in the final USA Today/NWCA/AWN Top 25. Northern Iowa went 13-0 and ended the regular season ranked fifth. Missouri went 10-2 to earn the No. 9 ranking. ...The tournament begins at noon March 8. The finals are 1:20 p.m. March 9.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsherladguy

Eastern Wrestling Championships

When: March 8

Where: Woodling Gym, Cleveland State

Participating teams: Bloomsburg, Clarion, Cleveland, Edinboro, George Mason, Lock Haven, Rider

The skinny: The venerable conference has altered its look since the tournament last stopped at Cleveland State in 2007. Pitt (ACC) and West Virginia (Big 12) have left for other conferences. George Mason and Rider are new additions. ... Twenty-two spots for the NCAA Division I Championships, which are March 20-22 in Oklahoma City, are at stake. Three wrestlers at 133, 149 and 184 pounds earn automatic spots, an encouraging sign for Madison graduate Nick Montgomery, Cleveland State's starting 149-pounder. Montgomery, a state finalist last year, is 16-10. ...Edinboro is a heavy favorite to capture the team title. The Fighting Scots are led by 2013 NCAA finalist Mitchell Port, who's ranked No. 1 at 141. Seven other Edinboro wrestlers are ranked in the top 20. ...The tournament begins at 10 a.m. The finals are scheduled for 7 p.m.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy