March Matness -- This month’s other premier collegiate tournament happens on the wrestling mats, as the 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships come to Oklahoma City. Expect edge-of-your-seat action as over 300 of the nation’s best wrestlers compete in more than 500 matches throughout the weekend, looking for a national title and the chance to stand atop the All-American podium.
2014 NCAA Wrestling championships: Session I preview
This weekend (March 20-22, 2014), in Oklahoma City, the nation’s best college wrestlers take the mat for the 2014 NCAA Wrestling Championships. The first session of the tournament starts this morning (March 20) at 11 a.m. SB Nation provides a preview and live discussion.
Spectators will pack the near-20,000 seat arena for every session, and passionately cheer on the most dramatic sports competition in the USA.
Tournament Schedule and Format
The NCAA Wrestling Championships stretch over six sessions, two per each of the event’s three days. For the first time, all six sessions will air live. This morning’s session starts live at 11 a.m. ET on ESPNU, and full coverage of all eight mats appears simultaneously on ESPN3.
Those who win in the first round will not wrestle again until the afternoon sessions. Those who lose drop into the wrestlebacks, where they can still place as high as third, but a second loss eliminates them.
The tournament places the top eight in each of the 10 weight classes: 125, 133, 141, 149, 157, 165, 174, 184, 197 and 285 pounds. Top-eight place winners receive the coveted title of All-American.
With each match a wrestler wins, he earns team points for his university, and the school with the most team points wins the team national title. Penn State comes in as the favorite to win its fourth straight national title, led by superstars David Taylor at 165 and Ed Ruth at 184.
The powerful Iowa Hawkeyes will challenge the Nittany Lions, paced by returning national finalist Tony Ramos at 133, and defending national champ Derek St. John at 157.
Minnesota, boasting a well-rounded top to bottom lineup, also has an outside shot at a team title. Two-time defending heavyweight champ Tony Nelson spearheads their efforts.
Team race relevant matches will occur this very morning. Keep your eyes on the 141 match between Penn State true freshman wunderkind Zain Retherford and The Citadel’s Ugi Khishignyam. Ugi placed fourth at last year’s tournament.
Keep returning to SBNation.com for in-depth conversation and coverage for this event. We will provide previews and recaps for each session.
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