PHOTOS: Division III Wrestling Championships

The NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships wrap up a three-year run at the U.S. Cellular Center tonight, leaving at least one of the members of the organizing committee with mixed feelings.

“I think the only thing - the only disappointment - is we thought we'd really blow the doors off from an attendance standpoint,” Cornell Athletics Director John Cochrane said after Friday's opening session.

Cochrane was the Iowa Conference commissioner when the bid was placed for the championships. The Iowa Conference, Coe and Cornell are sponsoring institutions. That group worked together with Mary Lee Malmberg of the Cedar Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureau to land the event.

The meet attracted 7,829 in 2008 and 7,976 in 2009, second and third all-time. With Coe and Wartburg battling for the top spot this year, the all-time mark of 9,308 set at Cedar Falls in 1998 could be in doubt.

“We've done well,” Cochrane said. “But we thought we'd see a packed house here. We've had a real enthusiastic, loyal crowd here, but it hasn't been filled to the rafters. That's what we were hoping for. But other than that, it's been fantastic.”

Next year's championships are in La Crosse, Wis. La Crosse has bid to host future championships, and so have Loras College in Dubuque and Cleveland. Cochrane and meet director Dick Simmons, Cornell assistant athletics director, said Cedar Rapids probably won't submit another bid for “three or four” years.

“It's become such an administrative monster that finding people willing to commit the majority of their staff for about three months to put this thing on is more and more difficult to do,” Cochrane said.

“(But) the U.S. Cellular Center folks have been incredible to work with. The Cedar Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureau has bent over backward to be accommodating. The hospitality here is noted by every coach I talk to.”

NAIA headed to town

The U.S. Cellular Center has signed a contract to host the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national tournament in 2011-12.

“We feel that we have gained a great deal of knowledge hosting the NCAA ... Championships the past few years to run a quality NAIA event,” U.S. Cellular Center Executive Director Scott Schoenike said from this year's event in Oklahoma City. “We're excited to bring the event to the U.S. Cellular Center.”

The NAIA tournament is three days with 320 participants. The D-III tournament is two days with 160 participants.

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