If your non-revenue men's sport does not have a multimillionaire benefactor, Title IX will kill it.

That is the lesson little Bucknell University teaches us.

USA Today: Bucknell makes most of multimillion dollar pledge
On a recent day off from running his Philadelphia-based insurance company, William Graham watched the all-freshman Bucknell wrestling team shut out Princeton 46-0. The feat might have been impossible without the multimillion-dollar donation Graham made that reinstated the sport to varsity status after four years as a club sport.

"Three students came to tell me that they would not have been able to go to college, let alone Bucknell, without the wrestling program," Graham said, recalling that match. "That is a wonderful feeling. I had no idea."

Wrestling was dropped as a varsity sport after the 2001-02 season to help the program comply with Title IX, said Jon Terry, assistant director of athletics and director of athletic communications. Losing it meant the end of a 58-year Bucknell tradition originated by World War II servicemen stationed in Lewisburg, Pa.

Graham, a 1962 Bucknell graduate who credits wrestling for many of his successes, made his first donation of $5.6 million in 2002, which started a year of recruiting for new coach Dan Wirnsberger. The Bison began a new Division I season Nov. 11 when the 18-member squad beat Maryland 27-14. With only three matches left before the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association championships, the Bison boast a winning season at 10-8.

"We've come out, and we've opened up some eyes," said Wirnsberger, who coached wrestling for three seasons at Bloomsburg (Pa.). "They have that nothing-to-lose mentality, which says a lot about where we're at as a team. We'll most likely have the most wins in a single season, which is 11. Our chances are very good."

Andy Rendos agrees. "It's been pretty amazing to come up and have a winning record," said Rendos, ranked 18th at 165 pounds by the National Wrestling Coaches Association, National Wrestling Media Association and InterMAT. "We're stronger and stronger every day."

While the team continues to show improvement, Graham is continuing to follow through with his donations. Of his original contribution of $5.6 million, about half went to restart wrestling as an intercollegiate sport and the rest to women's sports. It's an example of how some schools deal with decisions that have eliminated some men's sports. His gift helped fund women's crew and pay for an artificial turf field for the women's field hockey team.

Graham said he made a commitment in 2006 to give an additional $2 million. "I feel as good about what I've done about women's crew and women's field hockey as I do about wrestling," Graham said.

Wait a minute...where's the women's wrestling program?

EQUITY! EQUITY! EQUITY NOW!