As Ben Davino began laying the foundation for his wrestling career, his father operated with one goal in mind for his son. 

Mark Davino aimed to put losses on Ben’s record. That’s the advice Scott Sheen — Ben’s first wrestling coach — gave the Davinos, so that’s what they did. 

They searched for challenges and looked for the lessons that came from watching an opponent get his hand raised, believing the process would ultimately help Ben reach higher levels. 

“If you’re doing it right,” Sheen told Mark, “you’re going to find your kid 20 losses per year.” 

Competition was one piece of the puzzle that helped Ben arrive where he is now — the second-ranked 133-pounder in the country and one of the key cogs for a high-powered Ohio State squad. The practice room was another. 

Mark would take his son around the outskirts of Chicago for workouts. He’d drop Ben off at Mike Mendoza’s house, where Ben would train with Mike’s son, Seth, now a freshman at Missouri. Mark said Ben thrived in the intense environment. 

“When I’d pick Ben up at the end of their workouts, he’d look like he’d been beaten half to death every time,” Mark said. “I told him one time, ‘You either are going to be really good or you’re gonna take up theater.’ He always wanted to keep going.” 

And the losses in competition began to become increasingly difficult to find. 

“Soon,” Mark said, “it was hard to find him one or two.”

Ben Davino lost once in 182 matches at St. Charles East High School, where he won four Illinois state championships and developed into one of the nation’s most coveted prospects in the Class of 2024. 

“One thing about Ben and his family was that there was always a lot of trust,” Ohio State coach Tom Ryan said. “They were very easy, very straightforward. There was always transparency. With them, it was pretty much, ‘We love this place, we’re ready and let’s go.’ 

“You don’t always get that from recruits. You know they’re talking with other schools and coaches, and that’s fine. Weighing options is smart. But there was always a straightforwardness from Ben and his family.

“That’s the foundation Ben comes from. He approaches training the same way. It’s straightforward. It’s not complicated. It’s about the work he’s willing to put in to be great. We’re seeing the results of that foundation, that straightforward approach.”

Ben went 19-1 during his first year at Ohio State. He’s 17-0 this season with 11 technical falls and three victories over All-Americans, highlighted by a 10-4 victory against two-time NCAA finalist Drake Ayala of Iowa. 

“Ben loves the sport, he loves competition,” Ryan said. “He never wants the easy match in a dual.”

Mark Davino didn’t hesitate when asked which of his son’s traits is most responsible for his early success on the college level. 

“I’d have to list two,” he said. “He hates losing. Nobody likes to lose, but Ben really hates it. 

“I’ll put it this way: We’ve never made it through a game of Monopoly as a family if Ben’s losing.

“The other trait is his stubbornness. When Ben puts his mind to something, he’s stubborn to the point that he’ll do anything to accomplish it.”

It’s a trait, Dad thinks, that stems from Ben not being an immediate prodigy. 

“Ben’s trajectory has always been upward,” he said. “He wasn’t one of those kids who won everything right away when he was young. He’d fight for thirds and fourths, or he’d make it to the finals but not win.”

A turning point occurred when Ben was 9.

“At Virginia Beach, there was a kid that Ben had to wrestle — Destin Parker — and he was about as top-shelf as you could get,” Mark said. “Ben wasn’t supposed to be in the same league as him. 

“Ben was actually a little scared of him, and he got taken down three times in the first 30 seconds.”

Ben rallied back before dropping a 6-5 decision. He beat Parker a year later. 

“He grew so much in that loss,” Mark said. “I watched it all happen in three minutes. I believe in good losses and bad wins. That was a good loss, seeing him get taken down those three times but refusing to quit and watching him turn that corner.”

With four state championships, membership on the 2023 U17 World Team, wins over reputable hammers like Nico Megaludis, Daton Fix and Austin DeSanto, and a legitimate shot at a national title in two months, a corner was turned, indeed. 

Buckeyes Booming At Box Office

Large crowds are expected when Ohio State faces a perennial power like Penn State or longtime rivals Iowa and Michigan. But the Buckeyes have been a big draw at home this season, no matter the opponent.  

Ohio State pulled in another crowd in excess of 4,000 on Sunday when the Buckeyes wrestled Indiana. 

Ryan pointed to a couple of reasons for Ohio State's uptick in attendance. 

“We have a strong marketing team,” Ryan said. “The internet is a game changer, and they utilize Instagram and all the social media channels incredibly well. It doesn't matter if you’re hosting the greatest event ever. If nobody knows about it, nobody comes. Our marketing team is all over it with getting our information out to the masses.”

Ryan gave a nod to his team, too.

“The reality is, we have a great team this year,” he said. “Sometimes it’s hard to get tickets for certain matches, so folks look for matches where they realize it’ll probably be easier finding a ticket, and that ends up helping sales for that match. 

“We have some bona fide superstars. Our product is good right now. Good products sell well.”