Seed was pretty important at the '88 Championships.
Winner (seed)
118: Jack Cuvo (1)
126: Jim Martin (2)
134: John Smith (1)
142: Pat Santoro (1)
150: Scott Turner (2)
158: Rob Koll (1)
167: Mike Van Arsdale (2)
177: Royce Alger (1)
190: Mark Coleman (1)
275: Carlton Haselrig (1)
Martin beat the #1 seed (Brad Penrith - Iowa). Turner beat the #1 seed (Tim Krieger - Iowa St.). Van Arsdale beat unseeded Mike Amine - Michigan.
Arizona St. won the team title, despite not having a champion, and only 1 guy in a final.
If you look at the top 8 finishers at each weight class, there are some schools that either no longer sponsor westling, now wrestle at a division below D1, or don't generally compete for a podium spot. They include: New Mexico, Lock Haven, Montclair St., Cleveland St., Bloomsburg, Oregon, Central Michigan, Pitt-Johnstown.
If you expand the search beyond podium finishers, these are some of the schools that sent wrestlers to Nationals: Eastern Illinois, Old Dominion, Notre Dame, East Stroudsburg, Southern Connecticut, Clemson, Grand Valley St., Fresno St., Syracuse, Eastern Michigan, New Hampshire, Wilkes, Morgan St., Slippery Rock, Portland St., Southwest Missouri, North Carolina-Pembroke, Utah St., Northern Michigan, Augsburg, Drake, BYU, Toledo, William & Mary, George Mason, Central Connecticut, VMI, Weber St., Colorado Mines, SUNY-Binghamton, Franklin & Marshall, Hofstra, Boston University, Eastern Michigan, Ohio, James Madison, Liberty, Illinois St., Clarion, Lafayette, Howard, Upper Iowa, California (PA), Millersville, Delaware St., St. Lawrence, Lake Superior, Eastern Washington. Things have changed a great deal in D1.