Issue link: https://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1100893
27 W hat the University of Iowa accomplished on the first day of the NCAA Wrestling Championships on March 21 was inspiring, but what it did on Day 3 was more significant. Iowa opened the three-day tournament in PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh by winning all nine matches in Session I and seven of nine in Session II. e impressive start isn't what resonates with head coach Tom Brands as much as a brilliant finish. In six placement matches March 23, the Hawkeyes went 5-1. "Now we have to work on having a mentality that when there is still work to do, stay focused on the task at hand," Brands said. "What wins national championships are finalists and champions. We need to push to get guys higher on that stand. I like seeing guys who say they are happy (with being an All-American), but they want more." Iowa finished the season 14-1 in duals and shared the Big Ten Conference dual championship with Penn State. e Hawkeyes won the Midlands Championships team title in December, placed third at the Big Ten Championships in March, and 13 days later, found themselves in fourth at the NCAA Championships. Sophomore Alex Marinelli won a Big Ten title at 165 pounds. e six Hawkeye All-Americans are sophomore Spencer Lee (champion at 125 pounds), sophomore Austin DeSanto (fih at 133), junior Pat Lugo (eighth at 149), sophomore Kaleb Young (fih at 157), Marinelli (seventh at 165), and redshirt freshman Jacob Warner (seventh at 197). If you're doing the math, that is one junior, four sophomores, and a freshman. Age doesn't mean as much as leadership in the Dan Gable Wrestling Complex. "ese guys have been winning big matches their entire careers," Brands said. "We want leadership from all our guys. I believe in accountability and learning from our mistakes. I believe in leadership period. Some people lead differently; young people probably won't be as vocal, but they can lead by example." Lee is a prime illustration. He successfully defended his 2018 NCAA Championship by plowing through the 125-pound bracket with wins by technical fall, major decision, fall, and then decisions in the semifinals and finals by a combined score of 16-4. He is 10-0 in his career at the NCAA Tournament. "He was calm, focused, and did the job," Brands said. "He was business-like and we have to keep building from there." Lee is 45-5 in his career and is the first wrestler in program history to win back-to-back national titles since Mark Perry in 2007 and 2008. He is the 23rd multi-champ in Iowa history and the fourth under Brands, joining Perry, Brent Metcalf, and Matt McDonough. "It was a little different because when I was a freshman it was so unusual that I think people were more shocked than anything," Lee said of his 5-1 win over Nick Suriano of Rutgers in 2018. "is year people seemed more relieved and were like, 'ank God he won because he was having such a tough season, took a couple losses, and we were worried about him.'" During the season, Lee twice lost to Northwestern's Sebastian Rivera (who placed third at NCAAs) and was pinned by Oklahoma State's Nick Piccininni (who placed fih). Lee defeated Piccininni, 11-4, in the semifinals and had the Cowboy on his back as time expired. In the finals, Lee blanked Virginia's Jack Mueller, 5-0. "My teammates and coaching staff tell me I deserve credit, but I am never a person who will give myself the credit," Lee said. "I need that little push and my teammates and coaches gave me that push. We worked on mental toughness as a team and that helped. It clicked toward the end of the year." e Hawkeyes qualified nine for the NCAA Championships and eight return next season. Iowa returns 75 points (without factoring in two- time All-American Michael Kemerer) from the 2019 NCAA Championships, more than any other school. "It seems there is a healthy drive in the wrestling room to get better," Brands said. "ey want more, they're hungry. You hear it in their comments, but that doesn't mean it is going to be automatic."