Big Ten Wrestling: 4 Hawkeyes Reach Finals
Four Iowa wrestlers will have a chance to win conference titles after semifinal victories on Saturday night at the Big Ten Championships in Piscataway, N.J.
Spencer Lee (125), Pat Lugo (149), Alex Marinelli (165) and Michael Kemerer (174) will chase crowns on Sunday afternoon.
The Hawkeyes are closing in on their first team title since 2010, leading the team standings with 121.5 points. Nebraska is second with 102.5, and Ohio State is third with 94.
Lee, undefeated this season, defeated Michigan's Jack Medley by technical fall, 19-3. Lee, the No. 1 seed, will wrestle second seed Devin Schroder of Purdue in the championship match. Lee had a 17-0 win over Schroder earlier this season.
Lugo took a 4-1 win over Brayton Lee of Minnesota. Lugo, the No. 2 seed, will take on top seed Sammy Sasso of Ohio State in the title match. Sasso gave Lugo his only loss of the season, a 2-1 victory in overtime in January.
Marinelli, the No. 2 seed, will get another chance to face top seed Vincenzo Joseph of Penn State in the championship. Marinelli pinned Shayne Oster of Northwestern in 2 minutes, 41 seconds. Marinelli defeated Joseph for the Big Ten title last season, but Joseph defeated Marinelli this season.
Kemerer, also undefeated this season and the top seed at 174, defeated Minnesota's Devin Skatzka, 22-9. Kemerer will face No. 2 seed Mark Hall of Penn State in the championship. Kemerer had an 11-6 win over Hall earlier this season.
Three Hawkeyes — Austin DeSanto (133), Abe Assad (184) and Tony Cassioppi (285) — lost their semifinal matches. DeSanto lost to Penn State's Roman Bravo-Young, 3-2. Assad lost to Cameron Caffey of Michigan State, 5-3. Cassioppi lost to Gable Steveson of Minnesota, 9-4. All three fall to the wrestlebacks.
Nine Hawkeyes are still alive in the tournament. Max Murin (141) and Jacob Warner (197) won their two wrestleback matches. All nine have secured spots in the NCAA championships in Minneapolis in two weeks.
Kaleb Young was eliminated at 157, losing to Illinois' Eric Young, 3-1. Young will need to get an at-large bid to get into the NCAA championships.