Big Ten Wrestling: Hawkeyes Have 7 In Semifinals

Iowa leads team standings.

Seven Iowa wrestlers reached the semifinals with wins in the first session of the Big Ten championships on Saturday in Piscataway, N.J.

The Hawkeyes lead the team standings with 72 points, followed by Nebraska (58.5), Penn State (56.5), Northwestern (49), and Minnesota (44.5).

Spencer Lee (125), Austin DeSanto (133), Pat Lugo (149), Alex Marinelli (165), Michael Kemerer (174), Abe Assad (184) and Tony Cassioppi (285) wrestle Saturday night in the semifinals. The seven have secured automatic berths to the NCAA championships in Minneapolis on March 19-21.

.@LeeSpencerlee36 is just getting started...⏳

A first period pin and the @Hawks_Wrestling star is moving on. pic.twitter.com/veIb5YL6SR

— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) March 7, 2020

The Hawkeyes won 12 of their 15 matches in the opening session, scoring bonus points in 10 bouts. Every Hawkeye in the lineup had at least one bonus-point win, with Lee, Max Murin (141), Kemerer, and Cassioppi winning by fall.

Murin, 157-pounder Kaleb Young, and 197-pounder Jacob Warner lost in the quarterfinals and will compete Saturday night in wrestlebacks. 

Murin needs one win in the wrestlebacks to earn an NCAA automatic bid. Young and Warner both need two wins to earn an automatic berth.

Tom Brands following the first session of the 2020 Big Ten Wrestling Championships in Piscataway, New Jersey. pic.twitter.com/zeBCmGUxJe

— Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling) March 7, 2020

FIRST ROUND

133 — Austin DeSanto major dec. over Jordan Decatur (Ohio State), 17-3

141 — Max Murin pinned Hunter Baxter (Maryland), 5:57

184 — Abe Assad dec. Kyle Jasenski (Maryland), 12-4

197 — Jacob Warner major dec. Nick William (Indiana), 14-4

285 — Tony Cassioppi pinned Parker Robinson (Maryland), 1:16

QUARTERFINALS

125 — Spencer Lee pinned Nic Aguilar (Rutgers), 2:53

133 — DeSanto dec. Ridge Lovett (Nebraska), 1-0

141 — Murin lost to Mitch McKee (Minnesota), 3-1

149 — Pat Lugo major dec. Collin Purinton (Nebraska), 11-3

157 — Young lost to Peyton Robb (Nebraska), 3-2

165 — Alex Marinelli major dec. Danny Braunagel (Illinois), 15-2

174 — Michael Kemerer pinned Layne Malczewski (Michigan State), 1:43

184 — Assad major dec. Rocky Jordan (Ohio State), 8-0

197 — Warner lost to Shakur Rasheed (Penn State), 3-1)

285 — Cassioppi dec. Gary Traub (Ohio State), 4-0