Match Notes: Michigan

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ON THE MAT
The fourth-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team hosts No. 7 Michigan on Saturday at 5 p.m. (CT) at Carver-Hawkye Arena.  

TICKETS
Tickets to Saturday’s dual are $15 for adults and $10 for youth 18-years-old and younger. UI students and children five and under are free, but everyone must have a ticket. Tickets are available at hawkeyesports.com/tickets, over the phone at 1-800-IA-HAWKS, or at the UI Athletics Ticket Office inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 

ABOUT MICHIGAN
Iowa has won nine straight against the Wolverines and owns a 32-25-1 lead in the all-time series. Iowa won the last meeting, 31-6, in Ann Arbor on Jan. 6, 2017.
    Michigan’s last win in the series was 19-15 in 2006. The Hawkeyes are 14-9-1 at home in the series, having won the last four meetings in Iowa City. The Wolverines last win in Iowa City was Feb. 13, 2005 (21-11).
    Iowa head coach Tom Brands is 9-0 all-time against the Wolverines. 

NATIONALLY RANKED MATCHUPS
Saturday’s dual features 16 wresters ranked in the top 20, and eight wrestlers ranked in the top five.
    The Hawkeyes are ranked at seven weights and have five wrestlers ranked in the top five — Spencer Lee (125), Brandon Sorensen (149), Michael Kemerer (157), Cash Wilcke (197), and Sam Stoll (285). 
    Michigan is ranked at every weight but 141. The Wolverines are ranked in the top five at 133, 184, and 285 pounds.
    Saturday’s 285-pound match features No. 3 Sam Stoll and Michigan’s No. 2 Adam Coon. It is the first career meeting between the two wrestlers.
    There are also top 10 matchups at 125 pounds and 157 pounds. True freshman Spencer Lee, ranked No. 3, and true freshman Drew Mattin, ranked No. 9, meet at 125.     Sophomore Michael Kemerer, ranked No. 2 at 157, meets No. 7 Alec Pantaleo for the first time in their careers. 

UNDEFEATED WRESTLERS
Iowa has four wrestlers entering Saturday’s dual with undefeated records. They Brandon Sorensen (15-0), Kemerer (16-0), Alex Marinelli (9-0), and Stoll (12-0). 
    In the history of Iowa wrestling, 15 wrestlers have finished the season with a perfect record (minimum 20 matches). Four of those wrestlers were able to perform the feat twice. They include Mark Ironside, Lincoln McIlravy, T.J. Williams and Jim Zalesky. Iowa coaches Tom Brands and Terry Brands are among the 15 wrestlers. Tom went 45-0 in 1990-91 and Terry went 35-0 in 1991-92.

SORENSEN’S HOT START
Senior Brandon Sorensen, ranked No. 2 at 149 pounds, has opened the season with 15 straight wins, including three technical falls, three major decisions, and four falls. 
    This is the third straight year Sorensen opened the season with at least 15 consecutive wins. He started the 2015-16 season with 25 straight wins, a career-best winning streak, and opened last year with 17 straight wins. 
    Sorensen is 30-1 all-time in Big Ten duals. He has 56 career dual starts. Sam Stoll ranks second on the team with 28 career dual starts. 
    
LEE AND MARINELLI IMPRESS IN DEBUTS
True freshman Spencer Lee and redshirt freshman Alex Marinelli have steadily climbed the national rankings since entering the Iowa lineup.
    Lee made his Hawkeye debut Jan. 5 against Michigan State and opened the dual with a fall in 46 seconds against Kayvon Foley at 125 pounds. He is 9-1 with four falls, three technical falls, and four wins over ranked opponents. He debuted in the rankings Jan. 9 at No. 9. He has since moved up to No. 3 (Intermat).
    Marinelli made his collegiate debut Dec. 8 at Rutgers. He has since gone 9-0 with two pins, four wins over ranked opponents, and winning the Midlands championship at 165 pounds. He entered the Intermat rankings Dec. 12 at No. 13. He has since climbed to No. 9. He is ranked No. 5 by WIN Magazine. 

UNDEFEATED FRESHMAN
Redshirt freshman Alex Marinelli and North Carolina State’s Hayden Hidlay (redshirt freshman) are the only two freshman (redshirt and true) still undefeated in all weight classes. 
    Marinelli is 9-0 and ranked No. 9 at 165 by Intermat. Hidlay is 15-0 and ranked No. 3 at 157. 

THEY ALL FALL DOWN
Sophomore Michael Kemerer is 16-0 this season with seven pins. Kemerer had four pins all of last season in 36 matches. He has twice this season been named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week. 
    Five of his seven falls have come in the first period. Kemerer earned the Most Pins/Fastest Time award at the 2017 Midlands Championships. He pinned four opponents in a total of 9:54. 
    Kemerer is 16-0 for the second straight season. He opened his redshirt freshman year with 19 consecutive wins. 

BOWMAN CRACKS NATIONAL RANKINGS
Junior Mitch Bowman made his national rankings debut on Jan. 16, coming in at No. 20 at 184 pounds in the Intermat rankings. Bowman is 10-4 overall and has scored bonus points in five wins. He has three wins over ranked opponents. 
    Bowman is 7-3 in duals, including 2-3 in Big Ten action. He entered the season with a 1-2 career dual record, 0-2 in the Big Ten. 

FINISH STRONG
The Hawkeye 197 and 285-pounders have a combined record of 25-2 with 14 wins by bonus points.
    Cash Wilcke, the sophomore 197-pounder, is ranked No. 5 and has two major decisions, one technical fall, and two falls. Wilcke won 197-pound title at the Midlands Championships. 
    Stoll, a junior ranked No. 3 at 285, has won a career-best 12 straight matches to open the season. Stoll won the 285-pound title at the Midlands Championships, and has six falls among his 12 wins. 
    Both wrestlers are 2-0 in overtime