Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch – 2017-18 | Hawk Talk Monthly — April 2018 | 2018 UWW World Cup
IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa freshman Spencer Lee was named 2018 InterMat Freshman of the Year, the amateur wrestling website announced Friday.
This award, presented each year since 2006 to best college freshman wrestler in all divisions for his/her college wrestling performance during the 2017-18 season, is based exclusively on the balloting of writers and executives at InterMat.
Lee was listed at the top of seven ballots out of 10 submitted by InterMat staffers, for a total of 84 votes. Hawkeye redshirt freshman Alex Marinelli was seventh in voting.
Lee won the 125-pound title at the 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Cleveland on March 17. He rolled through the championship bracket, scoring 27 team points via two technical falls, two pins, and a 5-1 decision in the NCAA finals against previously undefeated Nick Suriano of Rutgers.
Lee joined the Iowa lineup Jan. 5 and finished his freshman season with a 22-2 overall record. He led the Hawkeyes with eight technical falls, ranked third with nine pins, and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
2018 InterMat Freshman of the Year Voting Results
1st-5th Place Votes: 9-7-5-3-1
Total Votes/(First-Place Votes)
1. Spencer Lee, Iowa 84 (7)
2. Yianni Diakomihalis, Cornell 76 (3)
3. Hayden Hidlay, North Carolina State 44
4. Evan Wick, Wisconsin 16
5. Nick Lee, Penn State 14
6. Tariq Wilson, North Carolina State 13
7. Alex Marinelli, Iowa 3
InterMat Freshman of the Year Past Winners:
2017: Mark Hall, Penn State
2016: Jason Nolf, Penn State
2015: Isaiah Martinez, Illinois
2014: Jason Tsirtsis, Northwestern
2013: Alex Dieringer, Oklahoma State
2012: Logan Stieber, Ohio State
2011: David Taylor, Penn State
2010: Kyle Dake, Cornell
2009: Andrew Howe, Wisconsin
2008: Mike Grey, Cornell
2007: Jake Varner, Iowa State
2006: Dustin Schlatter, Minnesota
