DETROIT — The University of Iowa wrestling team advanced six wrestlers to the quarterfinals of the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships on Thursday night at Little Caesars Arena.
Austin DeSanto, Max Murin, Alex Marinelli, Michael Kemerer, Jacob Warner and Tony Cassioppi all won in the round of 16 and compete Friday morning for a chance to make it to the semifinals.
The first five Hawkeyes all won by decision. Cassioppi closed the top half of Iowa’s bracket with a 12-3 major decision at 285. He totaled four takedowns and nearly four minutes of riding time to advance to the quarterfinals for the second straight year.
Marinelli and Kemerer are making their fourth career appearance in the NCAA quarters. Marinelli scored one takedown in the second and added two more in the third to win 8-2 at 165. Kemerer scored a takedown in every period and added two minutes, 19 seconds of riding time in a 9-4 decision at 174.
DeSanto and Murin both advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for the third time in their careers. DeSanto took a 3-0 lead with a takedown in the closing seconds of the second period, and added another takedown late in the third to win 5-1 at 133. Murin scored one takedown in the first, one in the second, and another in the third to win 8-4 at 149.
Warner escaped to start the second and scored the match’s only takedown in the third to win 3-1 at 197, advancing to the quarterfinals for the second year in a row.
Jaydin Eierman and Kaleb Young both dropped overtime decisions and were bounced to the consolation side of the bracket. Eierman fell, 4-2, at 141 and Young dropped a 3-1 decision at 157.
All 10 Hawkeyes return to the mat tomorrow after Drake Ayala and Abe Assad responded from opening round losses with wins in the first round of the consolation bracket. Ayala picked up his first career win at the NCAA Championships with a 7-1 decision at 125, and Assad earned his first career NCAA victory with a 9-3 decision at 184.
The Hawkeyes are in fifth place with 20.5 team points. Penn State leads the team race with 27.5 points. Arizona State (22), NC State (21.5) and Michigan (21) round out the top five.
UP NEXT
The third session of the 2022 NCAA Championships begins Friday at 10 a.m. (CT). The quarterfinals and wrestlebacks are televised on ESPNU and WatchESPN.
“We have 10 matches and we have to be ready to go. I know it’s going to be a battle and we have to love a battle. We have to be fast. We have to be smart. We have to be tough. We have to score points.”
Tom Brands
IOWA’S SECOND ROUND NCAA RESULTS
133 – #5 Austin DeSanto (Iowa) dec. #12 Micky Phillippi (Pitt), 5-2
141 – #15 Kizhan Clarke (UNC) dec. #2 Jaydin Eierman (Iowa), 4-2 SV1
149 – #8 Max Murin (Iowa) dec. #9 Kaden Gfeller (OKST), 8-4
157 – #8 Will Lewan (Michigan) dec. #9 Kaleb Young (Iowa), 3-1 SV1
165 – #3 Alex Marinelli (Iowa) dec. #19 Justin McCoy (Virginia), 8-2
174 – #5 Michael Kemerer (Iowa) dec. #12 Cade DeVos (SDSU), 9-4
197 – #6 Jacob Warner (Iowa) dec. #11 Thomas Penola (Purdue), 3-1
285 – #3 Tony Cassioppi (Iowa) major dec. #14 Luke Luffman (Illinois), 12-3
IOWA’S CONSOLATION ROUND NCAA RESULTS
125 – #13 Drake Ayala (Iowa) dec. #29 Joe Manchio (Columbia), 7-1
184 – #18 Abe Assad (Iowa) dec. #31 AJ Burkhart (Lehigh), 9-3
IOWA’S NCAA QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS
133 – #5 Austin DeSanto (Iowa) vs. #4 Korbin Myers (Virginia Tech)
149 – #8 Max Murin (Iowa) vs. #1 Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell)
165 – #3 Alex Marinelli (Iowa) vs. #6 Cam Amine (Michigan)
174 – #5 Michael Kemerer (Iowa) vs. #4 Hayden Hidlay (NC State)
197 – #6 Jacob Warner (Iowa) vs. #3 Eric Shultz (Nebraska)
285 – #3 Tony Cassioppi (Iowa) vs. #6 Jordan Wood (Lehigh)
IOWA’S CONSOLATION ROUND MATCHUPS
125 – #13 Drake Ayala (Iowa) vs. #14 Jakob Camacho (NC State)
141 – #2 Jaydin Eierman (Iowa) vs. #17 Dylan D’Emilio (Ohio State)
157 – #9 Kaleb Young (Iowa) vs. #23 Markus Hartman (Army)
184 – #18 Abe Assad (Iowa) vs. ##16 Dakota Greer (Oklahoma State)
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Penn State 27.5
2. Arizona State 22.0
3. NC State 21.5
4. Michigan 21.0
5. IOWA 20.5
6. Northern Iowa 15.0
7. Nebraska 14.5
Virginia Tech 14.5
9. Cornell 14.0
Oregon State 14.0
