DETROIT — University of Iowa senior Jacob Warner dropped a 3-2 decision to Penn State’s top-seeded Max Dean in the 197-pound finals of the 2022 NCAA Championships on Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena.
Warner and Dean traded escapes in the second and third periods before Dean countered a Warner shot and finished the deciding takedown with 36 second in the third. Warner added an escape in the final seconds for the final 3-2 score.
“I took a shot. He scored a go-behind. I have to follow through. I have to face him. I have to turn,” Warner said. “I still thought I was going to win that match. I thought I was going to get an escape to a takedown. I was going to go score to score. That is the mindset I need to have. It didn’t happen but I didn’t falter.
Warner advanced to his first NCAA finals and finished the tournament a four-time All-American. He placed seventh in 2019, fourth in 2021 and was a first-team All-American in 2020.
“I have what it takes. That is what this weekend proved to me. I can be on the top of that podium. I won a lot of hard matches this weekend and I just didn’t win the last one.”
“I want to be on the top of that stand bad. I have gone up on the podium every year, seventh, fourth, second. There is only one spot left.”
Warner was one of five Hawkeyes to reach the medal stand. He advanced to the championship match by outscoring his four previous opponents 19-5. His appearance in the championship round extended Iowa’s streak of NCAA finalists to 32 consecutive tournaments.
Iowa placed third in the team race with 74.0 points and won a team trophy for the 13th time in the last 14 NCAA Championships.
Warner will return to the Iowa lineup in 2022-23 with three-time All-American Tony Cassioppi, three-time NCAA champion Spencer Lee, 2020 All-American Abe Assad, and former NCAA qualifiers Drake Ayala, Max Murin and Nelson Brands.
GRADUATING SENIORS
Iowa’s NCAA lineup included five graduating seniors that combined for 20 All-America honors. Those seniors include Austin DeSanto (133, four-time All-American), Jaydin Eierman (141, four-time All-American), Kaleb Young (157, three-time All-American), Alex Marinelli (165, four-time All-American) and Michael Kemerer (174, five-time All-American).
BRANDS ON SENIOR CLASS
“I’ve given them all a bunch of compliments and they’re all real. They’re all true compliments. They make each other better. They are really good people. There are a lot of different personalities there but they’re all tight. These guys, they welcome everybody. These guys have been really good for this program. It is hard to put into words what they mean. They mean a lot.”
TOURNAMENT NOTABLES
• Iowa secured a team trophy (fourth or better) for the 13th time in the last 14 NCAA Championships.
• Michael Kemerer became the first five-time All-American in school history.
• Michael Kemerer became the 41st Hawkeye in school history to reach 100 career wins.
• Austin DeSanto is the 23rd four-time All-American in school history.
• Austin DeSanto finished his career with 102 wins, including 72 at Iowa.
• Jacob Warner became the 24th four-time All-American in school history.
• Alex Marinelli is the 25th four-time All-American in school history.
• Iowa has had an NCAA finalist in 32 consecutive national tournaments (every years since 1990).
• Iowa has crowned at least one All-American in 51 consecutive tournaments, a stretch dating back to 1972. Iowa has totaled 317 All-America honors during that stretch.
• Iowa has had at least five All-Americans in nine straight seasons and 14 times in head coach Tom Brands’ 16 years.
NCAA FINALS RESULTS
125 – #1 Nick Suriano (Michigan) dec. #3 Patrick Glory (Princeton), 5-3
133 – #1 Roman Bravo-Young (Penn State) dec. #2 Daton Fix (Oklahoma State), 3-2
141 – #1 Nick Lee (PSU) dec. #15 Kizhan Clarke (North Carolina), 10-3
149 – #1 Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell) dec. #10 Ridge Lovett (Nebraska), 11-5
157 – #2 Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) dec. #5 Quincy Monday (Princeton), 9-2
165 – #2 Keegan O’Toole (Missouri) dec. #4 Shane Griffith (Stanford), 6-5
174 – #1 Carter Starocci (Penn State) dec. #2 Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech), 5-5 RT
184 – #2 Aaron Brooks (Penn State) dec. #1 Myles Amine (Michigan), 5-3
197 – #1 Max Dean (Penn State) dec. #6 Jacob Warner (IOWA), 3-2
285 – #1 Gable Steveson (MINN) dec. #2 Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State), 6-2
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Penn State 131.5
2. Michigan 95.0
3. IOWA 74.0
4. Arizona State 66.5
5. Nebraska 59.5
6. Northwestern 57.5
7. Cornell 54.5
8. Virginia Tech 52.5
9. Missouri 49.5
10. NC State 49.0
