ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Six University of Iowa wrestlers advanced to Saturday night’s semifinals at the Big Ten Championships at the Crisler Center.
The Hawkeyes went 8-0 in first round matches before going 6-4 in the quarterfinals to finish Session I with a 14-4 record. Iowa posted bonus points in eight wins, including two falls, one injury default, one technical fall and four major decisions.
Iowa’s two top-seeded wrestlers cruised to the semifinals. Spencer Lee posted a 17-0 technical fall victory over Michigan’s ninth-seeded Jack Medley at 125 and Real Woods pinned Purdue’s No. 8 Parker Filius in 2:08 at 141.
.@LeeSpencerlee36 cruises to a tech fall! 🔥 @Hawks_Wrestling x #B1GWrestle pic.twitter.com/4RKiPLqngI
— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) March 4, 2023
No. 4 seed Max Murin went 2-0 on Saturday morning, getting an injury default victory over Michigan State’s Peyton Omania before improving to 2-0 this season against Penn State’s Shayne Van Ness with a quarterfinal victory.
Murin had a takedown in the first, used an escape in the third and added a point for riding time to notch his fifth ranked victory of the season.
Out the gate with a bang. 👊
Real Woods with the pin! @Hawks_Wrestling x #B1GWrestle pic.twitter.com/GM96mZRnS4
— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) March 4, 2023
No. 3 seed Patrick Kennedy had a pair of bonus point wins in his postseason debut, first piling up nine takedowns and 22 points in a 22-8 victory over Maryland’s John Best in his first-round match before getting a late takedown to secure a 11-3 major over Northwestern’s Maxx Mayfield.
The wins were Kennedy’s fifth and sixth majors this season, improving his record to 18-2 overall. The Minnesota native has 12 bonus point victories.
Iowa pushed two more wrestlers through to the semifinals at 197 and 285.
No. 5 seed Jacob Warner opened the tournament with a 6-2 decision over Northwestern’s Andrew Davison before taking down Michigan State’s fourth seed Cameron Coffey in the quarters. Warner used a second-period escape, got a point for stalling and secured riding time to win the 3-2 decision.
Cassioppi posted two bonus point wins – a 10-0 major decision over Nebraska’s Austin Emerson in the first round before finishing off a first period fall over Rutgers’ sixth-seeded Boone Mcdermott to advance. His fall was his 11th of the season, and it moved his record to 18-2 overall with 13 bonus point victories.
𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐒𝐒!!
video of Tony Cassioppi gets the pin over McDermott in the first period! he will advance to the semifinals with a rematch against Greg Kerkvliet. #Hawkeyes | #B1GWrestle pic.twitter.com/x6keSP4EdB
— Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling) March 4, 2023
The Hawkeyes got first round wins from Brody Teske (133), Cobe Siebrecht (157), Nelson Brands (174) and Abe Assad (184). Siebrecht posted a major decision over Ohio State’s Paddy Gallagher, 8-0, for his first career postseason win.
OF NOTE…
– Spencer Lee has won 53 consecutive matches dating back to the 2019 season and he is 15-0 this season with 14 bonus point victories (eight falls, three tech falls and three majors).
– Lee has won seven straight matches at the Big Ten Championships.
– Real Woods tallied his second fall as a Hawkeye and improved to 14-0 this season. He has 14 straight wins – the second-longest streak of his career.
– Max Murin advances to the semifinals for a second consecutive season where he will have a rematch with Ohio State’s top-seeded Sammy Sasso.
– Warner is a semifinalist for the second time in his career. He also advanced to the semifinals in 2021.
Team Standings Through Session I
1. Iowa – 63.5
Penn State – 63.5
3. Minnesota – 52.0
4. Ohio State – 45.5
5. Nebraska – 45.0
6. Michigan – 43.0
7. Northwestern – 25.0
8. Wisconsin – 23.0
9. Indiana – 18.0
10. Michigan State – 16.0
11. Illinois – 15.5
Purdue – 15.5
13. Maryland – 6.5
14. Rutgers – 4.0
Semifinals Matchups
125 – #1 Spencer Lee (UI) vs. #5 Patrick McKee (MINN)
141 – #1 Real Woods (UI) vs. #4 Frankie Tal Shahar (NU)
149 – #4 Max Murin (UI) vs. #1 Sammy Sasso (OSU)
165 – #3 Patrick Kennedy (UI) vs. #2 Cameron Amine (UM)
197 – #5 Jacob Warner (UI) vs. #1 Max Dean (PSU)
285 – #3 Tony Cassioppi (UI) vs. #2 Greg Kerkvliet (PSU)
Consolation Matchups
133 – #8 Brody Teske (UI) vs. #10 Taylor Lamont (UW)
157 – #5 Cobe Siebrecht (UI) vs. #14 Michael North (MD)
174 – #7 Nelson Brands (UI) vs. #9 Max Maylor (UM)
184 – #5 Abe Assad (UI) vs. #11 Evan Bates (NU)
First Round Results
133 – #8 Brody Teske (UI) dec. #9 RayVon Foley (MSU), 4-1
149 – #4 Max Murin (UI) injury default #13 Peyton Omania (MSU), 2:03
157 – #5 Cobe Siebrecht (UI) major dec. #12 Paddy Gallagher (OSU), 8-0
165 – #3 Patrick Kennedy (UI) major dec. #14 John Best (MD), 22-8
174 – #7 Nelson Brands (UI) dec. #10 Jackson Turley (RU), 1-0
184 – #5 Abe Assad (UI) dec. #12 Ben Vanadia (PUR), 6-1
197 – #5 Jacob Warner (UI) dec. #12 Andrew Davison (NU), 6-2
285 – #3 Tony Cassioppi (UI) major dec. #14 Austin Emerson (NEB), 10-0
Quarterfinal Results
125 – #1 Spencer Lee (UI) tech fall #9 Jack Medley (UM), 17-0 (5:00)
133 – #1 Roman Bravo-Young (PSU) major dec. #8 Brody Teske (UI), 13-2
141 – #1 Real Woods (UI) pinned #8 Parker Filius (PUR), 2:08
149 – #4 Max Murin (UI) dec. #5 Shayne Van Ness (PSU), 4-2
157 – #4 Chase Saldate (MSU) dec. #5 Cobe Siebrecht (UI), 9-2
165 – #3 Patrick Kennedy (UI) major dec. #6 Maxx Mayfield (NU), 11-3
174 – #2 Mikey Labriola (NEB) dec. #7 Nelson Brands (UI), 5-2
184 – #4 Matt Finesilver (UM) pinned #5 Abe Assad (UI), 4:19
197 – #5 Jacob Warner (UI) dec. #4 Cameron Coffey (MSU), 3-2
285 – #3 Tony Cassioppi (UI) pinned #6 Boone McDermott (RU), 2:54
