University of Iowa Athletics

Spencer Lee

Height 5-3
Weight 125 lbs.
Class RS Sr.
Hometown Murrysville, PA
High School Franklin Regional
Spencer Lee - Men's Wrestling - University of Iowa Athletics

Learn more about Spencer Lee

Career
• Two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner
• Three-time NCAA Champion
• Iowa’s second five-time All-American
• Three-time Big Ten Champion
• Three-time Big Ten Wrestler of the Year — second Hawkeye to accomplish the feat
• 2023 Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Big Ten Championships
• 2018 Big Ten Freshman of the Year
• Finished with a career record of 98-6
• 40 of his 98 career victories ended in the first period with 29 first-period falls
• Had 12 career falls in under one minute
• Had a 58-match winning streak from 2019-23, where he outscored his opponents, 673-77
• It was the seventh longest winning streak in program history
• Went 57-6 in his career vs. ranked opponents
• Went 26-0 in his career inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena
• Three-time Academic All-Big ten
• Three-time NWCA Scholar Athlete

2022-23
• All-American
• Placed sixth at the NCAA Championships
• Big Ten champion at 125 pounds — his third career Big Ten title
• Big Ten Wrestler of the Year and Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Big Ten Championships
• Ranked No. 1 in the nation throughout the season, No. 1 seed at NCAA Championships
• Posted a 20-1 record with 18 bonus point victories — nine falls, five tech falls and four majors
• Went 10-0 in duals and 8-0 in Big Ten duals
• Scored 52 dual team points in 10 matches
• Won the 125 pound title at the inaugural Soldier Salute
• Went 11-1 against ranked opponents
• Second on team with nine falls
• Big Ten Wrestler of the Week (Jan. 11, Jan. 24, Feb. 21)
• NCAA Wrestler of the Week (Jan. 24)
• USA Wrestling Wrestler of the Week (Jan.24)
• Coaches Appreciation Award recipient
• Letterwinner

2021-22
• Posted a 3-0 record before undergoing season-ending surgery
• Named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week Dec. 28
• Scored 11 team points in dual competition
• Was ranked No. 1 in the national rankings for all three duals
• Letterwinner

2020-21
• Big Ten Medal of Honor winner
• Hodge Trophy Winner
• NCAA Champion, became the seventh three-time NCAA champion in program history
• Lee outscored his five opponents 59-8 on his way to the title
• All-American (21st four-time in school history)
• Big Ten Champion (125 pounds)
• Big Ten Wrestler of the Year
• No. 1 seed at NCAA Championships
• Undefeated 12-0 record
• Outscored 12 opponents 141-15
• Five pins, all in the first period (1:21, 1:53, 2:27, 1:32, 0:23)
• Scored bonus points in 11-of-12 matches
• First eight matches of the season were terminated early (5 pins, 3 tech. falls)
• Wire-to-wire No. 1 ranked wrester at 125
• 11 wins over ranked opponents, four in the top 10
• Finished season with 35-match winning streak, outscoring his opponents, 432-42.
• Academic All-Big Ten
• NWCA Academic Scholar

2019-20
• Hodge Trophy Winner
• James E. Sullivan Award Winner
• All-American
• NCAA Most Dominant Wrestler
• Big Ten Champion (125 pounds)
• Big Ten Wrestler of the Year
• No. 1 seed at NCAA Championships
• Undefeated 18-0 record
• Outscored 18 opponents 234-18
• NCAA best 5.0 average team points
• Four pins, all in the first period (0:54, 0:52, 2:21, 2:53)
• Nine technical falls, team high and most by a Hawkeye since Doug Schwab in 2000
• Four technical falls in the first period, all in under four minutes
• Scored bonus points in 16-of-18 matches
• Team-high 58 dual points scored
• Only four of 18 matches went the full seven minutes
• Wire-to-wire No. 1 ranked wrester at 125
• Seven wins over ranked opponents, four in the top 7, three in the top 5
• Won the U.S. Senior Nationals to earn a spot at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials
• Academic All-Big Ten
• NWCA Scholar Athlete
• Letterwinner

2018-19
• NCAA champion
• Won the 125-pound national title, earning All-America honors
• Outscored opponents 55-7 in five matches at NCAA Championships
• Placed second at the Big Ten Championships
• Posted a 23-3 overall record, including a perfect 7-0 mark in Big Ten duals
• Had a team-high seven technical falls
• Eight pins ranked second on the team
• Had a pin in 30 seconds, fasted on the team
• Placed second at the Midlands Championships
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Named Mike Howard Most Valuable Wrestler at annual team banquet
• NWCA Academic All-American Team
• Letterwinner

2017-18
• NCAA champion, winning first career title at 125 pounds to earn All-America honors
• Big Ten Freshman of the Year
• Scored team bonus points in four of his five NCAA matches to earn USA Wrestling’s Athlete of the Week honors
• Placed third at Big Ten Championships, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors
• Earned Amateur Wrestling News’ 2018 Hammer Award
• Posted a 22-2 record at 125 pounds, going 8-0 in dual competition and 6-0 in Big Ten duals
• Scored 37 team points in dual competition
• Won title at UNI Open and placed sixth at Midlands Championships
• Led team in overall winning percentage (.917), dual and Big Ten dual winning percentage (1.000), fastest fall (40 seconds) and technical falls (8)
• Named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week (1/23)
• Named Mike Howard Most Valuable Wrester at annual team banquet
• Amateur Wrestling News all-rookie team
• Big Ten sportsmanship award winner
• NWCA Academic All-American team
• Letterwinner

High School
• Four time Pennsylvania state qualifier
• Three time Pennsylvania state champ (113, 120 x 2)
• Only gave up 3 takedowns in four years until the state finals his senior year
• No. 1 wrestler in the country for all four years (113, 120 and 126)
• Cadet World Champion (50kg)
• Two time Junior World Champion (50kg)
• Only world champion in school history
• Was on the high honor roll
• Volunteered at kids club and miracle league

Personal
• Born on October 14th, 1998 in Denver, Colorado
• Son of Larry and Cathy Lee
• Has a twin sister named Gaby
• Mother was an alternate for the Olympic judo team
• Father was the judo national coach and the paralympic coach
• Earned his bachelor’s degree in sport and recreation management (business)
• Currently working on his master’s degree in sport and recreation management

    

Overall Dual Big Ten Dual Dual Pts. Big Ten NCAA OT MD TF Pins Fastest
Year Record Record Record Scored Place Place W/L W/L W/L W/L Pin
2017-18 22-2 8-0 6-0 37 3rd 1st 0-0 1-0 8-0 9-0 0:40
2018-19   23-3 12-1 7-0 61 2nd 1st 0-1 3-0 7-0 8-1 0:30
2019-20 18-0 12-0 9-0 58 1st X 0-0 3-0 9-0 4-0 0:52
2020-21 12-0 4-0 4-0 24 1st 1st 0-0 3-0 3-0 5-0 0:23
2021-22 3-0 3-0 0-0 11 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0
2022-23 20-1 10-0 8-0 52 1st 6th 0-0 4-0 5-0 9-1 0:36
Career 98-6 49-1 34-0 243 0-1 16-0 33-0 35-2 0:23

 

Real Woods Named Mike Howard Most Valuable Wrestler
Lee Earns 3rd B1G Wrestler of the Week Honor
Lee Earns 2nd B1G Wrestler of the Week Honor
Lee Named Big Ten Co-Wrestler of the Week
Spencer Lee Wins Dan Hodge Trophy
Spencer Lee Wins NCAA Championship, Hawkeyes Capture Team Title
Spencer Lee Named Co-Winner of AAU James E. Sullivan Award
Spencer Lee Wins Dan Hodge Trophy
Spencer Lee named NCAA Division I Most Dominant Wrestler
UI President Bruce Harreld and 2x NCAA Wrestling Champion Spencer Lee
NCAA Champion Spencer Lee to be Recognized at State Capitol
Spencer Lee Wins 125-Pound NCAA Championship
Spencer Lee to be Presented Hammer Award at UWW World Cup
Spencer Lee Wins NCAA Championship