Marinelli becomes Iowa’s 200th Big Ten champion

Alex Marinelli finished an impressive run at the Big Ten Tournament with an individual title.

Iowas+165-lb+Alex+Marinelli+wrestles+Ohio+States+TeShan+Campbell+during+the+first+session+of+the+2019+Big+Ten+Wrestling+Championships+in+Minneapolis%2C+MN+on+Saturday%2C+March+9%2C+2019.+Marinelli+won+by+decision%2C+6-3.

Shivansh Ahuja

Iowa’s 165-lb Alex Marinelli wrestles Ohio State’s Te’Shan Campbell during the first session of the 2019 Big Ten Wrestling Championships in Minneapolis, MN on Saturday, March 9, 2019. Marinelli won by decision, 6-3.

Pete Ruden, Sports Editor

MINNEAPOLIS – Alex Marinelli finished the 2019 Big Ten Championships as Iowa’s only individual title holder. 

The 165-pounder became Iowa’s 200th individual champion by defeating top-seeded Vincenzo Joseph of Penn State, 9-3, on Sunday. 

Marinelli got in on Joseph’s leg twice in the first period but couldn’t finish either time. 

The second period proved to be a different story, though. 

After Joseph started on bottom and escaped, Marinelli came through with a powerful takedown that also pinned Joseph, earning four near fall points in the process. 

Another Joseph escape put Marinelli’s lead at 6-2 heading into the third. 

Marinelli secured another point for an escape, and after Joseph got in on a shot, the Hawkeye tallied one more takedown of his own to seal the title by a score of 9-3.