Lee named NCAA Division I Most Dominant Wrestler

The NCAA named Iowa’s Spencer Lee its Most Dominant Division I Wrestler Tuesday morning.

Shivansh Ahuja

Iowa’s 125-pound Spencer Lee wrestles Ohio State’s Hunter Lucas during a wrestling dual meet between No. 1 Iowa and No. 4 Ohio State at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. No. 1 Lee defeated Lucas by technical fall in 2:32, and the Hawkeyes defeated the Buckeyes, 24-10.

Austin Hanson, Assistant Sports Editor


The NCAA announced the winners of its postseason wrestling awards Tuesday morning. Among those honored was Iowa’s Spencer Lee. The 125-pound junior was named Most Dominant Division I Wrestler.

The wrestler averaging the highest number of team points per match wins the award. The NCAA calculates the average by dividing the total number of team points awarded through match results by the total number of matches wrestled.

Lee averaged 5.00 team points per match, narrowly besting Penn State’s Mark Hall. Hall finished the season averaging 4.7 team points per match.

Lee earned nine technical falls and four falls this season, scoring bonus points in 17 of the 18 matches he wrestled on his way to a Big Ten title at 125-pounds.

Iowa’s Alex Marinelli placed 11th on the NCAA’s list of most dominant wrestlers. The 165-pound junior averaged 4.1 team points per match. Marinelli also recorded a team-high eight pins this season

In addition to Most Dominant Wrestler, the NCAA handed out awards for most falls and technical falls. Lee’s nine technical falls are the most registered by a Hawkeye wrester since 1999 and good for second-most in the NCAA this season. George Mason’s Alex Madrigal finished in first place with 14 technical falls.

Junior Austin DeSanto placed 14th in total technical falls, compiling six on the season.