Follow along: Iowa participates in Session II of the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships
All 10 of Iowa’s wrestlers advanced to the second round of the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Session II action begins with lightweights at 5 p.m. and ends with heavyweights at 8 p.m.
Mar 18, 2021; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes wrestler Jacob Warner celebrates after defeating NC State Wolfpack wrestler Nick Reenan during the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
March 18, 2021
ST. LOUIS — All 10 of Iowa’s wrestlers advanced to the second round of the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Lightweights will begin Iowa’s Session II action with heavyweights wrapping it up.
No. 1 Spencer Lee vs. No. 2 Killian Cardinale
For just the second time this season, Iowa’s 125-pound two-time national champion Spencer Lee wrestled into the third period. West Virginia’s Killian Cardinale forced Lee to wrestle a full seven-minute match for the first time in 2020-21, though Lee defeated him via major decision, 15-5.
Cardinale is first opponent Lee did not defeat by fall or technical fall this year.
No. 4 Austin DeSanto vs. No. 20 Ryan Sullivan
After approximately 96 seconds of wrestling, Iowa’s 133-pound Austin DeSanto pinned West Virginia’s Ryan Sullivan. DeSanto will compete in Session III action Friday morning at the Enterprise Center.
No. 1 Jaydin Eierman vs. No. 16 Cole Matthews
Iowa’s 141-pound Jaydin Eierman snuck past Pittsburgh’s Cole Matthews via 4-3 decision in his Session II matchup Thursday. Eierman will participate in tomorrow’s quarterfinals.
No. 12 Max Murin vs. No. 5 Ridge Lovett
In a 2021 Big Ten Tournament rematch, Iowa’s 149-pound Max Murin defeated Nebraska’s Ridge Lovett in upset fashion. The 12th-seeded Murin squeaked by Lovett via 5-3 decision.
Lovett had previously defeated then-No. 2 seed Murin as the No. 7 seed at the Big Ten Tournament in State College, Pennsylvania.
No. 5 Kaleb Young vs. No. 12 Brady Berge
Iowa’s 157-pound Kaleb Young is the first Hawkeye to fall out of national championship contention at the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Young fell to Penn State’s Brady Berge via 3-2 decision.
Four of Iowa’s five wrestlers that competed in Session 2A Thursday afternoon advanced to the Session III quarterfinals slated for Friday morning.
No. 1 Alex Marinelli vs. No. 17 Thomas Bullard
Iowa’s 165-pound Alex Marinelli breezed past North Carolina State’s Thomas Bullard via 13-2 major decision. Marinelli’s match was the Hawkeyes’ first of Session 2B of the NCAA Wrestling Championships.
No. 1 Michael Kemerer vs. No 17 Benjamin Pasiuk
Iowa’s 174-pound Michael Kemerer toppled Army’s Benjamin Pasiuk via 17-1 technical fall. Kemerer advances to Friday’s Session III quarterfinals in his first appearance at the NCAA Championships in approximately three years.
No. 12 Nelson Brands vs. No. 5 Hunter Bolen
Iowa’s 184-pound Nelson Brands was the second Hawkeye eliminated from national championship contention in Session II. Following his 6-2 loss to Virginia Tech’s Hunter Bolen, Brands joins Young in the consolation bracket.
No. 5 Jacob Warner vs. No. 12 Lucas Davison
After a comeback, 9-7 victory in the first round of the NCAA Championships, Iowa’s 197-pound Jacob Warner held Northwestern’s Lucas Davison scoreless to win via 3-0 decision in the second round and advance to Friday morning’s quarterfinals.
No. 5 Tony Cassioppi vs. No. 21 Tate Orndorff
Iowa wrestling’s heavyweight Tony Cassioppi wrapped up the Hawkeyes’ Session II action with an 11-0 win over Ohio State’s Tate Orndorff via major decision. Cassioppi is one of eight Hawkeyes to make it to Friday morning’s Session III quarterfinals.
2021 NCAA Championship quarterfinal action begins at 10 a.m.
This a developing story. Check back throughout the evening for updates
