Live results | Iowa men’s wrestling competes in Session II and III of 2022 Big Ten Championships

Four Hawkeyes will compete in wrestlebacks and semifinals Saturday evening at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln.

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Grace Smith

Iowa’s No. 4 Max Murin lifts Michigan State’s No. 13 Peyton Omania during session one of the Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Murin defeated Omania by major decision, 12-0.

Austin Hanson, Sports Editor
March 5, 2022

LINCOLN, Neb. — True freshman 125-pounder Drake Ayala, 157-pounder Kaleb Young, 184-pounder Abe Assad, and 197-pounder Jacob Warner will all compete in Session II of the 2022 Big Ten Championships at Pinnacle Bank Arena Saturday night. All four Iowa men’s wrestlers lost in the quarterfinal round of their respective weight brackets.

Six Hawkeyes will participate in the tournament semifinals during Session III, which begins at 7:30 p.m.

Follow the live blog below for Session II updates.

No. 6 Drake Ayala (IA) over No. 12 Jacob Moran (IN) via 12-3 major decision

Ayala opened Session II action for Iowa with a 12-3 win via major decision. The match is the first that has seen Ayala earn bonus points.

The Hawkeyes’ team total is now 59.5. Iowa trails Penn State’s 67.5 points and Michigan’s 68.5.

Iowa’s No. 6 Drake Ayala battles with Indiana’s No. 12 Jacob Moran during session two of the Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Ayala defeated Moran in the 125-pound weight class, 12-3. (Grace Smith)

No. 2 Kaleb Young (IA) over No. 8 Robert Kanniard (RU) via 8-5 decision

Young participated in the Hawkeyes’ second wrestleback match of Session II, downing Kanniard via 8-5 decision. The senior is now 1-1 on the tournament.

The Hawkeyes are still in third place in the team standings with 63 points, trailing the Nittany Lions and Wolverines.

Iowa’s No. 2 Kaleb Young spins Rutgers’ No. 8 Robert Kanniard during session two of the Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Young defeated Kanniard in the 157-pound weight class, 8-5. (Grace Smith)

No. 5 Abe Assad (IA) over No. 5 Layne Malczewski (MSU) via 9-0 major decision

Assad earns a 9-0 win via major decision over Malczewski. Iowa now trails Penn State and Michigan by fewer than 10 points in the team standings with 67.5 points.

Penn State has 73 points and Michigan has 75.5.

Iowa’s No. 5 Abe Assad throws down Michigan State’s No. 6 Layne Malczewski during session two of the Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Assad defeatedMalczewski in a 184-pound match by major decision, 9-0. (Jerod Ringwald)

No. 4 Jacob Warner (IA) vs. No. 11 Jaron Smith (MD)

Warner earned the Hawkeyes’ third win via major decision of Session II. Ayala, Assad, and Warner have all won via major decision in Session II.

Iowa now trails Penn State by just one point in the team standings. The Hawkeyes have 72 points, the Nittany Lions have 73, and the Wolverines have 75.5.

Iowa’s No. 4 Jacob Warner celebrates a victory over Maryland’s No. 11 Jaron Smith during session two of the Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Warner defeated Smith in a 197-pound match by major decision, 10-1 . (Jerod Ringwald)

No 8 Patrick McKee (MN) over No. 6 Drake Ayala (IA) via 5-2 decision

Ayala was defeated McKee for the third time this season Saturday. Ayala is 0-3 all-time against McKee.

Ayala will wrestle for seventh place tomorrow afternoon.

Iowa’s No. 6 Drake Ayala grapples with Minnesota’s No. 8 Patrick McKee during session two of the Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, March 5, 2022. McKee defeated Ayala in the 125-pound weight class, 5-2. (Grace Smith)

No. 2 Kaleb Young (IA) over No. 6 Chase Saldate (MSU) via 5-3 decision

Young wrestled his way into the consolation semifinals with a 5-3 win over Saldate. Young will wrestle the loser of a winner’s bracket semifinal match between Northwestern’s Ryan Deakin and Nebraska’s Peyton Robb.

Iowa has moved into second place in the team standings with 75.5 points. It trails Michigan’s 88 points.

Iowa’s No. 2 Kaleb Young attempts to take down Michigan State’s No. 6 Chase Saldate during session two of the Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Young defeated Saldate in the 157-pound weight class, 5-3. (Grace Smith)

No. 2 Austin DeSanto (IA) over No. 3 Lucas Byrd (IL) via 4-3 decision

DeSanto secured a takedown with less than 15 second remaining to beat Byrd and advance to the semifinals.

DeSanto will face Penn State’s Roman Bravo-Young in the finals. DeSanto is 2-4 all-time against Bravo-Young. Bravo-Young beat DeSanto, 5-2, in last year’s Big Ten Championships Finals.

No. 2 Jaydin Eierman (IA) over No. 3 Sebastian Rivera via medical forfeit

Eierman advanced to the 2022 Big Ten Championships Finals without even wrestling a semifinal match. Rivera medically forfeited before the bout ever began.

The Hawkeyes now lead the team race with 91.5 points. Michigan trails Iowa with 88. Penn State has 80 points.

No. 1 Sammy Sasso (OSU) over No. 4 Max Murin (IA) via 3-1 decision

Murin wrestled Sasso close for a second time this season. The Pennsylvanian lost to Sasso during a Jan. 21 regular season dual, 3-2.

Murin drops back to the consolation semifinal, where he will wrestle Rutgers’ Mike van Brill.

Ohio State’s No. 1 Sammy Sasso gets his hand raised after defeating Iowa’s No. 4 Max Murin during session three of the Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Sasso defeated Murin in the 149-pound weight class, 3-1. (Grace Smith)

No. 5 Abe Assad (IA) vs. No. 8 Kyle Cochran (MD)

A late Assad escape wasn’t enough to push Assad past Cochran, who picked up a 4-3 win in the match. With the loss, Assad will wrestle for seventh place tomorrow.

No. 4 Jacob Warner (IA) over No. 9 Gavin Hoffman (OSU) via 5-2 decision

Warner defeated Hoffman via 5-2 decision to advance to the consolation semifinals. He’ll wrestle the loser of a winner’s bracket semifinal between Penn State’s Max Dean and Michigan State’s Cam Caffey.

No. 2 Alex Marinelli (IA) over No. 3 Dean Hamiti (WI) via 3-2 decision

Marinelli defeated Hamiti for the second time this season, picking up a 3-2 win to advance to the finals. Marinelli will face Michigan’s Cameron Amine in the finals.

Iowa’s No. 2 Alex Marinelli holds Wisconsin’s No. 3 Dean Hamiti during session three of the Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Marinelli defeated Hamiti in the 165-pound weight class, 4-2. Marinelli heads to his fourth-straight Big Ten final. (Grace Smith)

No. 1 Carter Starocci over No. 4 Michael Kemerer via medical forfeit

Kemerer sustained an injury during a match with Ohio State’s Ethan Smith on Saturday morning. Just hours later, he medically forfeited his match against Starocci.

Kemerer drops to sixth place in the tournament and Starocci advances to the Big Ten Championships Finals. Kemerer’s status going forward is unknown.

Iowa and Michigan are now tied at the top of the leaderboard, 102-102. Penn State trails both squads with 97.5 points.

Penn State’s No. 1 Carter Starocci waits for Iowa’s No. 4 Michael Kemerer during session three of the Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Starocci defeated Kemerer by forfeit in a 174-pound match. (Jerod Ringwald)

No. 2 Tony Cassioppi (IA) over No. 3 Greg Kerkvliet (PSU)

Cassioppi capped Iowa’s day with a comeback victory against Kerkvliet. The Hawkeyes finish the day in third place with 109 points. They trail the Nittany Lions, who have 111.5 points, and the Wolverines, who have 116 points.

This is a developing story. Check back throughout the evening for updates.