Spencer Lee Becomes 3-Time NCAA Wrestling Champion
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
ST. LOUIS (AP/KDKA) — Iowa won its first NCAA wrestling team title since 2010, and Hawkeyes star Spencer Lee took his third individual title Saturday night competing on a badly injured knee.
Lee, a Franklin Regional graduate, helped lead the Hawkeyes to a 24th NCAA team title.
Spencer Lee's 3rd national championship puts an exclamation point on Iowa's 24th NCAA team title. ????
— Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling) March 21, 2021
???? https://t.co/8ORpjP374J
???? https://t.co/tpfN6VPF5r#Hawkeyes | #NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/PfZzd5Y3Fj
Already one of Iowa's greats, Lee further burnished his image in the state's wrestling lore when he revealed after his 7-0 victory over Arizona State's Brandon Courtney that he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in one of his knees eight days earlier.
Franklin Regional grad Spencer Lee fails to secure bonus points for the first time all year, but it doesn't matter. He wins a 7-0 decision vs. Arizona State's Brandon Courtney for his third NCAA title at 125 pounds. Lee outscored his foes 59-8 at this year's NCAA tournament.
— Steve Rotstein (@SteveRotstein) March 21, 2021
The 125-pounder outscored his opponents 59-8 in St. Louis to become the seventh Iowa wrestler, and first since 1998, to win three national titles.
His match against Courtney was the only one this season in which he didn't earn bonus points.
"F excuses," Lee said after revealing his injury. "Excuses are for wusses."
— Steve Rotstein (@SteveRotstein) March 21, 2021
Not that he needs any. He just capped off an undefeated season with his third NCAA title, and a second Hodge trophy may be on the way. He'll have a chance to become a four-time NCAA champ next season.
Lee, a senior at Iowa won three titles in the last four years. Last season, Lee was the #1 seed heading into the tournament, but there was no competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Spencer Lee just won his third NCAA wrestling championship at Iowa, and he says he did it with no ACLs ???? pic.twitter.com/OVIBtfibCf
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 21, 2021
Lee will have a chance to become a 4-time champion next season, as the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic cutting last season short.
(TM and © Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)