Iowa Hawkeyes Wrestling Is Fun

The Iowa Hawkeyes have been known for dominance in wrestling. From 1975-2010 they managed to win 23 NCAA Championships. But even though Iowa has gone through dominant stretches, they have never exactly been a team that would be considered fun. Now I’m a terribly biased Iowa alum, but even I can recognize that you would likely describe the wrestlers as intense psychopaths and would have to be a bit sadistic to consider them a fun team. 

But these Iowa Hawkeyes are different. This isn’t just a team to root for because you’re from Iowa; this is a team that any wrestling fan can root for. We have guys that are aggressive, put up big points and actually seem like they are enjoying themselves every time they step out on the mat. Let’s take a look at who is making this team so well-liked by ranking Iowa’s 10 starters by how much an outsider enjoys them.

10. Austin DeSanto

I don’t want to put DeSanto here, but this is the easiest choice. He is a classic example of a guy you would love to have on your side but would absolutely despise him if he was wrestling against your team. He used to be a total psychopath at Drexel, then became a moderate psychopath during his first year at Iowa, and now he’s a fairly well-behaved guy at this point. People are still going to shit all over him because of antics early on in his career, and even I had a major issue with going for a kimura on Stevan Micic at the NCAA Championships his freshman year, but young people do stupid stuff. I certainly did. And although people are going to find a reason to hate him for everything after the whistle, he’s phenomenal to watch as he puts on a relentless pace with endless energy. But from an outsider’s perspective, I get it why there is nobody they would want to see lose more than DeSanto. 

9. Jacob Warner

Jacob Warner is completely inoffensive. But I guarantee people watch him and say that he sucks because he has lackadaisical offense in 90% of his matches. I guarantee rival fans think that he is going to get upset in the tournament and not even be an All-American. He will become an AA, and he will likely do it with incredibly frustrating matches that are never separated by more than two points.

8. Pat Lugo

Where Warner has flashed big point potential, Lugo is a very safe wrestler who keeps all of his matches close. He’s nearly impossible to score on, so it works for the most part, but it never really leads to fireworks. As a biased observer, his matches can be more exciting when watching some of the scrambles, but even a total homer like me is often craving more aggressive offense from Lugo.

7. Kaleb Young

The most irritating thing about Young isn’t his fault. He’s from Punxsutawney, PA where Punxsutawney Phil will let us know whether winter is coming to an end by seeing his shadow is there. This gets mentioned every match that he’s in. Not only that, it gets mentioned in the first period, because announcers cannot help themselves. Actually, outsiders probably aren’t watching that much Kaleb Young where this becomes irritating, so they may find it more endearing. Plus, he’s a total grinder who never showboats or really shows much emotion in any way.  

6. Abe Assad

I would say Assad is a blank canvas. I can’t imagine anyone disliking him, but I also can’t imagine anybody being a huge fan of his either. In his two most important varsity matches this season, against Taylor Venz and Aaron Brooks, he did go for upper body throws, which was exciting, but it didn’t work either time, which was less exciting. Still, early signs are pointing to Assad being a guy who goes big, but occasionally goes home.

5. Michael Kemerer

Kemerer is an incredibly exciting wrestler who you can always count on going hard for seven minutes. Outside of that, he seems completely inoffensive; he’s just a guy who works hard and has a positive attitude without ever showing anybody up on the mat. I have trouble imagining any wrestling fan disliking him beyond, “He wrestles for that team, and I cheer for this team.”

4. Tony Cassioppi

A big smiley heavyweight who is always looking to pin his opponents. What’s not to love?

3. Alex Marinelli

This was probably the toughest guy to rank. When he’s on the mat, he seems like a mean SOB. I could see that turning people off. But he is always charging forward, and the guy just refuses to back down which has led to some incredibly exciting matches with Vincenzo Joseph. Also, he lost his best friend, Eli Stickley, a fellow college wrestler at Wisconsin, in a car accident. So, like what kind of monster would hate this man? I think people want Marinelli to do good, but few outsiders are pulling for him to do great. I had him anywhere from 1-5, so splitting the difference seemed like the best option.

2. Max Murin

Chicken and Rice Casserole? Yes, please! Wake up with Good Murin America! hosted by Max Murin and Tony Cassioppi. pic.twitter.com/joC4INHyIz

— Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling) December 26, 2019

1. Spencer Lee

He’s so good that even rival fans have to appreciate his greatness. It’s incredible that we’re almost three fourths of the way through his career, because it feels like he’s barely been here. He didn’t join the varsity squad until halfway through his freshman season, he’s had some nicks where he took some meets off in his sophomore year and missed more to train to qualify for the Olympic Trials this season. Seeing a wrestler this great is a treat, and somehow, there’s only a little more than a year seeing him compete in college, so just sit back and enjoy everything this guy brings to the table. Seeing something this great never gets boring.