Spencer Lee shines at Olympic Trials
Well, that was quite a few days of wrestling, huh?
The 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, hailed as the single biggest event for the sport in this country, most certainly lived up to that billing out in State College, Pennsylvania.
With more World/Olympic medalists, NCAA champions/All-Americans and elite young talent present than one could possibly keep track off, the competition this weekend was just as fierce and high-level as one would’ve imagined.
And among the 137 men’s and women’s freestyle competitors to take the mat across 12 different brackets were a dozen who hold the distinction of being past/current Iowa Hawkeyes.
That representation speaks to what this sport continues to mean in both the state of Iowa and at its flagship wrestling institution – and perhaps no greater example of that love and passion exists than the outpouring of attention/celebration generated by one man, Spencer Lee.
The biggest name in Iowa Hawkeye wrestling over (at least) the last decade-and-a-half was unquestionably its biggest draw once again this weekend – same as it ever was.
And same as its (usually) been, once again Spencer Lee found himself standing atop the podium following a mesmerizing performance with the eyes of both Hawk fans everywhere and the wrestling world at large trained squarely upon him.
I promise, I’ll chronicle the results of every other Hawkeye in attendance as well, but the headliner of the weekend simply must be Lee – Iowa’s lone champion at the 2024 Trials.
Lee reigns supreme at 57 kilograms in a battle of former Hawkeyes
There’s no need to belabor the point when it comes to the context behind Spencer Lee winning his very first senior-level World/Olympic Team Trials event.
I touched on much of that in my preview for this weekend, and most of you know it by now anyways.
Simply put, this was a destination that seemed all but destined for Lee’s career if not for the numerous, cruel twists of fate which had repeatedly gotten in the way up until this point.
And now, finally here and healthy enough to compete, he wasn’t going to let the opportunity go to waste.
I thought entering the Trials that Lee’s path to the final best-of-three series was, all things considered, a relatively smooth one.
He’d make it seem very much so, cruising to a pair of decision victories in the quarterfinals and semis by margins of 8-0 and 13-6 – the latter of which came against #1 seed and 2023 U.S. World teamer Zane Richards.
Lee’s finals opponent would come with an abundance of storylines, as former Hawkeye Thomas Gilman emerged from the bottom half of the bracket to face him thanks to a pair of decision victories of his own over high school phenom Jax Forrest (5-4) and 2019 World silver medalist Daton Fix (6-0).
Gilman, a three-time All-American and NCAA runner up as a collegian (2013-17), departed Iowa City and the Hawkeye Wrestling Club in 2020 for a move to Pennsylvania at the rival Nittany Lion Wrestling Club (associated with most of Penn State’s past/present top wrestlers).
A four-time World/Olympic medalist during his international career between both stops (including World gold in 2021), he also hadn’t been shy in previous years taking jabs at both Iowa and Lee – much to the chagrin of many Hawkeye fans who’d previously supported him.
However, in an interview the night before they were set to compete, Gilman was far more introspective and respectful regarding the entire situation.
All of this set the stage for a highly anticipated best-of-three series, the winner of which would move themselves one final step from securing a berth at the Olympics in Paris this summer (more on that in a bit).
Match #1 was pretty cagey in the early going with Gilman scoring first via a shot clock point before Lee responded just prior to the break, earning a step out to go ahead 1-1 on criteria.
Action would pick up after the intermission with Lee getting to leg about a minute in, and after converting the takedown he’d immediately transition into one of his signature wrist tilts for an additional pair of exposure points – almost pinning Gilman in the process.
After a restart with the score 5-1, Gilman would nearly regain the lead with less than 50 seconds to go on a big takedown at the edge that Lee was somehow able to keep to just two points by not exposing his back while being slammed to the mat.
The sequence was close enough that Gilman’s corner challenged the call, which would ultimately be upheld, giving lee a three-point edge (6-3) thanks to the point for the failed challenge – a final margin that would hold up as the clock ran out.
A few hours later they’d return for Match #2, where once again a key second-period sequence would prove to be the difference.
This time Lee would take a 2-0 lead into the break courtesy of a step out and shot clock score in his favor, but Gilman would respond with two one-pointers of his own, giving the elder (former) Hawkeye the advantage on criteria as the clock dipped inside of one minute.
Much like in Match #1, Lee (often critiqued for his propensity to dominate his opponents earlier as opposed to later in matches) found his way to Gilman’s left leg, emerging from amidst a similar scramble to score the takedown before yet again transitioning seamlessly into a wrist tilt – this time rolling through twice for a total of four exposure points as the clock neared triple zeroes.
Bout in hand, Lee would stamp his victory with authority, pinning Gilman with just two seconds remaining to earn the title of 57-kilogram U.S. Olympic Trials champion.
There may not have been a more fitting end to this match in this moment.
Spencer Lee just did ‘Spencer Lee’ things, which so many of us have always believed was plenty good enough for him to achieve wrestling greatness at any level.
He also did things naysayers have foolishly opined that perhaps he couldn’t – i.e. win against the best the world has to offer (one of which Thomas Gilman very much is) after all his previous struggles with injury, and do so in late, come-from-behind fashion no less.
In a Golden Age of Hawkeye greats across numerous sports, this should serve (if necessary) as a reminder that Spencer Lee doesn’t take a back seat to any of them.
His post-tournament interview was a microcosm of everything those following his career have come to know about him – gracious, thoughtful, fiercely competitive yet self-deprecating and self-critical too.
Lee holds himself to a standard that few human beings could possibly understand, much less hope to replicate in their own life’s ambitions.
And now, with victory this weekend in hand, he’s oh-so-close to reaching the Olympic stage that he has been aiming for and yearning to excel upon for the entirety of his wrestling career.
One final step remains, however, as Lee will travel to Istanbul, Turkey sometime in early May (9-12) to compete at the World Olympic Qualifier. There, he’ll need to finish within the top three of what’s likely to be a 20–25-man bracket at 57 kilograms – a field comprised entirely of athletes from countries which have previously failed to qualify the weight for the 2024 Olympics.
Only 16 athletes per weight class will make it to Paris this summer, 13 of which have already been filled by either 1) a top-five finisher at the 2023 World Championships or 2) a top-two finisher at one of four Continental Qualifiers – both of which Lee’s semifinal opponent Zane Richards had failed to accomplish in two tries.
There will likely be a few top-tier opponents somewhere in Lee’s bracket in Turkey but based on what we’ve seen and known from him throughout his entire career I’ll still take his best over just about anyone, anytime, anywhere.
Spencer Lee was ‘Spencer Lee’ this weekend, folks. And we all got to watch it. How freaking cool is that?
Spencer Lee – Challenge Tournament Men’s Freestyle (57 KG)
- Champ. Round 1 – Spencer Lee (HWC / TMWC) received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal – Spencer Lee (HWC / TMWC) won by decision over Nico Megaludis (PittWC / TMWC) (Dec 8-0)
- Semifinal – Spencer Lee (HWC / TMWC) won by decision over Zane Richards (IRTC / TMWC) (Dec 13-6)
Thomas Gilman – Challenge Tournament Men’s Freestyle (57 KG)
- Champ. Round 1 – Thomas Gilman (NLWC / TMWC) received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal – Thomas Gilman (NLWC / TMWC) won by decision over Jax Forrest (McCort HS) (Dec 5-4)
- Semifinal – Thomas Gilman (NLWC / TMWC) won by decision over Daton Fix (CWC / TMWC) (Dec 6-0)
Finals – Men’s Freestyle (57 KG)
- Round 1 – Spencer Lee (HWC / TMWC) won by decision over Thomas Gilman (NLWC / TMWC) (Dec 6-3)
- Round 2 – Spencer Lee (HWC / TMWC) won by fall over Thomas Gilman (NLWC / TMWC) (Fall 5:58)
Other men’s results
Rounding out the quartet of Hawkeye men at the Trials were Alex Marinelli (74 kilograms) and Tony Cassioppi (97 kilograms).
For the latter, the weekend was a disappointing close to what I’m sure has been an endlessly frustrating 2023-24 ‘season’ thanks to reasons other than wrestling.
(Remember that whole gambling-related fiasco that unnecessarily ruined the careers of a bunch of in-state athletes?)
Cassioppi led 6-2 in the second period of his opening bout at 97kg before giving up a pair of takedowns – both (I believe) being counters off his own shots – that would ultimately stand up as the match-deciding points in a 6-6 victory on criteria for opponent Christian Carroll.
His first (and only) consolation match would follow a different path, as Cassioppi fell into an early hole against former Nebraska Cornhusker Eric Schultz and ultimately got pinned going for a desperation big move late in the second period.
Meanwhile, Alex Marinelli exited the Trials having left a bit less ‘meat on the bone,’ while also announcing that this weekend would both mark the end of one chapter of his wrestling career and serve as the beginning of another.
The four-time Big Ten champion, who’ll always be known most affectionately as ‘The Bull’ gave a laundry list of memories to Iowa wrestling fans during his time donning the Black & Gold singlet.
Whether it be any one of three wins in a thrilling four-match rivalry with Penn State’s Vincenzo Joseph or his on/off-the-mat perseverance amidst unbelievable tragedy, Marinelli will always hold a special place in the hearts of the Hawkeye faithful.
Unsurprisingly, his last outing prior to retirement was a reflection of the wrestler he’s seemingly always been, as ‘The Bull’ laid it all on the line during a 2-2 showing – including one of the best freestyle matches I’ve seen him deliver (even in defeat).
After falling into an early 7-0 hole to second-seeded Penn State legend Jason Nolf thanks to a pair of gut wrench exposures on the edge Marinelli doggedly pursued the eventual 74kg Trials finalist for the last 4-5 minutes of the match, clearly wearing on one of the very best wrestlers in the world at the weight.
Some ‘savvy’ maneuvering on the edge helped to keep The Bull from making things increasingly too-close-for-comfort, but the 7-2 final score was hardly indicative of which wrestler controlled the majority of the action.
Alas, Marinelli will now move on into a full-time coaching career, to which I can only say that the wrestling community will be all the better for the young athletes whose lives he’ll be able to influence and improve moving forward, both on and off the mat.
Alex Marinelli – Challenge Tournament Men’s Freestyle (74 KG)
- Champ. Round 1 – Alex Marinelli (HWC / TMWC) won by decision over Tyler Berger (PRTC / SKWC) (Dec 4-0)
- Quarterfinal – Jason Nolf (NLWC / TMWC) won by decision over Alex Marinelli (HWC / TMWC) (Dec 7-2)
- Cons. Round 2 – Alex Marinelli (HWC / TMWC) won by decision over Levi Haines (NLWC / TMWC) (Dec 11-7)
- Cons. Round 3 – Quincy Monday (NJRTC / TMWC) won by tech fall over Alex Marinelli (HWC / TMWC) (TF 11-0)
Anthony Cassioppi – Challenge Tournament Men’s Freestyle (97 KG)
- Champ. Round 1 – Christian Carroll (CWC / TMWC) won by decision over Anthony Cassioppi (HWC / TMWC) (Dec 6-6)
- Cons. Round 1 – Anthony Cassioppi (HWC / TMWC) received a bye () (Bye)
- Cons. Round 2 – Eric Schultz (NWTC) won by fall over Anthony Cassioppi (HWC / TMWC) (Fall 5:48)
‘Bloodied lips’ will have young Hawkeye women eager for next big senior-level stage
In some respects, I suppose one could view this weekend as a ‘disappointment’ for members of the Iowa women’s wrestling program.
I’m sure the athletes do – which is what makes them the high-level competitors they are – but as for the rest of us?
I think we should probably recognize the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for what it really was – a massive learning opportunity for an exceedingly young group.
Iowa’s contingent of 2024 Trials qualifiers did not contain a singlet athlete older than 23 years of age.
In fact, of the eight women to take the mat in State College, four were just 19 years old, two others were 20, and the ‘elder stateswomen’ of the bunch were 22 (Marlynne Deede) and 23 (Felicity Taylor) respectively.
Oh, and a ninth qualifier who did not ultimately compete this weekend – Rose Cassioppi – is just 19 as well.
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Not only that, but three Hawkeye women – Emilie Gonzalez at 50kg, Reese Larramendy at 68kg and Marlynne Deede at 76kg – were also competing at weight classes ranging anywhere from 7-12.5 pounds heavier than those at which they just won NCCWC individual titles a little more than a month ago.
Combine all these elements (and more) with the fact that this weekend’s competition was both better and more mature than most of them had ever faced in their young careers and Iowa’s 10-11 overall record – excluding four wins/losses each against fellow teammates – probably shouldn’t be all that surprising.
A recurring thought to me over the course of two days as it pertains to the Hawkeye women:
Yeah, they took some lumps and got their proverbial ‘lips’ bloodied a bit by some outstanding talent across multiple weight classes.
Fewer than six days after dominating at the age-level World team trials out in Spokane, Washington to the tune of current/incoming Hawks earning nearly half of the 10 spots up for grabs on the Under-20 World Championships team, this weekend was a nice reminder that this young bunch still has plenty to learn and improve upon before it’s ready to conquer the very best this country has to offer, regardless of age.
Even so, there’s plenty of positive to hang onto amidst the disappointment that always comes from losing (regardless of the context behind it).
For instance, back in December at Senior Nationals Hawkeye redshirt freshman Emilie Gonzalez lost a narrow 6-5 decision to Kaelani Shufeldt, who’d go on to finish both fourth that weekend at 50kg and later as runner up at approximately the same weight (110 pounds) in the NCWWC finals to Gonzalez’s Iowa teammate Ava Bayless.
This time around, the latest 101-pound NCWWC champ, Gonzalez, – who has struggled (comparatively speaking) with the more than nine-pound bump up to 50kg against top competition – completely turned the tables on the #5 seed Shufeldt in a dominating 10-0 tech. fall.
Elsewhere amongst Hawkeyes bumping up in weight, fellow 19-year-old Reese Larramendy finished in fourth place at 68kg.
Other than a 9-1 semifinal defeat to 27-year-old senior-level staple Alex Glaude in which Larramendy could never really find any of her own scoring opportunities, all three of her remaining matches were littered with positions in which she could/did find success.
Unsurprisingly, despite going 2-1 in those other bouts her ‘conversion rate’ was far less than her usual standards – in no small part (it appeared) due to the size difference she faced going against regular 68-kilogram opponents and/or 72kg’ers who were making the drop down for the Trials.
If you’re selling any Reese Larramendy stock after this weekend, please allow me to buy it.
Climbing even further up the weight class ‘ladder’ Marlynne Deede – much like Emilie Gonzalez – made her own significant improvement against a foe from Senior Nationals.
Probably a most natural fit at 72kg (~158.7 pounds), Deede went back and forth with 2019 World team trials finalist Precious Wieser in an eventual 8-4 defeat up at 76kg (~167.5 pounds). The match was a stark contrast from their lone previous meeting in which Wieser controlled the majority of the action before pinning Deede in the second period.
Deede’s other defeat of the Trials came against teammate Kylie Welker, while she also posted first-period tech. falls in each of her two victories.
Speaking of Welker, the 2024 NCCWC 170-pound national champion may have the most to be disappointed about from the weekend given her improbable run to the best-of-three finals as a teenager back in 2021.
(As much as any of us on the outside can tell these athletes how to process their competitive results, that is.)
In her semifinal bout against Yelena Makoyed, a foe she’d dominated on three consecutive occasions over the past year, Welker seemed to be a bit stuck in the mud. After falling into an early 6-0 hole, including a four-point, feet-to-back takedown right off a restart, she’d climb back as close as 6-4. But needing at least three more points to overcome what would be a criteria advantage for Makoyed, Welker was unable to find the requisite additional offense to do so.
Even still, after sleeping with that disappointment on Friday night she’d return the next day and secure back-to-back wins over both 2022 World team trials finalists to finish in third place – in one of them avenging her lone defeat of the college season to #4 seed Dymond Guilford.
That may not serve as much solace for Welker, but I think it speaks well to the standard at which she’s still capable of performing even amidst trying motivational circumstances.
The last four Hawkeye women in action in State College were split across a pair of lightweight brackets.
At 50kg, 109-pound NCWWC champ Ava Bayless was the only winless Hawkeye from the weekend, dropping an action-packed opener against teammate Nyla Valencia (11-4) and then getting countered to her back off a shot against NAIA 109-pound champ Mia Palumbo.
Valencia is actually my biggest ‘concern’ post-Trials, as she injury defaulted from the tournament (to teammate Emilie Gonzalez) after appearing to be in noticeable discomfort with her surgically repaired knee following a tight leg lace in a loss against eventual finalist, #1 seed Audrey Jimenez.
The California native only just recently returned to competition after suffering a torn ACL last April, so here’s hoping this was merely a precautionary measure by the Iowa coaching/training staff.
And finally, Iowa’s two representatives at 53kg were each impressive despite both losing opening quarterfinal matches.
#6 Felicity Taylor led eventual finalist (and 2016 Olympian) Haley Augello on criteria in the second period before Augello locked up a late cradle that proved the difference in a 5-1 decision. After that, Taylor would go on a 3-0 run in the consolations, starting with a 9-4 win over teammate Brianna Gonzalez in what was their third meeting in less than two months.
The two victories to follow included an 11-0 thrashing of top-seeded Vayle-Rae Baker (the 2023 Senior Nationals champion) and a 5-1 decision over #5 seed Alisha Howk.
Taylor would end her Trials run in third, dropping her last match by fall via headlock (which never looks like a fun way to go, BTW).
Meanwhile, B. Gonzalez may have had far less mat time given her 1-2 record on the weekend, but I sincerely loved quite a bit of what I saw from her even in a pair of defeats to both Taylor and #2 seed Katie Gomez – a 2023 World team runner up.
Gonzalez also reinforced a key win from the collegiate scene, beating North Central star Sydney Petzinger 8-0 in the consolations.
Petzinger was the only person other than Taylor to defeat Gonzalez this past season, winning an 8-4 decision when the two met at National Duals back in January.
Gonzalez had already avenged it once, a 10-1 victory in the NCWWC semifinals, but to back it up once again (and in decisive fashion) has to leave Iowa fans feeling pretty good about the gap between the two entering the 2024-25 season.
Ava Bayless – Challenge Tournament Women’s Freestyle (50 KG)
- Champ. Round 1 – Nyla Valencia (IWWC / TMWC) won by decision over Ava Bayless (IWWC) (Dec 11-4)
- Cons. Round 1 – Ava Bayless (IWWC) received a bye () (Bye)
- Cons. Round 2 – Mia Palumbo (SWC) won by fall over Ava Bayless (IWWC) (Fall 3:50)
Emilie Gonzalez – Challenge Tournament Women’s Freestyle (50 KG)
- Champ. Round 1 – Mia Palumbo (SWC) won by tech fall over Emilie Gonzalez (IWWC / TMWC) (TF 11-0)
- Cons. Round 1 – Emilie Gonzalez (IWWC / TMWC) received a bye () (Bye)
- Cons. Round 2 – Emilie Gonzalez (IWWC / TMWC) won by injury default over Nyla Valencia (IWWC / TMWC) (Inj. 0:00)
- Cons. Round 3 – Emilie Gonzalez (IWWC / TMWC) won by tech fall over Kaelani Shufeldt (LHU) (TF 10-0)
- Cons. Semi – Samara Chavez (SMC) won by fall over Emilie Gonzalez (IWWC / TMWC) (Fall 0:55)
Nyla Valencia – Challenge Tournament Women’s Freestyle (50 KG)
- Champ. Round 1 – Nyla Valencia (IWWC / TMWC) won by decision over Ava Bayless (IWWC) (Dec 11-4)
- Quarterfinal – Audrey Jimenez (SKWC) won by tech fall over Nyla Valencia (IWWC / TMWC) (TF 10-0)
- Cons. Round 2 – Emilie Gonzalez (IWWC / TMWC) won by injury default over Nyla Valencia (IWWC / TMWC) (Inj. 0:00)
Brianna Gonzalez – Challenge Tournament Women’s Freestyle (53 KG)
- Champ. Round 1 – Brianna Gonzalez (IWWC / TMWC) received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal – Katie Gomez (SKWC) won by tech fall over Brianna Gonzalez (IWWC / TMWC) (TF 10-0)
- Cons. Round 2 – Brianna Gonzalez (IWWC / TMWC) won by decision over Sydney Petzinger (CWC) (Dec 8-0)
- Cons. Round 3 – Felicity Taylor (IWWC / TMWC) won by decision over Brianna Gonzalez (IWWC / TMWC) (Dec 9-4)
Felicity Taylor – Challenge Tournament Women’s Freestyle (53 KG)
- Champ. Round 1 – Felicity Taylor (IWWC / TMWC) received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal – Haley Augello (IZZY / NYAC) won by decision over Felicity Taylor (IWWC / TMWC) (Dec 5-1)
- Cons. Round 2 – Felicity Taylor (IWWC / TMWC) received a bye () (Bye)
- Cons. Round 3 – Felicity Taylor (IWWC / TMWC) won by decision over Brianna Gonzalez (IWWC / TMWC) (Dec 9-4)
- Cons. Semi – Felicity Taylor (IWWC / TMWC) won by tech fall over Vayle Baker (WPWC / NYAC) (TF 11-0)
- 3rd Place Match – Felicity Taylor (IWWC / TMWC) won by decision over Alisha Howk (SKWC) (Dec 5-1)
- 2nd Place Match – Areana Villaescusa (WCAP) won by fall over Felicity Taylor (IWWC / TMWC) (Fall 3:50)
Reese Larramendy – Challenge Tournament Women’s Freestyle (68 KG)
- Champ. Round 1 – Reese Larramendy (IWWC / CKWC) received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal – Reese Larramendy (IWWC / CKWC) won by decision over Brooklyn Hays (Unattached) (Dec 10-8)
- Semifinal – Alex Glaude (BDRTC / TMWC) won by decision over Reese Larramendy (IWWC / CKWC) (Dec 9-1)
- Cons. Semi – Reese Larramendy (IWWC / CKWC) won by decision over Kaylynn Albrecht (TMWC) (Dec 8-4)
- 3rd Place Match – Brooklyn Hays (Unattached) won by tech fall over Reese Larramendy (IWWC / CKWC) (TF 11-0)
Marlynne Deed – Challenge Tournament Women’s Freestyle (76 KG)
- Champ. Round 1 – Marlynne Deede (IWWC) won by tech fall over Tavia Heidelberg-Tillitson (Menlo) (TF 10-0)
- Quarterfinal – Kylie Welker (IWWC / SPAR / TMWC) won by tech fall over Marlynne Deede (IWWC) (TF 10-0)
- Cons. Round 2 – Marlynne Deede (IWWC) won by tech fall over Madison Sandquist (SHU) (TF 12-2)
- Cons. Round 3 – Precious Wieser (TMWC) won by decision over Marlynne Deede (IWWC) (Dec 8-4)
Kylie Welker – Challenge Tournament Women’s Freestyle (76 KG)
- Champ. Round 1 – Kylie Welker (IWWC / SPAR / TMWC) received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal – Kylie Welker (IWWC / SPAR / TMWC) won by tech fall over Marlynne Deede (IWWC) (TF 10-0)
- Semifinal – Yelena Makoyed (CWC/TMWC) won by decision over Kylie Welker (IWWC / SPAR / TMWC) (Dec 6-4)
- Cons. Semi – Kylie Welker (IWWC / SPAR / TMWC) won by decision over Skylar Grote (TMWC) (Dec 6-0)
- 3rd Place Match – Kylie Welker (IWWC / SPAR / TMWC) won by decision over Dymond Guilford (TMWC) (Dec 5-4)
- 2nd Place Match – Yelena Makoyed (CWC/TMWC) won by no contest over Kylie Welker (IWWC / SPAR / TMWC) (NC)
Short time
Phew, what a weekend.
Without hopefully getting too caught up in an America-centric view of the worldwide wrestling landscape, my biggest takeaway from the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials is first and foremost that this country has a ton of damn good wrestlers.
The names we most recognize from recent NCAA Championships are major factors, no doubt. However, they oftentimes merely complemented fields comprised of both legends of the sport who remain absolute hammers and up-and-coming youngsters whose talents (and confidence) seem to vastly bely their age.
We’re in an incredibly bountiful era of American wrestling talent – one that shows few signs of slowing down any time soon, in particular on the rapidly growing women’s side of the sport.
Playing no small part in that ascension is Iowa head coach Clarissa Chun, named this weekend as USA Wrestling Women’s Coach of the Year.
In yet another sign that the University of Iowa made an incredible hire by selecting Chun to lead its historic women’s program, this award reflects the depth and talent of the nearly double-digit athletes that qualified for the 2024 Trials under her tutelage.
Come 2028, it wouldn’t remotely surprise me if (at least) one of her Hawkeye pupils were to accomplish what Spencer Lee just did on the men’s side in State College – put himself in position to represent Iowa wrestling on the grandest stage of all, the Olympic Games.
