Iowa’s Spencer Lee medically forfeits out of NCAAs, ending college career

By: Paul Schofield
Saturday, March 18, 2023 | 3:20 PM

After a stunning loss to Purdue’s Matt Ramos in the NCAA wrestling championship semifinals on Friday, Iowa redshirt senior Spencer Lee took a medical forfeit Saturday and will finish sixth.

Iowa issued the following statement: “It has been a long road of a recovery for Spencer Lee. He will medically forfeit out of the 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championships today in Tulsa.”

Lee, a 25-year-old Franklin Regional graduate, had two ACL repairs in January 2022.

Lee won his first three bouts in the tournament, but Ramos struck first in the semifinals with a first-period takedown and two-point near fall in the opening period.

Lee got an escape and then tilted Ramos for a four-point near fall in the second period to grab a 5-4 lead. Lee was awarded a takedown to extend his lead to 7-4 in the third period, but Ramos got an escape and pinned Lee near the end of the match.

Lee, a Franklin Regional graduate, will end his collegiate career as a three-time NCAA champion, a five-time All-American, a three-time Big Ten champion and a two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner.

His career record will be 98-6.

Lee was hoping to join an elite list of four-time NCAA champions. Cornell’s Yianni Diakomihalis (149) is also going for a fourth national title. Diakomihalis reached the finals.

The four-time champions are Oklahoma State’s Pat Smith (‘90-92, ‘94), Iowa State’s Cael Sanderson (‘99-02), Cornell’s Kyle Dake (‘10-13), and Ohio State’s Logan Stieber (‘12-15).

Paul Schofield is a Tribune-Review Staff Writer. You can contact Paul by email at pschofield@triblive.com or via Twitter .

Tags: Franklin Regional