Hawkeye Wrestling Sensation Hoping to Bring the Olympic Gold Home to Iowa

The Olympics, a pinnacle of athletic achievement held every four years, showcases the world’s best athletes competing across a myriad of sports. In 2024, Paris will host this global spectacle, welcoming competitors like Spencer Lee, a three-time NCAA wrestling champion from the University of Iowa, who aims to add Olympic gold to his impressive resume.

Who is Spencer Lee?

Spencer Lee, the wrestling sensation out of the University of Iowa, is not just aiming for gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics; he's practically got it on hold for pickup! This guy’s Iowa commitment runs deeper than cornfields in August.

Coached by the legendary Tom Brands, himself an Olympic champ (Atlanta '96), Lee’s been grinding at Iowa to make sure his wrestling game is as sharp as a Hawkeye's talons. He bulldozed through the US Olympic Trials at 57 kg in April and then showed up in Turkey, leaving a trail of mat dust with a perfect 4-0 performance at the world qualifier.

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And fun fact: Lee’s got French roots! His mom’s side hails from there, and he's pumped to wrestle in front of his grandma for the first time. Talk about family pride!

What are some of Spencer Lee's achievements?

After snagging his BS in Sport and Recreation Management from Iowa in 2021, Lee's collegiate stats read like a wrestling Hall of Fame brochure:

• Three-time NCAA Champ
• Second-ever five-time All-American at Iowa
• Three-time Big Ten Champ
• Three-time Big Ten Wrestler of the Year
• 2018 Big Ten Freshman of the Year
• A record of 98-6 (he didn’t come here to lose)
• 12 pins in less time than it takes to microwave popcorn
• Undefeated 26-0 record at Carver-Hawkeye Arena

Catch Lee making Iowa proud in the Men’s Freestyle 57 kg elimination round on August 8 at 4:00 a.m. CT, live on Peacock. Paris, get ready—Spencer Lee’s coming to pin down that gold!