Spencer Lee medically forfeits from NCAA Championships after suffering stunning loss in Friday’s semifinal
TULSA, Oklahoma – Spencer Lee has wrestled his final match as an Iowa Hawkeye.
The senior from Murrysville, Pennsylvania, who suffered a stunning loss to No. 4 seed Matt Ramos from Purdue in the semifinals at 125 pounds on Friday, will take a medical forfeit from Saturday’s competition, it was a announced by Iowa wrestling in a statement.
Lee was pinned by Ramos in the final seconds of their semifinal match on Friday, ending Lee’s attempt to become Iowa’s first four-time national champion.
“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,” Iowa wrestling said in a statement.
Lee has suffered multiple knee injuries during his career, and he won last year’s national title at 125 pounds despite having a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Senior Real Woods is the only Hawkeye wrestler to advance to the finals. The Stanford transfer will compete for a national title at 141 pounds.
Iowa has had at least one wrestler advance to the NCAA finals in every season since 1990.
Iowa was second in the team standings behind Penn State heading into Saturday’s competition.