Former Iowa Hawkeye Player Spencer Lee Goes for Gold in Paris

Kelly Maricle and Jason Prine

10 minutes ago

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DES MOINES, Iowa — Hawkeye wrestling legend Spencer Lee won three NCAA titles while attending the University of Iowa and has his sights set on winning a gold medal in freestyle while representing Team USA at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Lee is not originally from Iowa, but Hawkeye head coach Tom Brands, himself an Olympic gold medalist (Atlanta, 1996), knows how dedicated Lee is to representing the state.

“We tell our guys when they come and they come from out of state, this is their home, and Spencer believed that right away. And here we are, what … eight years later and whatever … and Iowa has been their home since day one when he walked on campus here … it doesn’t surprise me,” Brands said.

FILE – Iowa’s Spencer Lee is lifted on the shoulders of teammates Max Murin, left, and Jacob Warner as they are recognized on Senior Day after a college wrestling match against Oklahoma State, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023, in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa’s Spencer Lee, 125 pounds, has a chance to win his fourth national title this weekend at the NCAA wrestling championships in Tulsa, Okla. (Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen via AP, File)

Spencer Lee (left) takes a photo with Jody Strittmatter (right) and Strittmatter’s son (center) (Courtesy: Jody Strittmatter)

Spencer Lee reacts after defeating Thomas Gilman during a 57-kilogram match at the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials in State College, Pennsylvania, Saturday, April 20, 2024. Lee won the match 8-2. (AP Photo/Jackson Ranger)

Iowa wrestler Spencer Lee, left, answers a question during a news conference on practice day for the NCAA Division I Wrestling National Championships, Wednesday, March 15, 2023, in Tulsa, Okla. Penn State’s Roman Bravo-Young stands at right. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Iowa’s Spencer Lee (right) competes against Arizona State’s Brandon Courtney during their 125-pound division match in the finals of the NCAA Wrestling Championship on Saturday, March 20, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

FILE – In this March 23, 2019, file photo, Iowa’s Spencer Lee (left) celebrates his victory over Virginia’s Jack Mueller (not pictured) in their 125-pound match in the finals of the NCAA wrestling championships in Pittsburgh. The Iowa wrestling team has some unfinished business to take care of this season. The Hawkeyes were overwhelming favorites to win the 2020 NCAA Tournament, which was canceled due to the pandemic. They enter this season as the unanimous No. 1 team with Hodge Award winner Spencer Lee and eight other returning All-Americans. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Iowa’s Spencer Lee (left) competes against Arizona State’s Brandon Courtney during their 125-pound division match in the finals of the NCAA Wrestling Championship on Saturday, March 20, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Iowa’s Spencer Lee (R) competes against Purdue’s Devin Schroder during their 125-pound division match in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships on Friday, March 19, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Spencer Lee honored at Iowa Capitol. (WHO-HD)

Lee has continued to train with Brands at the University of Iowa in the lead-up to the Olympics, winning the U.S. Olympic Trials in April in the 57kg and having a dominant 4-0 performance at World Championship qualifiers in Turkey in May.

“I feel good, man. I’m ready. We know what it takes to be at that level. I have coaches that have been there and know what it takes to train and prepare the best,” Lee said as he prepared to leave Iowa for the Olympics.

Brands believes Lee is ready for the big stage that the Olympic Games offer.

“He’s where he needs to be for the next step and that’s the most important thing. When you have the opportunity to make things happen, you make things happen. Put yourself in the best position. He did that, and he did it on his own, he did it in a short period of time,” Brands said.

Lee’s mother and her family are from France and he is excited to wrestle for the first time in real life for his grandmother. His parents were both judokas and his mother Cathy was an Olympic reserve judoka for France.

Lee graduated from Iowa in 2021 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport and Recreation Management.