University of Iowa senior Alex Marinelli won a 2-1 decision in the finals of the 2022 Big Ten Championships to win the 165-pound conference title and become the eighth four-time Big Ten champion in program history.

Marinelli, seeded No. 2 at 165, scored on an escape and earned a point for stalling against fourth-seeded Cameron Amine. He gave up an escape in the third to clinch his fourth title.

Marinelli is Iowa’s first four-time champion since Mark Ironside won his fourth conference title in 1998. Joe Scarpello, Iowa’s first four-time conference champion, won his first title 75 years ago in 1947. Marinelli is only the 17th four-time champion in the history of the Big Ten Conference tournament.

“I don’t know if I wrestled my best today and sometimes your worst should always beat their best,” Marinelli said. “It has been 24 years since we had a Big Ten champion at Iowa. I am really thankful and blessed. I got to wrestle in a lot of Big Ten Championships, and I got it done. Everyone remembers the national champ, right? So we have more to do.” 

The Hawkeyes were 1-3 in championship finals. Austin DeSanto lost a 3-1 decision at 133 pounds and Jaydin Eierman (141) and Tony Cassioppi (285) both turned in medical forfeits.

DeSanto finished runner-up at the Big Ten Championships for the second straight year, dropping a 3-1 decision to Penn State’s Roman Bravo-Young in the 133-pound finals. The wrestlers traded escapes to start the second and third periods. Bravo-Young scored the deciding points when DeSanto was put in the neutral danger position with 20 seconds left in the third. The takedown survived review and the final score held, 3-1.

On the back side of the bracket, Max Murin finished his tournament with a 4-1 mark, including a win by medical forfeit in the 149-pound consolation finals. Murin’s third-place finish is his highest in four tournament appearances.

Two Hawkeyes dropped third-place bouts to place fourth. Kaleb Young dropped a 3-1 decision in sudden victory at 157 pounds and Jacob Warner fell, 3-1, at 197.

Iowa placed third with 129.5 points. Michigan won the team title with 143.0 points. Penn State placed second with 141.5.

ON TO THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ten Hawkeyes earned automatic berths to the NCAA Championships in Detroit on March 17-19. It marks the first time since 2010 Iowa earned 10 automatic berths to the national tournament. The Big Ten Conference tournament is one of seven NCAA qualifying tournaments across the country. The NCAA will announce the NCAA at-large qualifiers Tuesday. NCAA tournament brackets will be released Wednesday.

FINALS RESULTS

133 – #1 Roman Bravo-Young (PSU) dec. #2 Austin DeSanto (IA), 3-1
141 – #1 Nick Lee (PSU) mff. #2 Jaydin Eierman (IA)
165 – #2 Alex Marinelli (IA) dec. #4 Cameron Amine (MICH), 2-1
285 – #1 Gable Steveson (MINN) mff. #2 Tony Cassioppi (IA)

THIRD-PLACE RESULTS
149 – #4 Max Murin (IA) mff. #3 Ridge Lovett (NEB)
157 – #10 Brady Berge (PSU) dec. #2 Kaleb Young (IA), 3-1 SV1
197 – #5 Pat Brucki (MICH) dec. #4 Jacob Warner (IA), 3-1

TEAM STANDINGS

1.           Michigan            143.0
2.           Penn State         141.5
2.           IOWA                  129.5
4.           Ohio State          91.5
5.           Northwestern   90.5
6.           Minnesota         78.5
7.           Nebraska            75.5
8.           Wisconsin          68.0
9.           Rutgers               41.0
10.         Purdue                36.5
11.         Illinois                 34.5
12.         Michigan State  33.0
13.         Maryland           15.5
14.         Indiana               4.0