IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa Wrestling team opened the 2019-20 season Sunday with a 39-0 shutout of Tennessee-Chattanooga at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The Hawkeyes swept 10 bouts, scoring bonus points in five matches and punctuating the dual with a first-period fall at heavyweight.
Redshirt freshman Tony Cassioppi put the final touches on the shutout, registering a fall in one minute, 45 seconds in his college debut. The Hawkeye heavyweight was one of four new looks Iowa put on the mat Sunday. Redshirt freshman Nelson Brands was an 8-4 winner in his Hawkeye debut at 184, and Hawkeye All-Americans Austin DeSanto and Michael Kemerer were both winners at new weight classes.
“It was something else,” Brands said of his Carver debut. “I never expected the fans to be so loud. I didn’t hear it till the end, it’s a tunnel vision type idea so I’m not trying to listen, but you can hear them and feel the vibrations. It was a surreal moment.”
DeSanto, a 2019 All-American at 133 in 2019, scored 16 first-period points and went on to a 23-4 technical fall at 141 pounds. He needed just three minutes, 46 seconds to terminate the match.
Kemerer, a two-time All-American at 157, returned from a one-year absence and rolled to a 20-0 technical fall at 174. He led 8-0 after one, 14-0 after two, and went feet-to-back for a six-point move to open the third.
“I wanted to get the fall bad. Credit to my opponent fighting off his back. It would have been nice to go out with the pin,” Kemerer said.
Juniors Spencer Lee and Kaleb Young added bonus point wins for Iowa. Lee used a 12-2 first period to roll to a 16-5 major decision at 125, and Young scored three takedowns in the final minute to win 16-6 at 157.
Nelson Brands and Tony Cassioppi made their collegiate debuts.
Michael Kemerer wrestled for the first time since March 17, 2018. He wrestled for the first time in his career at 174 after posting a 60-6 record at 157 from 2016-18.
Iowa held a 32-6 edge in takedowns.
The Hawkeyes travel to Ames, Iowa to wrestle Iowa State on Nov. 24 in the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series. Action begins at 2 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum.
CHATTANOOGA 0, #2 IOWA 39
125 — #1 Spencer Lee (IA) major dec. Fabian Gutierrez (C), 16-5; 4-0
133 — Paul Glynn (IA) dec. Wade Cummings (C), 11-7; 7-0
141 — Austin DeSanto (IA) tech. fall Aidan Murphy (C), 23-4; 12-0
149 — #5 Pat Lugo (IA) dec. Tanner Smith (C), 9-4; 15-0
157 — #2 Kaleb Young (IA) major dec. George Carpenter (C), 16-6; 19-0
165 — #2 Alex Marinelli (IA) dec. Drew Nicholson (C), 9-4; 22-0
174 — #4 Michael Kemerer (IA) tech. fall Hunter Fortner (C), 20-0; 27-0
184 — Nelson Brands (IA) dec. Matthew Waddell (C), 8-4; 30-0
197 — #4 Jacob Warner (IA) dec. Rodney Jones (C), 5-4; 33-0
285 — #12 Tony Cassioppi (IA) pinned Grayson Walthall (C), 1:45; 39-0
Records: Iowa (1-0), Chattanooga (1-3)
Attendance: 10,466
