Hawkeye Wrestling Club’s Spencer Lee ready to compete for U.S. World Team men’s freestyle spot

Spencer Lee recalled a workout at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Lee, the three-time NCAA champion and two-time Hodge Trophy winner for University of Iowa, had wrestled with an accomplished high school athlete.

The pair shared a similar background in the sport. Both were elite competitors with skills beyond their grades, winning age-level world medals, and dominated their peers.

The young wrestler was Penn State’s Luke Lilledahl.

“I remember telling him, ‘You’re pretty tough. High school must be pretty boring for you’ and he kind of laughed like, yeah, high school (wrestling) is a little boring,” Lee said during a virtual news conference for USA Wrestling. “When you’re at that level and you’re still wrestling high school kids, you’re probably dominating them.”

Lee will face Lilledahl in a best-of-3 for the 57-kilogram men’s freestyle spot on the U.S. World Team at the Final X Series on Saturday in Newark, N.J. Wrestlers will vie for a chance to represent Team USA at the World Championships Sept. 13-21 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Lee earned a berth to Final X as a returning Olympic medalist, claiming silver at Paris last summer. He faced Lilledahl at the 2023 Bill Ferrell Memorial in Lee’s first international tournament after his college career. Lee defeated Lilledahl 11-0 in 1:26.

Lee has witnessed Lilledahl win a 2025 Big Ten Conference title and All-American honors as a true freshman for the Nittany Lions.

“As an athlete, he’s growing,” Lee said. “I think it’s a tribute to the success of USA Wrestling’s future. We have two high school kids (Jax Forrest and P.J. Duke) in this event and then he was a true freshman in college. It’s a tribute to the future of USA Wrestling. It’s very bright. I think it’s awesome.

“He’s a very tough opponent. He earned his spot in Final X for a reason.”

Lee won one Cadet and two Junior World titles. He dominated through his first real attempt at the senior level, winning multiple tournaments and making the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team. He fell to Japan’s Rei Higuchi.

Lee noted that he didn’t accomplish the mission at the Olympics and is focused on doing better for this next opportunity. He is preparing to compete at the highest level again. The plan is to stay healthy, strong and have fun by scoring points.

“It is difficult,” Lee said. “We all put our all into every single event and competition that we train for and that was the pinnacle of our sport. Unfortunately, I was unable to get it done. I felt like I was ready to go and I did everything right, so that wasn’t meant to be that day.

“All you can do is saddle back up and get ready for the next best thing. For me, right now, that’s Final X, making my first Senior World Team. The Olympic Team’s the only one I’ve made, so far. That’s the goal right now. Then, hopefully, winning a World title. The best you can do is one thing at a time.”

Lee has enjoyed a mutual respect with some wrestlers from Japan, including Olympic champion Takuto Otoguro, who recently retired. Lee said he thought Otoguro would prefer coaching over competing at this stage. The dilemma resonated with Lee because it can be tough to keep wrestling.

“You have to find why you do it,” Lee said. “Obviously, I still love the sport so I want to keep doing it. It made me realize I still love it. That’s the only reason why I’m still competing.”

Lee isn’t the only wrestler with Iowa ties in the mix. Former Hawkeye Real Woods will wrestle Joey McKenna at 65 kg.

Iowa State’s two-time NCAA champion David Carr will take on Penn State’s Mitchell Messenbrink at 74 kg. Carr beat Messenbrink in the 2024 NCAA finals. Messenbrink answered with a win in the U.S. Open finals in April. Carr qualified with a title at the World Team Trials in May, setting up Saturday’s rubber match.

The state is well represented in the women’s field. Former Hawkeye teammates Felicity Taylor, a former South Winneshiek prep, and Brianna Gonzalez will wrestle at 53 kg. They have split four meetings over the last two years.

Iowa’s Kayla Miracle, Macey Kilty (65 kg), Kennedy Blades (68 kg) and Kylie Welker (76 kg) will compete. Miracle will face former Iowa Wesleyan and William Penn NAIA champion Adaugo Nwachukwu for the 62-kilogram spot.

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