5 Iowa storylines to watch in US Wrestling Open: Spencer Lee returns to freestyle, Ben Kueter jumps to senior level

The U.S. Wrestling Open started with Greco-Roman competition Wednesday, with the freestyle field starting Thursday. Here are five Iowa storylines to follow in Las Vegas.

Spencer Lee returns to freestyle competition

Spencer Lee is set to make his first post-collegiate appearance, receiving the No. 2 seed at 57 kilograms. The three-time NCAA champion and two-time Hodge Trophy winner is returning to action after his loss to Purdue’s Matt Ramos at the NCAA Championships in March, preventing him from becoming the Hawkeyes’ first four-time national champion.

Lee will wrestle freestyle for the first time since a dominant title run at the 2019 Senior National tournament in the midst of his college season. Freestyle was his first love of wrestling and his primary focus for most of his career, winning two Junior World titles and one as a Cadet.

In a recent interview with Barstool Sports, Lee said he was hoping he would be healthy to compete in the U.S. Open.

“Obviously, Olympics next year will be the main goal,” Lee told Barstool Sports. “That was always my goal. I didn’t really know college wrestling existed until I was a freshman in high school. All I knew was the Olympics.

“I’m going to try to make World and Olympic teams.”

Lee and Hawkeye teammate Jacob Warner signed five-year deals with the Hawkeye Wrestling Club recently, assuring Lee remains in Iowa City through the 2024 and 2028 Olympics.

“We’re excited to have two quality guys stay with the Hawkeyes,” HWC Board Advisor and Iowa Coach Tom Brands said in a news release. “We are looking forward to see what these guys can do at the senior level.”

The path for a shot on the 2023 U.S. World Team has some hurdles to clear. Current U.S. Team member Zane Richards is the top seed. Lee could meet a familiar foe in the semifinals in No. 3 Nick Suriano. Lee beat Suriano for his first NCAA title. Princeton’s NCAA champion Pat Glory is the No. 4 seed.

The tournament champion will advance to the Final X Series against former Iowa NCAA finalist Thomas Gilman in June. It would be interesting to see Lee win this week and set up the best-of-3 battle against the former HWC World silver medalist and current Nittany Lion Wrestling Club member.

Ben Kueter jumps to senior level

Iowa City High four-time state and U20 World titlist Ben Kueter has decided to compete at the senior level. He is the fifth seed at 97 kg.

Kueter concluded his prep career with a 111-0 record, becoming the Little Hawks’ second four-time champion and Junior World Champion. An All-America football player, Kueter has announced his intention to be a multisport athlete at the University of Iowa, playing football and wrestling heavyweight.

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“I'm excited to see Ben wrestle at the U.S. Open in the senior level,” City High Coach Cory Connell said. “He has been training hard and can compete with anyone. He wants to challenge himself and there is no better place.”

Kueter, 18, could still compete in younger divisions but will test himself against some of the nation’s best, including top-seeded and Olympic medalist J’Den Cox and former Nebraska wrestler and No. 2 seed Timothy Dudley.

If things go well, the expectations as a dual-sport standout will climb even higher. If they don’t, no harm as he can turn his attention to preparation for football and likely taking a wrestling season to grow into his heavyweight form.

Iowa women fill the field

Iowa will be well represented in the women’s freestyle field that starts Friday. Former South Winneshiek prep Felicity Taylor leads the way as the No. 2 seed at 53 kg. Taylor competed with Team USA at the United World Wrestling World Cup in December at Xtream Arena in Coralville. She is also a former U.S. Open champion and is sandwiched between top-seeded Amy Fernside and No. 3 Katie Gomez.

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Kylie Welker is a former U.S. World Team member and is the No. 5 seed in a stacked 76 kg field. Multiple-time world champion and a Team USA all-time great, Adeline Gray is the top seed, Kennedy Blades is the No. 2 seed and Yelena Makoyed, who is a three-time NCWWC champion and won gold in international competition, is seeded third. Dymond Guilford, who also competed in the 2022 World Cup, is the No. 4 seed. It’s a bracket packed with talent.

Iowa will also send fifth-seeded Reese Larramendy (65 kg) and Bella Mir at 68 kg, sixth-seeded Nya Valencia and unseeded Ava Bayless at 50 kg and former Bettendorf prep and No. 8 seed Ella Schmitt (65 kg).

Even though the 2023-24 season will be the Hawkeyes’ first official season, they dominated in open tournaments last season as they trained at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The U.S. Open will be a good test for what is expected to be a dominant crew for the upcoming year.

Other Hawkeyes in the field

Iowa’s men’s wrestling team and the Hawkeye Wrestling Club will have many competitors in the tournament. Among the former Hawkeyes and HWC members in the field are Austin DeSanto (61 kg), Pat Lugo (65 kg), Jaydin Eierman (70 kg) and Alex Marinelli at 79 kg.

Marinelli will be in the same bracket as Nelson Brands and former Hawkeye Michael Kemerer. Marinelli is the No. 4 seed, former Northern Iowa wrestler Taylor Lujan is No. 6 and Kemerer seventh. Brands is the No. 10 seed.

Former City High state champion Gabe Arnold (79 kg) and former Lisbon two-time state champion Cade Siebrecht and Cody Chittum at 70 kg are among Hawkeyes in the Junior division.

Coe wrestlers compete

Coe is sending a contingent of wrestlers to the U.S. Open. Seven Kohawks will compete, including four local preps.

Former West Delaware prep Jared Voss, Benton Community state champion Jaiden Moore, former Iowa City West state medalist Kael Scranton and Gabe McGeough, formerly of MFL MarMac, will wrestle this week.

One Kohawk who didn’t make it to Vegas was heavyweight Kaleb Reeves. The No. 8 seed in Wednesday’s Greco-Roman 130 kg field experienced bad weather and canceled flights in Denver. He was unable to make it to Las Vegas in time.

The good news? Reeves has already qualified for the World Team Trials set for May in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com