Spencer Lee receives Iowa's Mike Howard Most Valuable Wrestler award

Spencer Lee in the 2019 NCAA finals. Photo by Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com.

CORALVILLE, Iowa -- University of Iowa national champion Spencer Lee was named the Mike Howard Most Valuable Wrestler at the Hawkeyes’ annual awards banquet Friday night at the Radisson Hotel and Convention Center in Coralville, Iowa.   

Lee won the 125-pound title at the 2019 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Pittsburgh on March 23. He outscored his opponents 55-7 to win the national tournament for the second straight year. His national title is the 84th NCAA individual title in program history. The sophomore finished the season 23-3 overall. He scored bonus points in 18 of his 23 wins. 

Lee was one of six Hawkeyes to earn an All-America honors. Sophomore Alex Marinelli was an All-American for the second time in as many years, and junior Pat Lugo, sophomore Austin DeSanto, sophomore Kaleb Young, and redshirt freshman Jacob Warner were first-time All-Americans. 

Marinelli won the award for most pins in a season. He recorded a fall in nine of his team-high 27 wins.

Perez Perez was the recipient of the J. Donald Pike Award, presented to the senior with the highest grade point average. Paul Glynn shared the Coaches Appreciation Award with Perez, and the Most Improved Award with DeSanto. 

Young and senior Mitch Bowman shared the John and Dorothy Sill Award for most dedicated wrestler. Keegan Shaw and Sam Stoll shared the Mike J. McGivern Award for most courageous wrestler. 

The Hawkeyes finished the season with one NCAA champion, six All-Americans, and a school-record 13 academic All-Big Ten honorees. 
2019 University of Iowa Wrestling Team Awards
Mike Howard Award (Most Valuable): Spencer Lee
J. Donald McPike Award (Highest Senior GPA): Perez Perez
Mike J. McGivern Award (Most Courageous): Sam Stoll, Keegan Shaw
John and Dorothy Sill Award (Most Dedicated): Kaleb Young, Mitch Bowman 
All-American Awards: Spencer Lee, Austin DeSanto, Pat Lugo, Alex Marinelli, Jacob Warner, Kaleb Young
Most Pins Award: Alex Marinelli
Most Improved Award: Paul Glynn, Austin DeSanto
Coaches Appreciation Award: Perez Perez, Paul Glynn