The legend of Spencer Lee continues to grow.
The senior won his third consecutive individual NCAA wrestling national title in the 125-pound weight class and led Iowa to its first team NCAA wrestling national championship since 2010 on Saturday (March 20.) Lee defeated Arizona State's Brandon Courtney, 7-0, in the finals at 125 pounds, HawkCentral.com reports.
While that's impressive enough, the former Franklin Regional High School standout revealed he wrestled in the tournament with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
"Eight days ago, I tore my ACL in my other knee, so I'm wrestling with no ACLs," Lee told ESPN during a post-match interview. "Whatever, man. I didn't want to tell anybody, because excuses are for wusses.
"That was a tough tournament for me. I could barely wrestle. I could barely shoot. I can't sprawl … but there was no doubt. My teammates told me, 'No one can do this but you,' and I believed them."
Lee is the seventh three-time NCAA champion in the history of the Iowa wrestling program, which won its 24th team championship on Saturday.
The Hawkeyes scored a total of 129 points, which edged out Penn State (113.5) and Oklahoma State (99.5.)
During the NCAA Championships, Lee outscored his five opponents, 59-8, winning three times by major decision and once by technical fall prior to the final. The senior has now won 35 consecutive matches dating back to the 2019 NCAA Championships, when he outscored opponents 430-40.
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