When Michael Kemerer learned he wouldn’t get a chance to become an NCAA champion, like every Division I wrestler who qualified for the event, there was disappointment.

The Iowa redshirt senior had unfinished business and was looking for an individual title for himself and a team title for the Hawkeyes before the NCAA canceled all winter and spring sports because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Because he used his redshirt his freshman season, Kemerer didn’t know if his collegiate career had ended.

So he appealed to the NCAA for a hardship and asked for another year since an injury prevented him from competing in 2018-19. He got good news last week when the NCAA granted him one more season.

“I was so happy,” Kemerer said. “I get another shot at being a national champion.”

Kemerer was having his best season at Iowa. He ranked No. 1 at 174 pounds after defeating Mark Hall, which was deciding match as No. 1 Iowa edged No. 2 Penn State in mid-February.

“I’m thankful and already ready to compete again,” said the 2015 Franklin Regional graduate in a statement.

Kemerer was ranked No. 2 behind Hall, who reversed the earlier loss with a win in the Big Ten finals. He is a three-time NCAA All-American, placing third in 2017 and fourth in ‘18 at 157, going a combined 60-6.

SpencerLEE won the Hodge?SpencerLEE won the Hodge!!!! pic.twitter.com/xCur4vmkET

— Tom Brands (@TomBrandsHAWK) March 30, 2020

After sitting out the 2018-19 season, Kemerer decided to jump up two weight classes to 174. He went 15-1.

Because of the cancellation of the NCAA championships, the National Wrestling Coaches Association awarded All-American recognition to wrestlers based on their 2020 NCAA seeds. Kemerer earned first-team honors.

Kemerer graduated with a degree in finance in 2019 and is in the Masters program at Iowa.

Sitting out last season gave Kemerer a chance to heal and grow as a wrestler and person. Instead of worrying about cutting weight, he was able to focus more on wrestling. The improvement showed immediately on the mat as Kemerer was dominating.

“The win against Hall and Penn State is my most memorable college moment,” Kemerer said. “It was a great atmosphere: packed arena and one vs. two. The win was the turning point. I felt good at the new weight.”

And like everyone in the country, Kemerer said covid-19 has disrupted his life. He takes classes online in his apartment with other wrestlers.

He runs, rides a stationary bike and lifts weights at the apartment.

The only time the team interacts is through Zoom.

“That’s how coach meets with the team,” Kemerer said. “He checks up on us and makes sure we stay on course with our studies and conditioning.

“The restrictions aren’t has bad in Iowa, but if we do get together it’s in small groups.”

One thing he and his teammates did was produce a video to honor Spencer Lee (Franklin Regional 2017) for winning the Hodge Award, given annually to the most dominant wrestler in college. Kemerer said the video was a hit on Twitter.

“It was a little corny,” Kemerer said, “but we had fun.”

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