Iowa senior Alex Marinelli won’t rely on a secret recipe this weekend with a fourth Big Ten conference 165-pound title within reach.

“It’s just going out and dominating,” said Marinelli, who is riding a nine-match winning streak over the last three conference tournaments.

Marinelli is one of five Hawkeyes to receive a #2 pre-seed to the Big Ten Championships that will be contested Saturday and Sunday in Lincoln, Nebraska. Iowa has won the last two team titles — by 25.5 points over Nebraska in 2020 in Piscataway, New Jersey, and by 35.5 points over Penn State last season in University Park, Pennsylvania. While Iowa chases its third consecutive trophy, Marinelli could win his fourth individual crown. That has been done by 16 people, most recently Isaiah Martinez of Illinois from 2015-18.

“I have gone to a lot of big tournaments, I have a lot of experience, but also knowing it is my last time, it is a little more special,” Marinelli said. “I’m not getting wrapped up in that. I’m going out there and taking care of business.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the 2020 NCAA Championships, Marinelli cashed in on the “COVID rule” and received an extra season of eligibility. He placed sixth at the Big Ten Championships in 2018, winning two of five matches. Since then, he has been perfect, going 3-0 in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

“Guys game for the Big Tens, they game for the nationals, they take it a lot more serious or they get up a lot more for these matches than they did for the dual,” Marinelli said. “It has prepared me to be on my game right out of the gate. Whether you get a bye first round or you have a first-round match, you have to treat every match as if it is the finals.”

A three-time All-American, Marinelli has posted bonus points in 42 of his 91 victories. He said bonus points will be crucial in deciding this team race as well. Ironically, in 14 matches, Marinelli’s only bonus-point wins at the Big Ten Championships came in back-to-back bouts in 2020 when he won a 14-2 major decision over Danny Braunagel of Illinois and by fall over Shayne Oster of Northwestern.

“If there is a pin there to get, I’m going to get it, but also staying smart,” Marinelli said.

Marinelli takes an 18-1 record into the weekend. He has won four in a row since losing to Ohio State’s Carson Kharchla, 3-2, on Jan. 21 in the dual in Columbus, Ohio. If pre-seeds hold, Marinelli could meet Dean Hamiti of Wisconsin in the semifinals. Marinelli handed Hamiti his only loss of the season, 8-5, on Feb. 5. 

“The Big Ten is the best conference in wrestling right now and it is a great thing,” Marinelli said.

Since the regular season ended for Iowa on Feb. 20, Marinelli has focused on fine-tuning individual workouts. Don’t expect the Miamisburg, Ohio, native — affectionally known as “The Bull” to Hawkeye fans — to sit around waiting for the action to come his way.

“I’m dangerous when I’m moving my hands and feet,” he said. “When I am staying stagnant and not attacking as much, that’s where guys can slow me down.”  

Whatever happens this weekend is not the ultimate medal around a wrestler’s neck and Marinelli knows that all too well. The year after winning the 2019 Big Ten title, he placed seventh at the NCAA Championships. Last year he did not place after bowing out with an injury following a 3-1 loss in sudden victory to eventual champion Shane Griffin of Stanford.

“I want to be a four-time Big Ten champ, but I haven’t gotten what I ultimately want which is a national title,” Marinelli said. “I’m not downplaying that, but also knowing that everyone remembers the national champ. Not a lot of people can name every Big Ten champ there was if they don’t perform that well at nationals.”