Mekhi Lewis of the Virginia Tech Hokies celebrates after his upset victory over number one seed Alex Marinelli of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the quarterfinals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships on March 22, 2019 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Lewis went on to defeat Vincenzo Joseph of the Penn State Nittany Lions in the 165 lbs weight class championship match.
The NCAA quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championship at PPG Paints Arena on March 23, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Alex Pantaleo of Michigan waits for his 157 lbs match in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championship held at PPG Paints Arena on March 22, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Wrestling fans listen to the National Anthem during the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships on March 22, 2019 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Jack Mueller of the Virginia Cavaliers reacts after defeating Sebastian Rivera of Northwestern in the 125 lb weight class quarterfinals during the NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championship held at PPG Paints Arena on March 22, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Mueller was defeated in the championship round by Spencer Lee of Iowa in a 5-0 decision.
Bo Nickal of the Penn State Nittany Lions wrestles Patrick Brucki of the Princeton Tigers in the semifinals of the NCAA Division 1 Wrestling Championships on March 22, 2019 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Gable Steveson of Minnesota walks off the mat as Anthony Cassar of Penn State defeated him in the 285 lbs weight class semifinals match during the NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championship held at PPG Paints Arena on March 22, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Bo Nickal of the Penn State Nittany Lions stands with fellow All-Americans prior to the start of the championship matches during the NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championship held at PPG Paints Arena on March 23, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Nick Suriano of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights celebrates after defeating Daton Fix of the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the 133 lbs weight class championship match during the NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championship held at PPG Paints Arena on March 23, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Read more about the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Wrestling Championships in ESPN.
Justin Merriman is a freelance photojournalist, commercial photographer, licensed drone pilot, and filmmaker based in Pittsburgh. His career began in Southwestern Pennsylvania, where he worked as a newspaper photographer dedicated to community storytelling and politics. Since then, his work has been recognized with regional, national, and international awards and has appeared in publications around the world.
After covering the crash of United Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 2001, Merriman committed to documenting the U.S. military’s War on Terror, reporting from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and across the United States. His international assignments have also included life in Fidel Castro’s Cuba, India’s campaign to eradicate polio, the aftermath of Haiti’s 2010 earthquake, Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Cuba in 2012, the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis in Rome, the second anniversary of Egypt’s revolution, Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea, and the uncertain future of Guantanamo Bay in 2015. That same year, he traveled the full U.S.–Mexico border to document immigration issues.
In addition to photography, Merriman works as a director and filmmaker, creating recent films on refugees in Turkey, Jordan, India, and South Africa.
Closer to home, he frequently covers stories across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, focusing on the intersections of economic, environmental, and political life. Most recently, he reported on the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and its impact on the community.
Born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Merriman graduated from the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg with a B.A. in English Writing. In 2009, the university awarded him its prestigious Alumnus of Distinction award. He is a founding member of Argo Collective, a group of photographers sharing diverse visions of America. He lives outside Pittsburgh with his wife, Stephanie Strasburg, a photojournalist with PublicSource.
