NCAA Wrestling: Dan Gable vs. Cael Sanderson
By Chris Snyder
Cael Sanderson Wrestling Career
College Career
College: Iowa State University (1998-2002)
Career Record: 159-0
NCAA Championships: 4 (1999-2002)
Awards
-3x Dan Hodge Trophy winner (2000-2002)
-4x Outstanding Wrestler NCAA Championships (1999-2002)
World Career
2000 University World Championships Gold Medal 85 kg
2003 Pan American Games Bronze Medal 84 kg
2003 World Cup Gold Medal – 84 kg
2003 World Championships Silver Medal – 84 kg
2004 Olympic Games Gold Medal (Athens) – 84 kg
Cael Sanderson attended Wasatch High School between 1994-1997 where he compiled an overall record of 127-3 and was a four-time Utah state champion. Oh, and he was coached by former BYU wrestler and full-time father, Steve Sanderson. Which probably didn’t hurt.
Like Gable, Cael took his wrestling talents to Iowa State University and enrolled in the fall of 1997. Sanderson ultimately redshirted his true freshman year (1997-1998).
During his redshirt freshman year, Sanderson put up a perfect 39-0 record and went on to win his first Big 12 title and his first NCAA title at 184. Cael’s run in the 1999 NCAA Championship was so spectacular he became the first freshman in NCAA history to win the Outstanding Wrestler award.
The rest of Sanderson’s collegiate wrestling career finished up exactly how it started. Undefeated.
In his four year run at ISU, Sanderson compiled an overall record of 159-0, 4 Big 12 titles, four NCAA titles, four Outstanding Wrestler awards, and was named the Dan Hodge trophy winner three times.
Only five other wrestlers have earned multiple Dan Hodge trophies and no one other than Cael Sanderson has won three. Cael currently holds the longest win-streak across all NCAA divisions and is considered the most accomplished collegiate wrestler in the history of the sport.
And just like Gable, Sanderson wanted to prove something on the world stage as well.
While still wrestling in Ames, Cael took home the gold medal at the 2000 University World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. Sanderson was also the US National Champion between 2001-2003.
Cael then snagged his first World Cup title at 84 kg in the 2003 World Cup in Boise. Several months later, in the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Sanderson finished in a disappointing 3rd place.
Quickly shaking off the sour taste of a 3rd place finish in the Pan American Games, Sanderson found himself in the 2003 World Championship finals against Russia’s Sazhid Sazhidov.
However, it wasn’t meant to be as Sazhidov took the razor-close finals match 4-3 and Cael had to settle for second place.
What was next up for Cael to prove his ability to the world? The 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.
This is where the stars aligned and everything went right for Cael Sanderson as he went 5-0 during the 2004 Summer Games and claimed his first ever gold medal in the Olympics. What a fitting end to a storied wrestling career. Winning a gold medal at the birthplace of the Olympics. The only thing left to do is sip margaritas on the beach for the rest of your life.
But no so fast my friend! Out of nowhere and while being the full-time coach at Penn State, Cael Sanderson came out of retirement in 2011. A full seven years removed from winning a gold medal in 2004.
Huh? Was this a mistake? Was there more to prove?
Well, according to Sanderson, I guess the answer was “yes.”
Sanderson went on to claim the 2011 Corneanu Memorial Title in Romania and then went on to win the US World Team Trials! What?? How was this even possible? It’s one thing to keep yourself fit seven years after retiring from a sport. But it’s an entirely different discussion to say you’re going to come out of a seven year retirement and then compete against the very best in the world.
But Cael Sanderson did it.
He followed up the Corneanu Memorial and US World Team Trials with a 5th place finish in the 2011 World Championships.
What an unbelievable wrestling career and an unbelievable last chapter.