Cael Sanderson
| Cael Sanderson | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 20, 1979 Salt Lake City, Utah |
| High school | Wasatch High |
| State championships | 4 (Utah) |
| College | Iowa State University |
| NCAA championships | 4 |
| Olympic team | United States of America |
| Olympic medal | Gold |
| Status | Coach of Penn State University |
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's freestyle wrestling | ||
| Gold | Athens 2004 | 84 kg |
| World Championships | ||
| Silver | 2003 New York | 84 kg |
| Pan American Games | ||
| Bronze | 2003 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | 84 kg |
Cael Norman Sanderson (pronounced /ˈkeɪl/, kale; born June 20, 1979, in Salt Lake City, Utah) is considered one of the greatest American amateur wrestlers of all time. A 2004 Olympic champion in Athens, Greece, he went undefeated in four years of college wrestling at Iowa State University (159–0), winning four consecutive NCAA titles (1999–2002). He is the only wrestler in NCAA Division I history to go undefeated in official matches with more than 100 wins. Sports Illustrated named his college career as the second most impressive college sports feat behind the setting of four world records by Jesse Owens in a single hour at the 1935 Big Ten track and field conference championship meet.[1]
He is the current head wrestling coach at Penn State University.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Career
[edit] High school
Cael was the third of four Sanderson brothers to win high school state wrestling titles in Utah while wrestling for Wasatch High School in Heber City, Utah. Sanderson had a 127–3[3] record with four state titles. He was coached by his father Steve. He was also an All-region selection in football.[3]
[edit] College
After graduation from Wasatch High in 1997, Sanderson matriculated to Iowa State University. He redshirted the 1997–98 season, losing only one match to Iowa's Paul Jenn in the finals of the University of Northern Iowa Open in November 1997 by a score of 6-4. He then wrestled Jenn again twice the next year beating him 19-4 and 10-2 and one more time the following year winning 22-7 when Jenn was disqualified. In his second year wrestling as now a redshirt freshman, Sanderson won all 39 matches and the NCAA title at 184 pounds (83 kg). He became the first freshman in NCAA tournament history to be named the NCAA Wrestling Team Championship's most outstanding wrestler.
Sanderson continued to have unblemished success in the 1999–00 season. He completed the season 40–0 with another NCAA title. He also won the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation's most outstanding college wrestler. He was the first underclassman to win the Hodge Trophy. In the off season, he won the World University title in Tokyo, Japan.
As a junior, Sanderson went 40–0, raising his record to 119–0. He broke Iowa State University alumnus Dan Gable's record of 98 consecutive wins. He was also named outstanding wrestler in the NCAA tournament and was the first two-time winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy.[4]
Sanderson's 2001–02 campaign was a coronation of sorts. He again went undefeated at 40–0. He became the second wrestler to win the NCAA Division I title four times, the first being Pat Smith. He also won his third Dan Hodge Trophy as outstanding wrestler.[5] Sanderson set an NCAA record with 159 straight wins. His success brought attention even from non-wrestling fans. Sanderson was the first wrestler since 1988's "Wheaties Search for Champions" winner, Sammy Chagolla, to be featured on Wheaties cereal boxes for his achievement. His final college accomplishments were a record of 159–0, 4 NCAA titles, 3 Dan Hodge Trophy awards, 4-time NCAA Outstanding Wrestler, and 4-time Big 12 Conference Champion.[1]
[edit] Freestyle Wrestling
Sanderson wasn’t quite as successful in freestyle wrestling as he was in collegiate folkstyle wrestling. In 2000, he went 17-6 and didn’t make the U.S. Olympic team while being defeated by Justin Abdou (Canada), Les Gutches (Sunkist Kids), Lee Fullhart (Hawkeye WC), Ray Brinzer (Dave Schultz WC), Mike VanArsdale (U.S. Army), and Alexei Kaziev (Russia).[6]
When he concentrated on freestyle wrestling after his collegiate career was over, he had to work his way up to the Olympic Games. In 2003, Sanderson was defeated by Yoel Romero (Cuba) at the Titan Games, Vadym Tokaev (Russia) at the Kiev Grand Prix, Khadsimurad Gatsalov (Russia) at the World Cup, Yoel Romero (Cuba) at the Pan-Am Games, and Sajid Sajidov (Russia) at the World Championships.
In 2004, Sanderson was also downed by Sajid Sajidov (Russia) at the Ivan Yarygin Memorial International and Lee Fullhart (Gator WC) at the U.S. Nationals. However, he was able to secure the Olympic team berth and proceeded to the Athens games.
Sanderson competed at the 2011 World Championships in Instanbul, Turkey. He lost to Sharif Sharifov of Azerbaijan 3-1, 4-1 and Albert Saritov of Russia 1-0, 3-0 and did not earn a medal.
[edit] 2004 Olympics
After graduation, Sanderson worked with the Iowa State wrestling team while training for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. Sanderson won gold at the 84 kg (184.8 lb.) weight class, defeating Eui Jae Moon of South Korea in the finals.[7][8]
He was also the 2003 World Championship silver medalist, and a three-time national freestyle champion (2001–03).[9]
Iowa State's coach Bobby Douglas supervised Cael's training for the 2004 Olympics.
[edit] Coaching career
On March 29, 2006, it was announced that Bobby Douglas would step down as Iowa State coach and that Sanderson would replace him. In three seasons as the head coach for ISU, Sanderson led the team to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships and three Big 12 Conference team titles.[10]
In 2009 Sanderson accepted the post of wrestling head coach at Penn State University, starting with the 2009-10 season. In only his second year, he coached the Nittany Lions to the 2010-2011 Big Ten Championship and the NCAA Championship. However, of the Nittany Lions’ five All-American wrestlers, none were recruited by coach Cael Sanderson to attend Penn State. Frank Molinaro and Quentin Wright were All-Americans as freshmen [11] and Ed Ruth was also signed by former coach Troy Sunderland. David Taylor and Andrew Long were recruited by Sanderson to attend Iowa State when he was coaching there. [12]
[edit] Personal life
Sanderson's three brothers also wrestled at Iowa State. Cody, Cole, and Cael all graduated from ISU, while the youngest brother, Cyler, is currently a 157 pounds (71 kg) wrestler.[10][13] Cyler transferred to Penn State to continue wrestling with his brother Cael and in 2010 won the Big Ten championship at 157 lbs.[14][15]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Anderson, Kelli (2002-04-01). "The Top 10: SI picks the most impressive college sports feats ever". Sports Illustrated. http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1025405/. Retrieved 2009-02-05.
- ^ "Penn State Names National Wrestling Legend Cael Sanderson Head Coach of Nittany Lion Program". April 17, 2009. http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-wrestl/spec-rel/041709aaa.html. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
- ^ a b "Media - Cael Sanderson.com". http://www.caelsanderson.com/media/. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
- ^ Bamberger, Michael (February 5, 2001). "107-23 And Counting". Sports Illustrated. http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1021669/. Retrieved 2009-02-13.
- ^ Bechtel, Mark (April 1, 2002). "Perfect!". Sports Illustrated. http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1025404/. Retrieved 2009-02-13.
- ^ "Career Results". http://www.caelsanderson.com/results/1999-2000-results.
- ^ "Phenom Sanderson captures wrestling gold". Associated Press. August 30, 2004. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/5846629/. Retrieved 2009-02-13.
- ^ Farber, Michael (September 6, 2004). "Another Streak Begins". Sports Illustrated. http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1105904/. Retrieved 2009-02-13.
- ^ Anderson, Kelli (February 24, 2003). "Can't Win 'em All". Sports Illustrated. http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1028108/. Retrieved 2009-02-13.
- ^ a b "Cael Sanderson - Head Coach Biography". Iowa State University Athletics. http://www.cyclones.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10700&ATCLID=508240&Q_SEASON=2008. Retrieved 2009-02-13.
- ^ "Final Notes from the 2009 NCAA Wrestling Championships as Penn State is Top 20 Once More". March 22, 2009. http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-wrestl/recaps/032209aaa.html.
- ^ "D1CW'S 2009 Team Recruiting Rankings". http://d1collegewrestling.net/Recruiting_Rankings2009.html.
- ^ "Covering The Quiet American". CNN. February 24, 2003. http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1028080/. Retrieved 2009-02-13.
- ^ "Penn State Finalizes 2009-10 Wrestling Recruiting Class as Intermat Ranks Group No. 6 Nationally". 7 July 2009. http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-wrestl/spec-rel/070709aaa.html. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
- ^ http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-wrestl/recaps/030710aaa.html
[edit] External links
- 1979 births
- Living people
- American sport wrestlers
- American wrestling coaches
- Iowa State Cyclones wrestlers
- Olympic gold medalists for the United States
- Olympic medalists in wrestling
- Olympic wrestlers of the United States
- Penn State Nittany Lions and Lady Lions coaches
- Wrestlers at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- College wrestling coaches in the United States
- People from Heber City, Utah
- People from Salt Lake City, Utah
- American Latter Day Saints
