Cael Sanderson
Cael Sanderson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Weight | 184 lb (83 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Salt Lake City, Utah | June 20, 1979||||||||||||||||||||||||||
High school | Heber City (UT) Wasatch | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
State championships | 4 (Utah) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
College | Iowa State University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NCAA championships | 12 (4 competing, 8 coaching) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Olympic team | United States of America | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Olympic medal | Gold | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Status | Head Coach for Penn State Nittany Lions Wrestling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Cael Norman Sanderson (/ˈkeɪl/ KAYL; born June 20, 1979) is an American former folkstyle and freestyle wrestler, and is the current head coach of the Pennsylvania State University wrestling team. As a wrestler, he won an Olympic gold medal and four NCAA Division I individual titles. In 2002, Sports Illustrated recognized his college career as the second most impressive feat in college sports history.[1]
Early life
Sanderson was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is the third of four brothers.[2]
Wrestling career
College
After graduating from Wasatch High in 1997, Sanderson competed at Iowa State (ISU). He redshirted the 1997–98 season. As 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 was also undefeated in the 1999–00 season, going 40–0 and winning 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 the prior record, held by Iowa State alumnus Dan Gable, 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.[3]
Sanderson's 2001–02 campaign was a coronation of sorts. He again went undefeated at 40–0. He became the second wrestler to win an NCAA Division I individual title four times, the first being Pat Smith. He also won his third Dan Hodge Trophy as outstanding wrestler.[4] 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]
International
Sanderson won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece[5] as well as a silver medal at the 2003 World Wrestling Championships.[6] Sanderson also would have represented the United States in world competition in 2002. However, citing security concerns, the American freestyle team chose to not compete that year.[7]
In 2011, Sanderson came out of retirement and placed fifth in the world.[8] By 2011, however, he was the head coach of the wrestling team at Pennsylvania State University, and could only train when his coaching responsibilities were taken care of.[9]
Match results
Coaching career
Iowa State
Sanderson began his coaching career with the season ending in 2004 as a special assistant for the wrestling team at Iowa State University. After short stints in associate head coaching positions, he became the head coach for the season ending in 2007. In three seasons, Sanderson led the Iowa State University wrestling team to NCAA Division I national placements of second, fifth, and third.[10] He also coached his wrestlers to two individual NCAA Division I national titles.
Penn State
Before the season ending in 2010, Sanderson became the head coach of the wrestling team at Pennsylvania State University. As of 2019, Sanderson has won eight NCAA Division I team titles.[11] During that time, he also coached his wrestlers to 23 individual NCAA Division I national titles.
Coaching results
Awards and honors
- 2011
- Ion Corneanu Memorial
- 2004
- Summer Olympics
- Manitoba Open
- John Smith Award as the Freestyle Wrestler of the Year[12]
- 2003
- World Wrestling Championships
- Pan American Games
- Manitoba Open
- John Smith Award as the Freestyle Wrestler of the Year[6]
- 2002
- Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award
- Dan Hodge Trophy winner
- NCAA Division I Championships Outstanding Wrestler
- NCAA Division I
- Big 12 Conference
- 2001
- Dan Hodge Trophy winner
- NCAA Division I Championships Outstanding Wrestler
- NCAA Division I
- Big 12 Conference
- 2000
- Dan Hodge Trophy winner
- NCAA Division I Championships Outstanding Wrestler
- NCAA Division I
- Big 12 Conference
- 1999
- NCAA Division I Championships Outstanding Wrestler
- NCAA Division I
- Big 12 Conference
Other honors
- Iowa Sports Hall of Fame inductee[13]
- Wheaties cereal box appearance
See also
References
- ^ a b Anderson, Kelli (2002-04-01). "The Top 10: SI picks the most impressive college sports feats ever". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2009-02-05.
- ^ "About Cael Sanderson". caelsanderson.com. Archived from the original on March 31, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
- ^ Bamberger, Michael (February 5, 2001). "107–23 And Counting". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2009-02-13.
- ^ Bechtel, Mark (April 1, 2002). "Perfect!". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2009-02-13.
- ^ "Phenom Sanderson captures wrestling gold". Associated Press. August 30, 2004. Retrieved 2009-02-13.
- ^ a b Abbott, Gary. "Cael Sanderson named 2003 John Smith Award winner, as the Freestyle Wrestler of the Year by USA Wres | TheMat.com - USA Wrestling". Content.themat.com. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
- ^ "USA Wrestling decides not to attend World Freestyle Championships". Usawct.org. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
- ^ "Sanderson Takes Fifth at World Championship and Varner Wins Bronze :: Penn State :: Official Athletic Site". Gopsusports.com. 2011-09-17. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
- ^ "Unretired Cael Sanderson wins freestyle title at trials". Deseret News. 2011-06-11. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
- ^ 1 second ago. "Cael Sanderson Bio :: Penn State :: Official Athletic Site". Gopsusports.com. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ 1 second ago (2018-03-20). "WR: Two Lions Up for the Hodge! :: Penn State :: Official Athletic Site". Gopsusports.com. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Abbott, Gary (2005-04-28). "Cael Sanderson named 2004 John Smith Award winner, as the Freestyle Wrestler of the Year by USA Wres | TheMat.com - USA Wrestling". Content.themat.com. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
- ^ Hamilton, Andy (21 July 2012). "Cael Sanderson elected to Des Moines Sunday Register's Iowa Sports Hall of Fame". Des Moines Register. Archived from the original on 21 January 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
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External links
- {{UWW}} template missing ID.
- Cael Sanderson Official Site (caelsanderson.com)
- Cael Sanderson Penn State Bio (gopsusports.com)
- Cael Sanderson Wrestling Technique (thewrestlingtalk.com) at the Wayback Machine (archived 2011-02-20)
- 1979 births
- Living people
- American male sport wrestlers
- American wrestling coaches
- Iowa State Cyclones wrestling coaches
- Iowa State Cyclones wrestlers
- Olympic gold medalists for the United States in wrestling
- Olympic wrestlers of the United States
- Penn State Nittany Lions wrestling coaches
- Wrestlers at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- People from Heber City, Utah
- Sportspeople from Salt Lake City
- American Latter Day Saints
- Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- World Wrestling Championships medalists
- Pan American Games bronze medalists for the United States
- Pan American Games medalists in wrestling
- Wrestlers at the 2003 Pan American Games