• Source: Cael Sanderson

Cael Norman Sanderson ( KAYL; born June 20, 1979) is an American former folkstyle and freestyle wrestler who is the current head coach of Penn State's wrestling team. As a wrestler, he won an Olympic gold medal and was undefeated in four years of college wrestling at Iowa State (159–0), becoming a four-time NCAA Division I champion (1999–2002).
Sanderson 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 of all-time, 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.




Early life


Sanderson was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Steve and Debbie Sanderson, Cael attended Wasatch High School in Heber City, Utah, where he was coached by his father, a former wrestler at Brigham Young University. As a high school wrestler, Sanderson was a four-time Utah state champion (1994–97) and compiled a record of 127–3.




Wrestling career






= College

=
After graduating from high school, Sanderson followed his brothers, Cody and Cole, to Iowa State. After redshirting the 1997-98 college wrestling season, Sanderson won all 39 of his matches to win his first NCAA and Big 12 Conference titles at 184 pounds. He was also the first freshman in NCAA history to be named the Outstanding Wrestler at nationals. His next three seasons were virtually identical, compiling 40 wins and no losses in each and finishing with the only perfect record in NCAA Division I history at 159-0. By winning all of his matches, he became only the second wrestler in history to that point to win four NCAA Division I titles. He was also named the Outstanding Wrestler in all NCAA tournaments he competed in.
Sanderson was a three-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner (collegiate wrestling's equivalent to the Heisman Trophy), being the first to win the award multiple times and the only person to win it three times. For his performance as a senior in 2002, he received the Wade Schalles Award for best collegiate pinner. He holds the longest win-streak across all NCAA divisions. This makes him the most accomplished collegiate wrestler ever.
In 2017, Sanderson was inducted into the Iowa State Hall of Fame.




= Freestyle

=
Sanderson was a two-time US Cadet World Team Member, placing third and fourth in 1994 and 1995, respectively. He was also a US University National Champion in 1999 and a University World Champion in 2000.
He became the US National Champion in 2001, 2002 and 2003. He was also an original US World Team Member in 2001 and 2002, however, he chose not to participate at the 01' World Championships to focus in folkstyle, and the USA team chose to not compete in 2002.
In 2003, he won the Manitoba Open in Canada in February, placed second at the World Cup in April, third at the 2003 Pan American Games and second at the World Championships. In 2004, he once again claimed the Manitoba Open title and won the US Olympic Team Trials.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics, Sanderson claimed wins over Magomed Kurugliyev, Siarhei Borchanka, Majid Khodaei, Yoel Romero and Moon Eui-jae to become an Olympic Gold medalist in Athens, Greece.
While already a full-time coach at Penn State, Sanderson came out of retirement in 2011 and took home an Ion Corneanu Memorial title, won the US World Team Trials and placed fifth at the World Championships.
In 2011, Sanderson was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.




Freestyle record






NCAA record






Coaching career






= Iowa State

=

Sanderson began his wrestling coaching career with the season ending in 2004 as a special assistant at Iowa State. After short stints in associate head coaching positions, he became the head coach for the season ending in 2007. In three seasons, Sanderson led Iowa State to three Big 12 conference championships and NCAA Division I finishes of second, fifth, and third overall. He also coached his wrestlers to two individual NCAA Division I national titles.




= Penn State

=

Before the 2009 season ended, Sanderson became the head coach of Penn State's wrestling team. Sanderson's Penn State teams have won eleven NCAA Division I team titles. During that time, he also coached his wrestlers to 39 individual NCAA Division I titles.
At the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships, Sanderson's Nittany Lions set an NCAA wrestling record of 172.5 points.




Coaching results






Awards and honors






= Other honors

=
Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award in Utah
Glen Brand inductee
Iowa Sports Hall of Fame inductee
Iowa State Cyclones Hall of Fame inductee
National Wrestling Hall of Fame Distinguished Member
NCAA 75th Anniversary Wrestling Team member
Sports Illustrated cover appearance
Utah Sports Hall of Fame inductee
Wheaties cereal box appearance




See also


List of Pennsylvania State University Olympians
Aleksandr Karelin




References






External links


Cael Sanderson at the International Wrestling Database
Cael Sanderson at Olympics.com
Cael Sanderson at Olympedia
Cael Sanderson on Instagram
Cael Sanderson Penn State Bio (gopsusports.com) at the Wayback Machine (archived July 8, 2016)
Cael Sanderson Wrestling Technique (thewrestlingtalk.com) at the Wayback Machine (archived February 20, 2011)

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Cael Sanderson
• Daniel Cormier
• Penn State Nittany Lions wrestling
• Iowa State Cyclones wrestling
• NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships
• Dan Hodge Trophy
• 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships
• Bobby Douglas
• David Taylor (wrestler, born 1990)
• Anthony Cassar