Cael Sanderson: Mormon Athlete
Cael Norman Sanderson is an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling and one of the most decorated United States collegiate wrestlers of all time. He is currently head wrestling coach for Penn State. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Sanderson was born on June 20, 1979, in Provo, Utah. He and his three brothers wrestled for Wasatch High School in Heber City, Utah, under the coaching of their father, Steve.
While in high school, Sanderson had a 127–3 record and was four–time Utah state champion in wrestling. He also played football and was an All-region selection.
At Iowa State University, he became the first freshman in NCAA history to be named the NCAA Wrestling Team Championship’s most outstanding wrestler. He became the first undefeated four-time NCAA Champion. He set an NCAA record with 159 straight wins and was named NCAA Outstanding Wrestler four times. He also was a four-time Big 12 Conference champion. He won three Dan Hodge Trophy awards. He was inducted into the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
He won a gold medal in the men’s freestyle at Athens in 2004. He also won a silver medal in the World Championships in 2003 and a bronze medal at the 2003 Pan American Games held in the Dominican Republic.
In 2004, Sanderson began coaching at Iowa State University as an assistant coach. He was promoted a season later to associate head coach, and in 2007 he became the university’s head wrestling coach. He was named National Coach of the Year. He led the team to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships and three Big 12 Conference team titles.
In 2009, Sanderson moved to Penn State University and as head wrestling coach, he led the Nittany Lions wrestling team to four consecutive national titles (2011–2014). He has won several coaching awards. For example, in 2013 he was named W.I.N. Magazine Coach of the Year, Big Ten Coach of the Year, and NWCA Coach of the Year. He is the only man in NCAA history to earn both Big Ten and Big 12 Coach of the Year honors.
Sanderson and his wife Kelly have two sons.
