By DAN McCOOL
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Ames, Ia. ” Cael Sanderson won every time he wore an Iowa State singlet.
He won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at his only trip to the Summer Olympics, in 2004 in Athens, Greece.
So what can he do in his first season as the Cyclones’ coach?
No Iowa State wrestling coach has won an NCAA team title in his first season. Then again, no Cyclone freshman had won an NCAA championship until Sanderson won at 184 pounds in 1999.
The man who finished with an unprecedented 159-0 college record over four years, grabbed Olympic gold and ended up with his face on a Wheaties cereal box now is charged with returning Iowa State to the top of the NCAA Division I wrestling world – a place the Cyclones haven’t reached since coach Jim Gibbons led them there in 1987.
Though the answer won’t come for five months, Sanderson is excited for the chance to find out.
Sanderson was introduced by Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard the same day last spring that Bobby Douglas announced his resignation after 14 seasons. Joining Sanderson are his older brother Cody as associate head coach and Tim Hartung, who was an assistant at Iowa last season.
“With the (coaching) staff Jamie allowed me to put together, we have a great chemistry, “Sanderson said. “Things are going extremely well, the team’s looking real good. We’re way ahead of schedule. This season can’t get here soon enough. It’s going to be fun.”
The season begins Nov. 10, when Iowa State meets Buena Vista in a 6 p.m. meet at Ames High School.
Sanderson introduced his first Iowa State team to the media on Monday. Except for the military-style haircut, Sanderson the coach sounded and appeared much like Sanderson the competitor.
“My goal that I’m working for and what we are working for as a staff is perfection, “Sanderson said. “Even though I don’t think perfection is attainable, that’s still what we’re looking for. Regardless of how well we’re doing, we can always do better and we can always look to improve, but at the same time having fun and loving the process of what we’re doing.”
Sanderson said he stressed effort since beginning workouts earlier this month.
“That’s what my philosophy has been my whole career – a total effort, and results will take care of themselves, “Sanderson said. “That’s the same philosophy we have with each and every individual. They know if we can get a total effort out of each guy on the team – and we have so far – this is going to be a special team.”
Sanderson owns everyone’s attention in the practice room, said senior two-time all-American Trent Paulson.
“They know he has what it takes and he’s done what no one else could do, “said Paulson, who will wrestle at 157 pounds. “He’s very positive, he is very organized, every single day is different. I think he’s already improved us from the preseason to now.”
Mitch Mueller, a second-year freshman from Iowa City West, is expected to take over the 141-pound spot Nate Gallick owned in winning an NCAA title last season. Mueller said Sanderson has raised the heat in workouts without touching the thermometer.
“Practices are really intense, “said Mueller, who has already drawn rankings attention even though he has no varsity experience. “They have a good plan for the season and a good schedule. They know when to push us really hard and when to back off a little, which I think will be very important when it counts.”
Mueller is one of as many as six second-year freshmen from a No. 1-ranked recruiting class who could see significant time this winter.
“These freshmen have been tested, “Sanderson said. “They’ve been in a lot of national competitions and they’re used to having pressure on them.
“The college season is different, it’s tough competition week-in and week-out. Some people deal with that better than others, but I’ve got a lot of confidence in these guys, in their durability and their excitement. They’re everything that everyone’s said they are.”
Wrestling Gear
WHAT CAN I SAY,CAEL HAS BROUGHT WRESTLING OUT OF THE DARKNESS AND INTO THE LIGHT, ALL MY LIFE I COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND WHY WRESTLING WAS ALWAYS PUT ON THE BACK BURNER,THEY WOULD SHOW THINGS ON T.V EVERY NOW AND THEN LIKE FENCING,SWIMMING,BASKET WEAVING,SHUFFLE BOARD AS A SPORT BUT THEY WOULD NEVER SHOW WRESTLING OR TALK ABOUT WRESTLING THE BEST SPORT IN THE WORLD!PERIOD!THIS YEAR IM GOING TO THE IOWA STATE,IOWA MEET AND I CANT WAIT TO JUST SEE CAEL,LET ALONE MAYBE GET HIS AUTOGRAPH? BIG FAN OF CAEL SANDERSON AND WRESTLING,JOHAN LERCH