The Iowa Stater
May 2001
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Undefeated
Cael Sanderson pins spot in NCAA wrestling history
 Though two of the Sanderson brothers may be leaving campus, these wrestlers hope to compete together in the 2004 Olympics. From left are Cody, Cale and Cole. Photo by Michael Haynes. |
He sits on a teal leather sofa in a Lied Center office that can best be described as "functional." A dirty crew sock lies just inches from his right foot. Empty Burger King cups dot the floor and the tops of battered wooden desks line the room's perimeter. The persistent odor of the adjacent practice room reminds visitors that this space is, indeed, dedicated to pushing the body to its limits.
This space has been like home to all-American Cael Sanderson for nearly three years. It's where he perfected the maverick wrestling style that has become as much his trademark as his three consecutive NCAA championships, his 119-0 collegiate winning streak and his fierce concentration. It's where he's squirmed uneasily this past season when entertaining questions from the likes of ESPN and Sports Illustrated. It's one of the few spaces on campus where he can just be Cael.
While his mouth is saying, "Actually, talking to reporters is getting easier," the rest of Cael Sanderson is saying, "I just wanna get to practice." He sits rigidly against the back of the sofa, staring straight ahead, arms jutted out to sit atop stiffly bent legs that bounce nervously. Eye contact is minimal for at least the first 30 minutes; replies are quiet, self-conscious, certain to segue into a "yes, ma'am" momentarily. How can this Opie Taylor prototype compete with such breathtaking ferocity?
"Cael is a real gentleman, and a gentle person, until he gets on the mat," says Bobby Douglas, ISU wrestling coach. "He moves from Clark Kent to Superman in a real hurry."
It's a metamorphosis that has the wrestling world abuzz, from national media outlets to Internet message boards. Everyone knows Cael, the 184-pound wonder, whose aggressive, quick, relentless, seemingly daredevil wresting style has thrilled fans, rattled Douglas and pulverized collegiate records. Sanderson's repertoire includes periodic bouts of wrestling on his back, a tricky maneuver in any coach's book. Calling him on it in an interview elicits a rare display of emotion.
"You know, I'm not stupid," the 21-year-old responds, a bit wearily, to a topic that for him has become redundant. "I don't ever put myself in a risky situation if I don't think I can come back out of it."
And yet, fearlessness must play a role in Sanderson's ability to transcend conventional strategies and rout every collegiate wrestler he's ever met.
Every single one.
A DNA domination
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Coach Douglas had been scouting the Sanderson tribe since his coaching days at Arizona State. He watched the boys clean up at regional tournaments, then steal the show at the state high school championships under the coaching of their father, a former Brigham Young University wrestler. (Still to come: little brother Cyler, an eighth grader back in Utah, very much in Douglas' scope).
It was Cody Sanderson who led the family migration to Iowa State. Cody competed as a lightweight for ISU from 1997 to 2000 and was a two-time NCAA finalist. Now married to former ISU gymnast Sarah Stayberg, Cody is a graduate student majoring in genetics with an eye on medical school. He assisted Douglas this year as a volunteer assistant coach.
Cole, who just wrapped up his senior season as co-captain, is a four-time NCAA qualifier and, like both Cody and Cael, an academic all-American. He will graduate this month with a degree in dietetics, and will then embark on a two-year church mission.
And that leaves Cael.
Ask him if he's intimidated by the thought of losing, and he'll say "no." Press him about the burden of carrying on this winning streak through one more year of collegiate competition, and he'll deny anxiety. But inquire about how it will feel if he's the only Sanderson left on campus next year, and the uneasiness on his face is unavoidable.
"My family is everything to me," Cael says. "Wrestling has made us close and keeps us close. I mean, we've never even been on a family vacation that didn't somehow involve wrestling. My brothers and I are very dependent on each other for support, you know. We always go to each other with our problems.
"I can still remember what it was like when Cody moved here to Iowa State all by himself," his little brother continues. "I felt so bad for him. I'm the one who's had it easy."
Grappling with greatness
 Cael Sanderson pins Hofstra's Ralph Everett to break the record for the most consecutive victories. Photo by Michael Haynes. |
So there's next year, and the strong likelihood of déjà vu all over again. And then what?
The 2004 Olympics, for starters. All three Sanderson brothers are shooting for the Athens competition. Cael's debut attempt at an Olympics berth in April 2000 led to a sixth-place finish at the U.S. Nationals. Two months later, former Cyclone All-American Mike Van Arsdale, '89, handed Cael a 7-3 defeat in the freestyle semifinals of the Olympic trials and a harsh wake-up call.
"It was very frustrating, but I learned a lot," Sanderson admits, his now-pat comments still underscored with shards of disbelief over such a reversal of fortune.
"I went out there wanting to score as many points against him as I could, and I was just way too overaggressive. That helped me learn a lot about wrestling at the next level, and how to be more strategic in my matches."
In the meantime, there is the matter of school. Sanderson, who was red-shirted for the 1997-98 wrestling season, is wrapping up his fourth academic year at Iowa State. Though the art and design major has earned enough credits to graduate this month, he recently has added minors in advertising and design studies, and plans to graduate next May. A talented artist, Sanderson reveres cartoonist Gary Larson ("The Far Side"), and keeps a shoebox filled with ideas for his own cartoon strip someday. His sketches of Coach Douglas recently graced the pages of the Sports Illustrated profile on Sanderson.
"I've been real competitive in wrestling, and have always wanted to be the best in all aspects," Sanderson says. "You can't do that sport halfway and still be successful. I've finally learned that I need to take risks and go out on limbs. And I'm starting to see that about my art.
"I've been hesitant to let people see my [art]work, because I guess I do have a fear of failure," he continues. "For me, this is a whole new game. But wrestling has taught me to give it a shot, and then I'll just see what happens."
Wouldn't the oddsmakers have a field day with that one ...
— Debra Gibson
University Relations
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