Cael Sanderson is a former folkstyle and freestyle wrestler from the United States. Likely, he is also the head coach of the Pennsylvania State University wrestling team. He achieved an Olympic gold medal and four NCAA Division I individual crowns as a wrestler.
Childhood, Early Life, Education
Cael Sanderson was born in the city of Salt Lake City, Utah, on June 20, 1979. Sanderson also grew up with two brothers, Cody Sanderson and Cole Sanderson, who are also wrestlers.
Cael’s father, Steve Sanderson, was the one who taught him how to wrestle. His father, Steve, also coached him in wrestling at Wasatch High School. Debbie Sanderson is his mother’s name.
Like his father, he and his two brothers Cody and Cole are wrestlers who mastered Steve’s back-breaking grip and other famous skills.
He went to Iowa State University for college and had a 159-0 unbeaten record. During his high school wrestling career at Wasatch High, the 40-year-old wrestler earned four state titles. In 1997, he received his diploma.
Career at College
Sanderson attended Iowa State University after graduating from Wasatch High School in 1997. (ISU).
During the 1997–98 season, he was a redshirted player. Sanderson won all 39 matches and the NCAA championship as a redshirt freshman at 184 pounds (83 kg).
He became the first freshman in NCAA tournament history to be awarded the most outstanding wrestler in the NCAA Wrestling Team Championship.
Sanderson went 40–0 and won another NCAA title in the 1999–00 season, going unbeaten. He also earned the Dan Hodge Trophy as the best college wrestler in the country.
Cael was the Hodge Trophy’s first underclassman winner. He won the World University title in Tokyo, Japan, over the offseason.
Sanderson scored 40–0 as a junior, bringing his career record to 119–0. He surpassed Iowa State alumni Dan Gable’s previous record of 98 straight victories.
He was also the first two-time winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy and was chosen as the finest wrestler in the NCAA tournament.
Sanderson’s 2001–02 campaign was akin to a coronation. At 40–0, he was undefeated once more. Cael joined Pat Smith as the only wrestler to win an NCAA Division I individual title four times. He also earned the Dan Hodge Trophy for finest wrestler for the third time. Sanderson set an NCAA record by winning 159 consecutive games.
His final college achievements were a 159–0 record, four NCAA crowns, three Dan Hodge Trophy accolades, four NCAA Outstanding Wrestler awards, and four Big 12 Conference Championships.
Cael Sanderson International
Sanderson earned gold and silver medals in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, and the 2003 World Wrestling Championships.
In 2002, Sanderson would have also competed for the United States in the global competition. The American freestyle team, however, decided not to compete that year because of security concerns.
Sanderson came out of retirement in 2011 and finished sixth in the world. He was the head coach of the wrestling team at Pennsylvania State University in 2011, and he could only train after his coaching duties were completed.
Cael Sanderson: Career Highlights and Awards
The following are some of Cael’s career highlights and awards:
- Summer Olympic
- World Wrestling Championships Pan American Game
- John Smith Award as the Freestyle Wrestler of the Year
- Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award
- Dan Hodge Trophy winner
- NCAA Division I Championships Outstanding Wrestle
- Dan Hodge Trophy winner
- NCAA Division I Championships Outstanding Wrestler
- Dan Hodge Trophy winner
- NCAA Division I Championships Outstanding Wrestler
- Big 12 Conference
Net Worth
As a freestyle wrestler, Cael Sanderson has earned a sizable income. Cael is currently the head coach at Penn State University, and he is said to make over $200,000 per year from his position.
Penn State wins the Big Ten Championship in March 2019 under his guidance.
Cael, who signed a long-term deal with the institution, has coached his team to six Big Ten regular-season and tournament championships.
Penn State won its first NCAA title in 2011 after he joined the program.
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Wife and Kids
Cael is currently married to Kelly Sanderson, who is a wonderful woman. Similarly, the pair exchanged wedding vows in front of more than 200 relatives and friends in 2002.
Tate Sanderson and Teag Sanderson are the couple’s two sons. Tate was born in 2007, five years after the couple married, while Teag‘s birth date is unknown.

Age, Height, and Weight
Cael is 40 years old as he was born in 1979. In the same way, the Olympic gold medallist celebrates his birthday on June 20th. As a result, Gemini is his star sign.
Furthermore, persons born under the sign of Gemini are noted for their intelligence, sharpness, and flexibility. And, if we’re being honest, Sanderson represents all of these characteristics.
Cael is 5 feet 11 inches (1.82 m) tall and weighs 184 pounds (83 kg).
Social Media
Twitter: 64.9k followers
Instagram:12.4K followers
Youtube: 3.1k subscribers
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Quick Facts
Full Name | Cael Sanderson |
Birth Date | June 20, 1979 |
Birth Place | Salt Lake City, Utah |
Religion | Unknown |
Nationality | American |
Sexuality | Straight |
Ethnicity | White |
Education | Wasatch High SchoolIowa State University |
Horoscope | Gemini |
Father’s Name | Steve Sanderson |
Mother’s Name | Cael Norman |
Siblings | Brothers- Cody Sanderson and Cole Sanderson |
Age | 42 years old |
Height | 5 feet 11 inches (1.82 m) |
Weight | 184 lb (83 kg) |
Hair Color | Brown |
Eye Color | Black |
Marital status | Married |
Wife | Kelly Sanderson |
Kids | 2 Sons |
Profession | Wrestling Coach ( Current), Wrestler (Former) |
NCAA Record | 159-0 |
Olympic | Gold (2004 Summer Olympics) |
Olympic Team | United States of America |
State championships | 4 (Utah) |
NCAA Championships | 12 ( Four Competing, Eight Coaching) |
Active Years | 1999-Present |
Current Affiliation | Penn State |
Net-Worth | $2 million |
Social Media | Twitter, Youtube, Instagram |
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