Cael Sanderson named 2012 Terry McCann Award winner as USA Wrestling Freestyle

Jul 4, 2013 by FloWrestling Staff

Courtesy Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling!

Cael Sanderson named 2012 Terry McCann Award winner as USA Wrestling Freestyle Coach of the Year

Cael Sanderson (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) has been named 2012 Freestyle Coach of the Year by USA Wrestling. It is the first time that Sanderson has received this prestigious award.

This award is named after the late wrestling legend Terry McCann, a 1960 Olympic champion wrestler. McCann was a long-time coach with the successful Mayor Daley Youth Foundation club, which won numerous national titles in freestyle and Greco-Roman and produced champion athletes for the United States. McCann also served as USA Wrestling President and a FILA Bureau member.

Sanderson is coach of the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club, which is located at Penn State University and is one of the most successful Regional Training Centers in the nation. The Nittany Lion WC is the full-time training location for a number of top Senior-level menÂ’s freestyle wrestlers, and also supports a strong age-group international program.

Sanderson was club and personal coach to Jake Varner, who make the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and won the Olympic gold medal in his weight class. Varner first competed for Sanderson when he was an undergrad at Iowa State. When Sanderson accepted the head coaching job at Penn State, Varner completed his college career at Iowa State, where he was a two-time NCAA champion. After college, Varner moved to State College, joined the Nittany Lion WC, and trained under Sanderson. Varner was also a 2011 World bronze medalist under SandersonÂ’s tutelage.

In addition to Varner, two members of the Nittany Lion WC earned spots in the 2012 Olympic Games in London Games for other nations after training with Sanderson. Jaime Espinal of Puerto Rico won an Olympic silver medal at 84 kg/185 lbs. Franklin Gomez of Puerto Rico , a 2011 World silver medalist, also competed in the London Olympics.

Nittany Lion WC wrestler Les Sigman, a 2010 World Team member, placed second at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Seven members of the Nittany Lion WC qualified to compete at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, Iowa.

Two athletes from Puerto Rico, who train with the Nittany Lion WC, competed in the 2012 Olympic Games, 2012 Olympic silver medalist Jaime Espinal at 84 kg/185 lbs. and 2011 World silver medalist Franklin Gomez at 60 kg/132 lbs.

Sanderson serves as the head wrestling coach of Penn State. In the 2012 year, the Nittany Lions won their second straight NCAA Div. I national title under Sanderson, led by three NCAA champions, Dan Hodge Trophy winner David Taylor at 165 lbs. and Frank Molinaro at 149 pounds and Ed Ruth at 174 pounds. In 2012, the Nittany Lions had six All-Americans. In his four years with the Nittany Lions, including the 2013 season, his team has won three NCAA titles and placed ninth in his first season.

SandersonÂ’s coaching career began at his alma mater at Iowa State, where he was on the coaching staff in a variety of positions from 2003-06. In 2007, he was named head coach for Iowa State, and led the Cyclones for three seasons, winning conference titles each year and placing second, third and fifth in the NCAA Championships team standings.

Sanderson won a Olympic gold medal at 84 kg/185 lbs. in menÂ’s freestyle at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. He also won a silver medal at the 2003 World Championships held in New York, NY. Sanderson was also a 2000 University World champion. He qualified for the 2001 and 2002 U.S. World Teams, but was unable to compete in either event. He made a comeback in 2011, qualified for the U.S. World Team and placed fifth at the World Championships.

He is considered one of the greatest college athletes of any sport of all time, winning four NCAA titles for Iowa State and finishing his career with a 159-0 record. Sanderson won three Dan Hodge Trophies as the nationÂ’s top college wrestler and was a four-time NCAA Most Outstanding Wrestler. His achievement was named the No. 2 college sports achievement of all time by Sports Illustrated, he received an ESPY award and he was featured on a Wheaties box.

Originally from Heber City, Utah, Sanderson was a four-time state champion, Junior National champion and Cadet World bronze medalist.

PAST TERRY McCANN AWARD WINNERS AS FREESTYLE COACH OF THE YEAR

2012 Â– Cael Sanderson, State College, Pa., Nittany Lion WC

2011 Â– Mark Manning, Lincoln, Neb., Sunkist Kids

2010 - Sean Bormet, Naperville, Ill., New York AC

2009 Â– John Smith, Stillwater, Okla., Gator WC

2008 - Sean Bormet, Naperville, Ill., New York AC

2007 - Lou Rosselli, Columbus, Ohio, New York AC

2006 - Sean Bormet, Naperville, Ill., New York AC

2005 - Mike Duroe, Iowa City, Iowa, Hawkeye TC

2004 - Bobby Douglas, Ames, Iowa, Sunkist Kids

2003 - Tom Brands, Iowa City, Iowa, Hawkeye WC