Gabe Dean Thriving In New Coaching Role, Business In Home State of Michigan

Gabe Dean Thriving In New Coaching Role, Business In Home State of Michigan

After an eight-year run at Cornell, Gabe Dean is back in his home state of Michigan, enjoying a new coaching role and business venture.

Jul 23, 2021 by Mark Spezia
Gabe Dean Thriving In New Coaching Role, Business In Home State of Michigan
Gabe Dean is back home and thriving.

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Gabe Dean is back home and thriving.

One of the most successful collegiate wrestlers the state of Michigan has ever produced is now an assistant coach at powerhouse Lowell, his high school alma mater, and has gone into business with some members of his family, building self-storage units.

This new chapter marks the culmination of a whirlwind nine-month period in Dean's life which saw him emerge from retirement to reach the Olympic Trials semifinals, cap a beyond memorable eight-year run as a decorated wrestler and an assistant coach at Cornell and help launch My Storage Great Lakes, a Lowell-based company.

Dean is clearly elated with his current situation.

"It’s unbelievable waking up every day and building something with your family," he expressed in a July 3 Facebook post which was accompanied by a photograph of Dean and one of his grandfathers working together. 

The two-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American retired for good following a 4-0 Trials loss to 2018 world champion and Penn State great David Taylor, also a two-time Hodge Trophy winner. 

Dean released his grip on Taylor's lower leg as the final whistle sounded and rose to his feet before turning to Taylor and offering congratulations. Taylor, twice an NCAA champion, patted Dean on the back as he exited the mat. 

Just over a month later, Dean's new coaching gig was announced on Lowell Wrestling's Twitter page. 

"Exciting news for Lowell Wrestling! Please welcome Gabe back as a Coach!," the May 11 post read.

Roughly five weeks after that, Dean, ever the competitor, took to Instagram to reveal a new goal.

"Now that I’m done competing, I’ll let you in on a goal I haven’t told anyone about... I’d like to become the Storage Unit King of the Midwest," he wrote in a June 18 post which included a photo of Dean and a co-worker posing on either side of a completed storage unit.

Earlier this month, Dean provided commentary and conducted interviews during live streaming of a NUWAY Combat youth wrestling tournament in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. His father David, a 1996 Olympic alternate and two-time Minnesota All-American, is NUWAY President. 

Gabe Dean's busy schedule continues next week when he conducts a three-day youth camp at a Lowell elementary school with Alma College head coach Jeremiah Tobias, a four-time Michigan state champion, and current University of Michigan starting 125-pounder Jack Medley, an NCAA qualifier.

Dean's wrestling journey, began, of course, under the direction of his father, a Montrose High School graduate who won two Michigan state titles before capturing two Big Ten crowns, finishing second at the NCAA Championships and posting a 105-20-3 record with the Golden Gophers.

David Dean then served as an assistant coach at Minnesota and Michigan State before a nine-season stint as Lowell head coach during which the Red Arrows brought home two state championships. 

As a freshman, Dean helped his father win his first title in 2009. Lowell went 235-38 in Dean's tenure which ended in 2014.

Gabe was a three-time All-Stater, winning an individual state championship as a junior. His high school record was 128-18, including 75-5 as a junior and senior. 

Dean arrived at Cornell in 2014 following a year at a community college and made an instant impact.

As a freshman, he went 43-3 and took third at the NCAA Championships. Dean claimed NCAA titles the next two seasons before a runner-up finish as a senior.

He went 152-7 with the Big Red and still holds school records for career wins, career bonus point wins (101) and total career points (686). Dean is also Cornell's single-season leader in pins (20) and wins (43).

He ranks second in career pins (50) and third in career winning percentage (.956). Dean was 69-2 during his final two college seasons, including a 52-match winning streak. 

Tokyo Olympian and four-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake is the only other Cornell wrestler with four top-three NCAA Championships finishes.

Dean made plenty of noise during a comeback which began in October. 

Among those he beat were Drew Foster, Nate Jackson, Trent Hidlay, Mike Macchiavello, Bo Nickal and Myles Martin. The six have combined for six NCAA titles and 13 All-American honors.

He also pushed Taylor during a 6-2 loss at a Nittany Lion Wrestling Club event in November.  

At the conclusion of his Trials run, Dean posted an appreciation for the sport he reveres on Instagram. 

"It’s hard to put into words what wrestling has done for my life. Countless times it has torn me down in order for me to learn how to become a better man," he wrote. "I’ve been a competitor my whole life and will continue to be. I am most grateful for the people this sport has brought into my life and the role models I’ve learned so much from. I would trade any accomplishment for those relationships and will continue to pursue a life of service. Thank you, wrestling."

At Lowell, Dean will be tasked with helping head coach R.J Boudro, a two-time NCAA qualifier at Michigan State, reload a team which loses four state champions for a run at an unprecedented ninth consecutive state title.

Boudro, who succeeded Dean's father, boasts a 137-21 mark with the Red Arrows.

Lowell does return six wrestlers who placed in the top eight at the state tournament, including state runner-up Carson Crace (171 pounds) and third-place finishers Carter Blough (215) and James Link (130). 

Ramsy Mutschler (119) was fourth in the state, Tacho Gonzales (152) seventh and Landon Miller (125) eighth.