After seven years, Sanderson back on U.S. team

OKLAHOMA CITY - Cael Sanderson was one of wrestling's top performers and he is once again.

Sanderson experienced a rare week that included his induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum Thursday followed by his winning effort at the United States World Team Trials on Saturday. Sanderson won the 185-pound weight in freestyle, winning a challenge tournament and then defeating Jake Herbert by sweeping a best-of-3 championship series, 4-1, 2-0 and 5-2, 2-0.

Sanderson, who posted a 159-0 record for Iowa State becoming just the second four-time NCAA champion, won an Olympic gold in 2004 and earned a silver medal at the 2003 World Championships. He hadn't competed since winning an Olympic title in Athens until winning the 211.5-pound championship at a qualifier tournament at Brockport, N.Y., in March.

"I haven't been in competitive matches in an atmosphere like this in a long time," Sanderson said told USA Wrestling after earning the World Team spot. "Early on, I think I was forcing things and maybe trying a little too hard. I felt a lot more comfortable as the day went on."

You can see the entire post-match interview with USA Wrestling.

By competing in the northeast regional, the Penn State head coach was supposedly fulfilling a bet with his wrestlers after the Nittany Lions claimed the 2010 Big Ten tournament.

"There's plenty of time in the day," Sanderson said in the post-match press conference video. "This is more of I have some extra time in the day I can either go home and try to master Call of Duty (video game) or I could be a little more focused and try to wrestle and that's the way I looked at it."

Sanderson said everyone from his family to Penn State Director of Athletics Tim Curley supported his decision to convert his free time into something more productive. Sanderson cut from his qualifying weight of 211.5 to 185 for the Trials. He avoided direct competition with Jake Varner, who Sanderson coached to a national title with the Cyclones and is a current member of the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club.

"I've been a lot bigger. It wasn't as difficult for me this time," Sanderson told USA Wrestling after competition. "I'm more disciplined."

Varner, who won one of his two NCAA crowns and reached the NCAA finals three straight years under Sanderson, also made the team at 211.5. Now, their relationship will be as teammates instead of athlete coach. They will compete in the World Championships in September in Istanbul, Turkey.

"I'm excited about that. I'm excited," Sanderson said in the video. "I think its always fun to travel with your friends and training partners."

Just to advance to the finals, Sanderson had to derail a former pupil during his time coaching at Iowa State. Sanderson defeated Jon Reader, 4-1, 1-0, to reach the finals against Herbert, who had been a member of the U.S. World Team the last two years. He said it was a strange experience and that he holds "a great deal" of respect for Reader from "a lot of time" spent around him.

"I consider him a great friend," said Sanderson, who also beat Raymond Jordan and Chris Pendleton. "It was weird. That was a weird match for me."

Sanderson, who turns 32 in a week, said this time is different and he has different priorities now. He admitted to reflecting back to his performances in 2004.

"You always have to think back to your experience and you get confidence and everything you need to move forward, but that was seven or six years ago," Sanderson said in the post-match interview with USA Wrestling. "It's a completely different challenge now."

His feat earned him

themat.com Wrestler of the Week honors for June 7-13, which was announced Monday.