M E R I D I A N     M A G A Z I N E

A Legend in the Making
by Mike Morrow

Amid cries of blasphemy, the state of Iowa is in an uproar.

No one, mind you, is comparing Cael Sanderson with Dan Gable, though the record can speak for itself.

Sanderson, from Heber, Utah, recently completed his four-year career at Iowa State with his fourth consecutive NCAA championship and a spotless 159-0 record. A 197-pounder, he is the first wrestler in history to complete a four-year career without a loss; he is the second four-time NCAA champion in history.

Move over, Dan Gable. There's room at the top.

Like the booming thud of a thrown opponent, Sanderson has muscled his way into the spotlight, something he's grown accustomed to but doesn't necessarily enjoy.

On paper, not even Dan Gable was that good, and Gable, most everyone will agree, is the greatest collegiate wrestler in history.

The legend of Dan Gable is every bit a part of the fabric as a Hoosier basketball story, an Ohio Massilon football story or a Williamsport baseball story.

At Iowa, Gable won two NCAA championships and 100 matches in a row before losing to Larry Owings of Washington for the 1970 NCAA championship.

His stature grew after that, as he won three national Amateur Athletic Union freestyle championships, a number of international meets and, in 1972, the Olympic gold medal. (After retiring from competitive wrestling, Gable led the University of Iowa to nine NCAA titles. He had a 355-21-5 dual meet record with the Hawkeyes and later coached the U.S. Olympic team in 1980 and 1984.)

Sanderson isn't there yet, but he is that good. Even Dan Gable admits that. And others are finding out, too.

A crew from Iowa Public Television has followed Sanderson through every match this season for a documentary premiering March 31. He's been profiled on ESPN Classic.

Babies in Iowa have been named after him. He's done teleconferences to accommodate requests for interviews. Iowa State has even come out with a Cael Sanderson bobble head doll.

"Cael's main focus is not the media, but he understands he's made history," Iowa State coach Bobby Douglas told USA Today. "If we're going to promote the sport, when you get someone like Cael, you need to promote him."

Wrestling, understand, is the most popular sport in Iowa. Boys' matches often are the featured event at a doubleheader, with the early event being boys' basketball. Old gymnasiums-the best kind in Iowa-are packed, lights flash, music blares, and the action is intense.

For wrestling, there is no better place than Iowa. And, for now, no one better than Sanderson.

Cael is the third of four sons of Steve and Debbie Sanderson of Heber, Utah. His dad coached him at Wasatch, Utah, High School, and his brothers Cody (25, a two-time NCAA runner-up at Iowa State), Cole (23) and Cyler (13, a ninth grader who was the Utah state champion this past season) are also wrestlers. The family has an intriguing website that gives you almost anything you want to know. Like where to write

Cole, who began his mission to Russia on Sakhalin Island in the city of Yuzho-Sakhalinsk in January. The website: <a href=<http://www.teamsanderson.cc/index.html>>Team Sanderson</a>

Sanderson is unlikely to serve a two-year mission, his father said. However, Cael baptized
his fiance (the two are getting married in May) the week between the Big 12 and NCAA
wrestling championship events.

The Sandersons-who will be profiled in Meridian in the future-are all champions.

A Rebel yell
No one could have written a better script for the Dixie State College athletic program this year…and the storybook year isn't over yet.

With its football team going 11-1 and its women's soccer team placing second in the National Junior College Athletic Association tournament, the Dixie men's basketball team rolled to the NJCAA championship, defeating longtime power Coffeyville, Kansas.

A year before, Dixie won the NJCAA women's soccer championship, was third in the NJCAA men's basketball tournament and second in the NJCAA baseball tournament.

At the helm of the Dixie basketball team is Jeff Kidder, a dynamic coach who formerly coached with Eddie Sutton and whose future certainly must include a Division I job. However, Kidder is happy in St. George.

Never on Sunday
Even though she may not be a full-time player, Aleisha Cramer is as much a part of the United States women's national soccer team as Brandi Chastain, Mia Hamm or Joy Fawcett.

Cramer, a sophomore at BYU, was named to the national team by coach April Heinrich, but startled almost everyone by saying she would not play in any games on Sunday, in honor of the Sabbath.

"She is the most impactful player in women's college soccer today," Heinrich said. "She changed the game. At 19 years of age, that's about as good a compliment as you'll get from me without calling her the next Michael Jordan."

Cramer enrolled at BYU after being named national high school player of the year at Green Mountain High School in Lakewood, Colo. She later said "the trip to BYU made me realize the Gospel of Jesus Christ was my number one priority, and in the long run, that was going to make me the happiest."

Mission Call
Longtime BYU football coach LaVell Edwards and his wife Patti will serve an 18-month church mission in New York City. The couple will spend a short time at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, before beginning their service in a public affairs capacity in June. Edwards was BYU head coach for 29 seasons before stepping down in 2001.

Final thought
Our prayers are with Rulon Gardner, the Olympic wrestling champion who had a toe amputated March 29. Gardner suffered frostbite when he was stranded overnight in a back country area of Wyoming.

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