That’s what you call going out with a bang! Olympic gold medalist Gable Stevenson ended his final NCAA regular season with a pristine 10-0 record in the regular season. While the Gophers lost the dual against Iowa, Stevenson’s victory over Ben Kueter in the 285lb bracket was undoubtedly the highlight of Friday night. And yet, for many fans, Gable’s feat pales when Cael Sanderson enters the conversation.

As the top man of the NLWC, Sanderson has racked up a reputation that is almost unrivaled within the NCAA circuit. But showing others the way isn’t all that defines Cael’s legacy. The legendary Penn State head coach was a decorated wrestler himself during his tenure as an Iowa State wrestler, and it seems like he continues to be the fan favorite despite exiting the collegiate scene over two decades ago.

Gable Stevenson’s streak brings back Cael Sanderson’s memories

After Gable Stevenson’s emphatic final bow at Minnesota’s home ground, 3x US Open Champ Reece Humphrey took to X on February 15 to hail the former. “Is Gable Steveson the best collegiate wrestler of all time?” wrote the former Ohio star in his recent X social update, as he highlighted that the 24-year-old would surely get his vote of confidence.

Stevenson won his final NCAA regular season match by a 19-3 tech fall victory and extended his winnings streak to an incredible 63. What makes the triumph even more exciting is that the wrestler returned to action in November last year, after a three-year absence. During his time away from the mat, Gable dabbled with WWE and even tried his hands at MMA and UFC. Those didn’t work out. But upon his return to his alma mater, Stevenson showed that he had plenty left in the tank.

After Friday night’s sweet ending, Stevenson said, “It was just a great experience. I’m glad everybody showed up. … I’m glad I could go out with an undefeated home record and do my thing,” noting how getting back into the Gophers uniform was a fulfilling affair. And yet, while he rejoices in his towering accomplishment, the community can’t help but remember how that falls short in front of Cael Sanderson’s NCAA career.

Fans snub one Olympic champ for another

Since Sanderson was named the head coach for Penn State in 2009, the program has won an incredible 11 NCAA team titles. Maybe that’s why Penn State went to such extreme lengths to get him on board as Troy Sunderland‘s replacement. But what solidified Sanderson’s reputation as a wrestling mastermind was his staggering 159-0 record at Iowa State. The Olympic gold at the 2004 Athens Games only amplified it. Citing that, one fan pointed out why Cael will always edge out Gable Stevenson. “Cael had an undefeated 2004 season and then won the Olympic gold. So based on highest talent/skill and not record/titles…I still think Cael takes the cake.”

The former Cyclones wrestler also won the NCAA individual title as well as the Big 12 gold every single year during his time in Ames. A sonorous thing to boast, indeed. And that’s exactly why the hype around Gable’s undefeated streak has some fans smirking. “There’s only one 4x undefeated He’s the GOAT and there is no debate,” another fan sought to end the discussion. A second fan backed up the sentiment with the comment, “Cael won 4 titles and never lost so No Gable is not.”

As Penn State’s head coach of the wrestling program, Cael Sanderson has also produced a long list of individual NCAA champs and Olympic gold medalists, including David Taylor, Carter Starocci, and Aaron Brooks. Evidently, it’s easy to comprehend that the veteran coach’s accomplishments transcend beyond what he did on the mat, and that also something that doesn’t do Stevenson’s claim to fame any favors.

“Not while Cael exists,” one more fan refuted the plea to consider the Minnesota man as the greatest collegiate wrestler. “Sanderson and it’s not close,” reiterated another. Do you think so too? Is Cael Sanderson the undisputed best in your mind when it comes to NCAA D1 wrestling? Or would it be someone else? Share your opinion in a comment!