This is by far the deepest team I have researched, and I can’t imagine any team even coming close to the level of talent Iowa State has to offer. When doing these articles, I compare a wrestlers entire body of work, not just his time at that particular college.
10 Glen Brand
Glen is a legend in Iowa wrestling history. So much so, that there is an Glen Brand Wrestling Hall Of Fame. At Iowa State he was a 3x NCAA all-american, and his senior year he won the NCAA title. His college record was an incredible 52-3 with 34 pins. One of those wins was over NCAA Champion and future world champion, Verne Gagne of Minnesota. At the 1948 Olympics Glen captured a Gold medal in the Middleweight division.
9 Chris Taylor
Chris was a larger then life type of character, both literally and figuratively. At 6 feet 5 inches and weighing over 400 lbs. Chris is the largest wrestling competitor in Olympic history. What’s amazing about Chris is the fact that he didn’t begin wrestling until he was a junior in high school. That didn’t stop him from winning two state titles thou. His two year career as a Cyclone was nothing short of spectacular. Taylor won individual titles in 1972 and 1973, leading his team to NCAA tournament titles both seasons. The Gentle Giant pinned his way through the NCAA tournament in 1973, becoming only the second wrestler to pin his way through a 32-man bracket. Taylor’s overall career record at Iowa State was 87-0-1 with 70 pins. In the Olympic games he earned a Bronze medal in freestyle and didn’t place in Greco. Being a rare DOUBLE competitor at the Olympics.
8 Tim Krieger 3x
Tim is one of college wrestling’s all-time greats, between high school and college he compiled an incredible 219-9 record! He was a 4x all-american and entered the NCAA tournament as the number 1 seed all 4 years. At the national tournament he finished 5th, 2nd, and was a 2x champion. He was also a national freestyle champion.
7 Chuck Jean
Chuck is in a league of his own, as he is the only college wrestler in history to win 4 individual National titles as well as 4 team national titles. This rare feat may never be duplicated. At Iowa State he would often move up in weight class, to wrestle the toughest competition available. This is something rarely done in today’s college wrestling scene.
6 Kevin Jackson
In High School, Kevin was a 2x Michigan state champion, in college he was a 4x all-american. Finishing 3rd, 3rd, and 7th, at Louisiana State, before finishing 2nd his senior year at Iowa State. After graduating his mat career really took off. He won the World Championship in 1991, an Olympic Gold Medal in 1992, and another World Championship in 1995. He was also a 3x World Cup winner, and a 2x Pan-American Champion. Although he only spend a single season at Iowa State, his credentials rank along side some of the all-time greats.
5 Jake Varner
The Cyclone ended his collegiate career as the best in the country, winning the 197-pound title in 2010. Varner posted a 31-0 record as a senior and was 121-10 over the course of his career. The NCAA title he won as a senior was his second, having won his first as a junior in 2009. Varner was the 184-pound NCAA finalist as a sophomore and freshman. One of Iowa State’s all-time greats, Varner was a four-time All-American, four-time NCAA finalist and two-time NCAA Champion. On the world stage as a freestyle wrestler, Varner reached the sport’s pinnacle by claiming the 2012 Olympic Gold Medal at 96kg in London. His performance in the Olympics capped off a stellar 2012 that also saw him win the Pan American Games Gold and the Yarygan Bronze. He also claimed a World Bronze in 2011 in Istanbul.
4 Nate Carr
Carr was a state champion in high school. Winning one of the toughest high school weight classes in the country. During his prep career he amassed a 115-7 record. At Iowa state he claimed 3 NCAA titles, and was a 2x Big 8 champion. After graduating, he won Gold Medals at the World Cup, the Pan American games, and the Goodwill Games. He also won a bronze medal at the 1988 Olympic Games.
3 Ben Peterson
Ben is considered one of the best Iowa State wrestlers of all-time by his peers, and was also one of America’s best wrestlers of his time. He was a 3x all-american, and 2x NCAA champion while competing at 190 lbs. His collegiate record stands at 74-4 with 24 pins. At the world championships he won a bronze and Gold medal. He also won a Gold Medal at the 1972 Olympic Games.At the 1976 Olympics he captured a silver medal. His brother John was also an Olympic Gold Medalist.
2 Dan Gable
What can i really say about Dan Gable. The guy is a legend, actually legend isn’t a strong enough word. I’m not sure any label can truly define the man generally recognized as the greatest amateur wrestler this country has ever produced. During his prep and college wrestling careers, Gable compiled the unbelievable record of 182-1-0. Dan was undefeated in 64 prep matches and was 118-1-0 in three years at Iowa State. He won 181 consecutive matches. The only defeat came in the NCAA finals in his senior year. Dan earned national fame at the 1972 Olympic Games, when he won a Gold Medal without surrendering a single point the entire tournament. He also had 3 Pan-American titles, the highly regarded Tbilisi title, and a Gold Medal at the World Championship.
1 Cael Sanderson
I don’t even know where to start. Cael is the GOAT of college wrestling hands down. He won every college tournament he entered, posting a 39-0 freshman season at 184, and going 40-0 the next 3 seasons at 197. He is the first wrestler to win 4 Most Outstanding Wrestler awards at the NCAA Championship. His win in the 2002 NCAA finals made him the second 4x NCAA Champion ever, and he is the only one to go undefeated with a perfect 159-0 record. Cael is also the first wrestler to win the prestigious Hodge Trophy 3x. After graduation Cael decided to test his skills on the world stage after failing to place at the 2001 and 2002 World Championships, he earned his first world medal at the 2003 championships, winning the Silver medal at the 185 lb weight class. Yet it was at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, that Sanderson reached the highest pinnacle of the sport, defeating Eau Jae Moon of South Korea to win an Olympic gold medal. He has since moved into coaching and is shattering records their as well.
Honorable Mention:
Ron Gray
Ron was one of Iowa State’s first elite wrestlers. He burst onto the scene his sophomore year, and had a perfect season going into the NCAA finals before dropping a close match to Iowa’s Simone Roberts. He followed that up by winning NCAA titles the following 2 years, becoming a 3x all-american. His collegiate record was 53-2.
Larry Hayes
Larry will go down in history for being Iowa State’s first 3x NCAA champion. His college record was an impressive 51-4. He was also named Iowa’s most outstanding wrestler in 1961.
Dwight Hinson
Dwight was a 4x conference champion, and a 4x all-american, finishing 3rd, 2nd, 4th, and 3rd. He ranks 4th on Iowa States all time win list. After college he was a 2x world team member.
Les Anderson 3x NCAA finalist, and a 2x NCAA Champion.
Tom Peckham 3x all-american, and 2x NCAA Champion.
Eric Voelker 3x all-american, 2x NCAA Champion.
Joe Heskett
Heskett was an NCAA champion and a four-time All-American (1999-2002) for Iowa State. He placed third at the NCAA tournament as a freshman, second as a sophomore and junior and first as a senior. The former Cyclone compiled a 143-9 college record with 58 pins. He also placed fifth at the 2007 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Chris Bono
Chris Bono was an NCAA champion, three-time All-American, and a two-time Big 12 champion for Iowa State with a career college record of 128-34. He placed fifth at the NCAA championships as a sophomore in 1995 before winning the 150-pound crown in 1996 and placing second in 1997. Bono was a member of U.S. freestyle World championships teams in 2001, 2002 and 2005 and was a four-time freestyle national champion. He was a three-time state wrestling champion in Florida.