Cael Sanderson Talks NCAAs

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Iowa State head wrestling coach Cael Sanderson met the media in a coaches press conference Wednesday afternoon at The Palace at Auburn Hills before the NCAA Championships, which begins Thursday. The Cyclones have qualified all 10 wrestlers for the tournament after winning the Big 12 Championships March 3 in Columbia, Mo. Below is the transcribed version of the press confrerence.

JOHN CARVALHO: Next we have Cael Sanderson, first year head coach at Iowa State, Big 12 champions, four time individual NCAA champion.

COACH CAEL SANDERSON: Well, it's good to be here. We're real excited as a team, just looking forward to a great tournament. It's going to be a lot of fun.

Q. Cael, you've been here four times as a player, first year as a coach. How is it different as a coach as opposed to as a player?

COACH CAEL SANDERSON: Well, there's a lot of big differences just because we're trying to get a team ready here. That's what any athlete going to a coach would say.

It's been a real good transition for me. I've got an excellent staff that I have a lot of confidence in. They've done a phenomenal job with the team this year. Put us in a position where we can have a great tournament to contend for a championship, but we're here and we're excited for this opportunity.

Q. Cael, did you guys do anything as a coaching staff with six new faces in the line in terms of preparing them for this pressure, the length of this tournament, coming in as the No. 2 team differently than you would have done for a more veteran group?

COACH CAEL SANDERSON: Well, I think, you know, with six freshmen, we cater to each individual, at least we tried to, to help each one of them prepare.

I think with our schedule, wrestling the best teams in the country over and over again, they've seen the best guys in the country and the best teams. I think that's great preparation. I think we trained them. I think we're ready. Now it's just a matter of going out there and taking a swing at it, seeing what we can do.

We've got six freshmen, only three guys ranked to be All-Americans. We're going to have to go in there fighting to compete, but that's the plan.

Iowa State University Athletics

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