Des Moines Register
03-30-06
Zalesky, Douglas out; Sanderson in as new Iowa State wrestling coach
DAN MCCOOL AND TOM WITOSKY
REGISTER STAFF WRITERS
Iowa State has replaced wrestling coach Bobby Douglas with associate head coach and Cyclone legend Cael Sanderson .
Douglas, who was in his 14th season as Iowa State's coach, disclosed the change in his employment status in an interview with The Des Moines Register .
"Cael is the new coach at Iowa State," said Douglas, 64. "I am no longer the coach."
Sanderson and Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard could not be reached for comment.
Iowa State officials said a news conference will be held at 11 a.m. Friday to
"announce the retirement of Cyclone head wrestling coach Bobby Douglas and the hiring of associate head coach Cael Sanderson."
The decisions in Ames did not appear to have any connection to Wednesday's news from Iowa City that the Hawkeyes had fired coach Jim Zalesky and his staff. Douglas told the Register a decision was reached at Iowa State in the past two days, before Iowa moved to change its coaching situation.
Douglas is the second coach of a major sport at Iowa State to leave his post this month. Men's basketball coach Wayne Morgan was fired March 17.
Sanderson, a four-time NCAA champion wrestler who compiled an unparalleled
159-0 college record before earning a 2004 Olympic freestyle gold medal, inherits a wrestling team that finished 13th at the most recent NCAA championships and fourth out of five schools at the Big 12 Conference championships.
Earlier this month, Pollard told the Register that Sanderson, 26, would succeed
Douglas as Iowa State's sixth wrestling coach at some point in the future.
"It's everybody's intent, at some point in time in the future, that Cael will be our head coach," Pollard said then.
Sanderson said earlier this month that he would like the opportunity to guide the
Cyclones.

"I'm an alumnus here and I love Iowa State," Sanderson said. "It's been home for a long time, so Iowa State is obviously my first choice."
Sanderson said Douglas has been an ideal person to learn from.
"I learn different technique from him every day," Sanderson said. "Every incident that we have, he's probably already had it 10 times."
Douglas received $135,695 last year and Sanderson was paid $62,905, according to state pay records.
Under his contract, Douglas could remain on the athletic department staff or in another university division for three years at a salary of not less than $50,000, if athletic department officials decide not to extend his contract. Douglas' deal was set to end on June 30, but athletic department officials had the option of extending until June 30, 2007, and again until June 30, 2008.
Details about Sanderson's contract were not immediately known.
In a pre-NCAA championships interview, Sanderson shed light on the kind of wrestlers he wants to bring to the Iowa State practice room.
"We want kids who are going to fight, compete for 7 minutes from whistle to whistle," he said.
Douglas leaves the top Cyclone job after 33 years as a head wrestling coach at three universities. Douglas began his career in 1973-74 at California-Santa
Barbara, spent 19 years at Arizona State and his final 14 at Iowa State.
During his tenure at Iowa State, Douglas compiled a 198-75-3 dual-meet record, but his team never won the NCAA championship. Douglas led Arizona State to the 1988 NCAA team title when the tournament was held in Ames.
The Cyclones' best team finishes were second in 1996, 2000 and 2002.
Douglas said Wednesday that he reached every goal he set for himself except for bringing a national championship team title to Iowa State.
"I ran out of time, to be quite honest with you," Douglas said. "It's a matter of making the right moves at the right time with the right people."
SANDERSON'S CAREER
THE EARLY YEARS: Sanderson was born on June 20, 1979, and became a four-time Utah state champion at Wasatch High School in Heber City. He finished

his prep career with a record of 127-3.
PERFECT COLLEGIAN: He finished his Iowa State career in 2002, becoming the only wrestler to win four national titles with a perfect record (159-0). His brothers Cole and Cody also wrestled for the Cyclones. A fourth brother, Cyler, was withheld from varsity competition as a freshman this season.
SHINING MOMENT: Sanderson won a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in
Athens, Greece. "I see the medal," said Sanderson, looking down at his chest after the match "but it's hard to believe."
BY BOBBY'S SIDE: Sanderson has served on Bobby Douglas' staff for two seasons, filling the role of associate head coach this season. He helped land the nation's top recruiting class last spring. "Whether it's at Iowa State or somewhere else, I'm not in any hurry to rush things," he told the Register this month when asked about the prospects of becoming a head coach. "I want to be ready . . . I still have a lot to learn."