Sanderson brothers wrestling Iowa State to the top

By Michael Yoder
Collegian Staff Writer

Within the Wasatch Mountain Range of central Utah lies the small town of Heber City.

Lying in a mountain valley surrounded by 12,000-foot peaks and world class ski resorts, the population of almost 5,000 goes about the day with an air of small town living where neighbors still know each other's names.

One family name that has become familiar with most of the residents of the small mountain hamlet is the surname Sanderson — more specifically three brothers known as Cody, Cole and Cael.

The Sanderson brothers have worked their way into the forefront of the wrestling scene from the state of Utah to become the premiere combination of commitment, excellence and determination in the nation.

But what drives the Sanderson brothers more than anything is a brotherhood that has blossomed into a close-nit friendship.

"The part I enjoy most about wrestling is being with my brothers," Cole said. "I don't see myself wrestling without them."

The careers of the three standout wrestlers from Iowa State began early on in their childhood through the encouragement of their father, Steve Sanderson. He wrestled at BYU in his collegiate career and later became the head wrestling coach of Wasatch High School in Heber City.

As the three brothers began working their way through grammar school and junior high, the day arrived when father and sons would be united on the mat as coach and teammates.

"Having all three of them on the team gave me the opportunity to spend a lot of time with them," Steve said. "Actually, we used wrestling to keep our family close together."

The close knit family consists Debbie, their mother, the three older brothers and a fourth brother, Cyler, who is still in junior high.

By their own words, the Sanderson brothers admit having a normal childhood consisting of playing Little League Baseball, soccer and playing in the streets.

"They're just normal kids," Steve said. "They probably wouldn't seem like successful athletes if you saw them on the street. They're really down to earth. They did the normal things kids do."

One unordinary attribute shown by all three brothers was an aptitude for breaking down opponents on a foamy mat and dominating a sport collectively.

Through high school, the three brothers amassed 11 state championships between them and national accolades from prestigious wrestling publications.

Cody finished his high school career with a 106-5 record and four Utah state titles, only the second person to pull off the feat in state history. He was named the to prep 119-pounder by Amateur Wrestling News.

Cole put up equally impressive career records. He compiled a 119-8 career mark and did not lose in his final two seasons, going 64-0. He won three state championships and was rated the top 140-pounder in the nation. On top of his athletic success, Cole carried a 3.97 GPA through high school and earned academic all-state honors.

Not to be outdone by his two brothers, Cael worked his way through school to go 127-3 and came away with four state championships. He was also named academic all-state with his impressive academic career.

"People in Utah feel like they're their own kids," Steve said. "Now people in Iowa have started to adopt them as their own too."

When Cody graduated from high school, he made the decision to leave the tranquil mountain ranges of Utah for the flat plainlands of Ames, Iowa.

Iowa State offered a chance for the wrestler to hone his skills and pursue a career in medicine at a world-class university. Another reason for his decision was Bob Douglas, Iowa State's wrestling coach. The Sanderson's had grown close to the legendary coach while attending his wrestling camp at Arizona State.

And as the other two brothers finished school, the choice became obvious where they would attend college — a reunion on the mat would occur at Iowa State.

"It's just been fun having both of them along," Cody said. "We try and support each other. It's great having two other people there that want to achieve the same goals."

For the past year, the three brothers have been leading the Iowa State team on and off the mat through a work ethic unmatched by many in collegiate wrestling.

Each has brought their own style and attitude to the team, an aspect coach Douglas described as invaluable to the team's success.

"All three of them are well respected for the positive traits they bring to the table," Douglas said. "Cole is respected for his effort. Cody is respected for his effort and compassion. Cael is respected for his talent and work ethic.

"They are low maintenance, self-motivating and highly competitive. They set very high standards for themselves. They're a coach's dream. They make me look like a pretty good coach."

The competition each has brought to the table at Iowa State has elevated the bar of success in the Big 12 conference and nationally.

Cody was the runner up at 133 pounds last season at the NCAA Championships. He earned All-American honors for the first time.

This season he is currently ranked No. 2 at 133 pounds and recently notched his 100th career victory. His personal life has also taken a turn with his marriage to Sarah, an Iowa State gymnast over the summer.

"Cody is the responsible guy," Cole said. "He's the typical older brother. He watches out for everyone and picks people up when they're down."

Perhaps the most successful of the three brothers has come from the youngest at Iowa State. Cael finished his freshman year with a perfect 38-0 mark and a national championship. He still holds a perfect mark this season and is ranked No. 1 at 184 pounds.

Although he has the pressure placed on him by many wrestling fans to carry an undefeated record through college, Cael handles the pressure with grace and ease.

"I don't worry about any pressure other people put on me," Cael said. "I just take it one match at a time and give it everything I have."

Those closest to Cael recognize him as a down to earth individual, quick with a joke.

"Cael is the talented smart allec," Cole said. "He's always making you laugh."

He has transferred his humor into a possible future career. He is majoring in art and design and hopes to follow in the footsteps of The Far Side creator Gary Larsen as a comic writer. Cael keeps a shoebox full of jokes he creates in his mind for use in comics he hopes to write.

For Cole, success in collegiate wrestling has not been as easy as his other brothers', but he still holds impressive accolades. Last year, he finished with a 23-12 mark and a short run at the NCAA Championships.

"I keep going whether I win or lose," Cole said. "I may not have as much success as my brothers in wrestling, but I keep working hard everyday."

Even though each has gone through impressive careers, no bragging rights are ever exchanged. The three brothers remain companions.

"There is no family rivalry at all," Cody said. "I want both of them to be successful. We spent a lot of time growing up together and we became best friends."