"Cael Sanderson is the goat", "Job well done"-Fans react as Penn State head coach wins 11th NCAA Wrestling Championship in 13 years

While Cael Sanderson is already regarded as one of the greatest NCAA wrestlers, the 4x NCAA Division I champion is putting up an even greater legacy in his coaching career as he raced to his 11th title in 13 years with Penn State. Fans on social media are lauding the head coach as the GOAT.

Penn State emerged as the champions at the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships with a record-breaking score of 172.5 points. The previous record was 170, set by Iowa in 1997.

Penn State crowned eight wrestlers as All-Americans and four as National Champions including four-timers Carter Starocci and Aaron Brooks. They had six finalists, and the margin between the second best team, Cornell, and Penn State was a whopping 100 points.

It marked Penn State’s third straight championship, and 11th in the last 13 years. The 44-year-old head coach received widespread appreciation on social media, and WWE superstar Kurt Angle also joined in.

"I watched the NCAA Division 1 Wrestling Championship Finals last night. A huge congrats to Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson. PSU crowned 4 individual champions. They did not disappoint. Penn State dominated the competition and broke the all time team scoring record. Job well done coach! Penn State continues to add up more and more wrestling national championships. I don’t see them slowing down anytime soon either," he expressed.

A fan called Sanderson the GOAT of athletics.

"Cael Sanderson is THE goat of athletics. 12 titles as coach, many more to come, no losses as a competitor in college. The pinnacle of mastery of sport. Period," they wrote.

Here are more reactions:

Cael Sanderson didn't lose a match in collegiate career

Titan Games Day 3-Cael Sanderson (Right)

Cael Sanderson went undefeated in his four years of college wrestling at Iowa State. He became the NCAA Wrestling Champion for four straight years: 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002. Sanderson boasts an incredible record of 159-0.

The 44-year-old also won the Big 12 Championship for four straight years during his time at Iowa State. Sanderson became the first wrestler in NCAA history to be named the Outstanding Wrestler as a Freshman. He went undefeated in his next three seasons as well and recorded a total of 40 wins and zero losses in his NCAA career.

Sanderson is an Olympic gold medalist as well. He participated in the 2004 Athens Olympics in the 84 kg category and secured the gold medal. The Penn State head coach has a world silver medal as well as a bronze medal at the Pan American Games.