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AMES, Iowa (AP) -- Olympic champion Cael Sanderson was hired Friday as Iowa State's wrestling coach, taking over a team that Bobby Douglas ran for 14 seasons.
Sanderson, a 2004 gold medalist, was a four-time NCAA champion at Iowa State from 1999-02. He is the only wrestler in NCAA history to finish his career undefeated (159-0).
Douglas retired Wednesday and will stay at Iowa State as an assistant athletic director. Under Douglas, Iowa State finished in the top 10 at the NCAA tournament seven times.
Athletic director Jamie Pollard said the timing of Sanderson's appointment -- one day before Iowa announced it would not renew coach Jim Zalesky's contract -- had nothing to do with the Hawkeyes' vacancy.
Pollard said Douglas chose to retire on his own, partly to ensure Sanderson would take over.
"To me, this was really a decision about a head coach, a mentor and his pupil and our strong desire that we would do everything possible to make sure that vision happened," Pollard said. "My guess is (Douglas) felt it was time to step aside and let Cael take the reins."
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APTV-03-31-06 1434MST
