Defending The Title: 1999: Those Who Did and Those Who Did Not Defend The Title

 Oklahoma State's Eric Guerrero finishes off his career as a three time champion. 

Both Minnesota's Tim Hartung and Cal State Bakersfield's Stephen Neal finish off their careers as two time champions. 

1999 Champion 125
Stephen Abas of Fresno State 

During high school Stephen Abas won three state titles, one for Canton Springs and two for James Logan.  Competing for the Bulldogs in college, Abas put together an incredible 144-4 career record.  Placing 4th in the nation as a true freshman in 1998, he won his first NCAA title as a true sophomore in 1999. Taking the 2000 season off in a redshirt, he returned to win two more NCAA titles in 2001 and 2002.  Post college he won Pan-American Gold in 2003 and Olympic Silver in 2004.  He then had a brief career in MMA.  Brother Gerry was a three time NCAA runner-up for the Bulldogs and his other brother Greg Gascon was an All American at New Mexico. Goes to show how foolish of a man Terry Tumey is when he wants to disgrace a legend like this by dropping wrestling at Fresno State. 

1999 Champion 141
Doug Schwab of Iowa 

A state champion for Osage high school, Schwab won 130 matches for the Hawkeyes during his collegiate career. His national title came in his sophomore season of 1999 as he finished 3rd in 2000 and as the NCAA runner-up in 2001.  Post college he won Pan-American Silver and World Bronze. He  is now the head coach of the Northern Iowa Panthers. Brother Mark, who helps him coach was a two time All American at Northern Iowa. 

1999 Champion 149 
T.J. Williams of Iowa 

A four time Illinois state champion for Mount Carmel high school, Williams began his collegiate career at Lassen where he was an NJCAA runner-up. Competing for the Hawkeyes he won the NCAA title in 1999 as a sophomore.  Upset at the 2000 NCAA's where he finished in 3rd place, he came back in 2001 to win his second NCAA title.  He ended his Hawkeye career with a record of 98-1.  Coaching at Tremont High School, Williams also runs is own wrestling club.  Brother Joe won three NCAA titles for Iowa and brother Steve was an NJCAA champion as well. 

1999 Champion 157
Casey Cunningham of Central Michigan 

A two time state champion for Fulton high school, Cunningham won three MAC titles for the Chippewas while in college.  The 1998 NCAA runner-up, Cunningham finished off his collegiate career as the national champion in 1999.  His overall record was 134-19.  A Pan-American silver medalist in 2008, he has since coached at Penn State, Iowa State and Central Michigan. His wife Tara won Olympic Gold in weight lifting in 2000. 

1999 Champion 165
Kirk White of Boise State 

Going 114-21 during his career at Boise State, White won the NCAA title for the Broncos as a sophomore in 1999.  He'd go on to finish 5th in 2000 and 6th in 2001.  Post college he won back to back Pan-American Silver medals in 2003 and 2004.  He then coached at Boise State for a while. 

1999 Champion 174
Glenn Pritzlaff of Penn State 

A three time New Jersey state champion for Middletown South, Pritzlaff earned 135 victories competing for the Nittany Lions. Placing 7th in the nation as a junior in 1998, Pritzlaff capped off his career as national champion in 1999.  He was also a three time BIG 10 Academic as well. 

1999 Champion 184 
Cael Sanderson of Iowa State 

In 1994, after 63 tournaments (math is not off, we didn't have NCAA wrestling for 3 years) the collegiate wrestling world finally crowned its first four time Division I champion. Now the question remained, could anyone win four titles and never know defeat during their collegiate career?  The answer lay in of all places, a kid from the state of Utah. 

Winning four state titles for Wasatch High, Sanderson won 159 varsity matches for the Iowa State Cyclones and he lost 0.  He won titles in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002.  Post college he won Pan-American Bronze, World Cup Gold, World Silver and World Gold.  Getting into coaching he led Iowa State to 3rd and 2nd place NCAA team finishes and he has established himself as good of a coach as he was a wrestler, taking the Penn State Nittany Lions to 8 NCAA team titles thus far. 

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Guerrero, Hartung and Neal previously mentioned 

Abas won two more titles in 2001 and 2002 

Schwab and White did not repeat 

Williams did not repeat in 2000 but did in 2001 

Sanderson repeated in 2000, 2001 and 2002 

Cunningham and Pritzlaff were both seniors