Gophers' Gable Steveson determined to dominate at NCAAs

He's won four high school state championships, three age-group world titles and a pair of Big Ten crowns, usually in dominant fashion. Elusive, though, for Gophers wrestler Gable Steveson has been the NCAA championship.

The brash, athletic heavyweight can change that Thursday through Saturday in St. Louis, where he plans to be standing atop the podium at tournament's end. Only two opponents have handed him losses in his title quest — Penn State's national champion Anthony Cassar in 2019 and the coronavirus pandemic, which wiped out last year's NCAA Championships at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Carrying a 62-2 career record, Steveson is an overwhelming NCAA title favorite. The junior from Apple Valley has won all 12 of his matches this season by major decision or better, including his 12-4 major over No. 2-ranked Mason Parris of Michigan in the Big Ten tournament final.

"This year I improved myself and proved there's a large gap between me and the rest of the field," Steveson said. "Overall, my preparation going into this tournament is about scoring as many points as possible and putting bonus points on the board."

Added Gophers coach Brandon Eggum, "It's not even about winning the national title. It's about going out with the mind-set of dominating."

And dominant Steveson has been — so much so that he's a contender to make the U.S. Olympic freestyle team at 125 kilograms (275 pounds) for the Tokyo Games. Steveson defeated Nick Gwiazdowski, a two-time World Championship bronze medalist, 4-1 in the RTC Cup in December, serving notice that his Olympic time could be now. The two could meet again at the U.S. Olympic Trials on April 2-3 in Fort Worth, Texas.

What makes Steveson so good? Quickness, strength, determination and improved conditioning. Heavyweight is a class usually known by low scores and defensive matches, and he's changing that.

In other words, he's brought the moves of a 125-pounder to the 285-pound weight class.

One of Steveson's favorite wrestlers is Iowa 125-pounder Spencer Lee, a two-time NCAA champion and the reigning Hodge Trophy winner as the nation's top collegiate wrestler.

"I love watching Spencer Lee," Steveson said. "He's separated himself so deeply in the 125 field that there's literally no other person that can compete with him."

Steveson says he loves entertaining the crowds, and he isn't averse to showmanship. He did a backflip after his final high school state title. As a Gophers freshman, he mimicked the Ali shuffle during an upset of Oklahoma State's third-ranked Derek White, declaring "This is my house!"

The braggadocio has ruffled some feathers in the wrestling world — message board warriors were downright giddy when Steveson lost to Cassar, then a senior, in both the 2019 Big Ten final and NCAA semifinals — but Eggum sees no disrespect intended.

That bravado can be an advantage, too, Eggum contends.

"In a physical sport like this, there's also mental part. Sometimes when you walk on the mat, you've won the match before it's even started," he said. " … He's done a really good job of making sure he's staying in bounds of everything that's fine and fair."

If it sounds like the stuff of pro wrestling, it's meant to be. Steveson is considering a pro wrestling career and hasn't committed to returning to the Gophers next season.

"The questions are all up in the air on that," he said. "I love the WWE and what they bring to the table. … Right now, I'm staying here and staying active with the wrestling scene. We'll see what happens with the Olympics and go from there."

First, though, is the NCAA tournament, where a Steveson championship might bring some showmanship.