Zach Sanders

Sanders Promoted to Assistant Coach

MINNEAPOLIS – Zach Sanders has been promoted to assistant coach, Minnesota wrestling head coach Brandon Eggum announced Thursday.

Sanders has spent the past six seasons as the team’s volunteer assistant coach, working primarily with the team’s lightweights. Including his four years as an administrative assistant, he’s been a member of the wrestling staff for over 10 seasons.

“I have given a lot of time and energy to the program because of the relationships I treasure from within the program,” Sanders said. “I have turned down a lot of opportunities over the years because this is where I want to be. Minnesota Wrestling is what I’m passionate about.”

During his tenure, he’s helped nine wrestlers at 125, 133 and 141 lbs., earn 14 All-America honors. In addition, 28 wrestlers at those weight classes have qualified for the NCAA Championships, highlighted by Ethan Lizak’s runner-up finish in 2017. Meanwhile, Chris Dardanes was Big Ten champion at 133 lbs., in 2015.

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University of Minnesota Coaches Clinic set for October 28th

Headlining wrestling clinicians include Hayden Zillmer, Troy Steiner, Mitch Hull, and Zach Sanders

The University of Minnesota wrestling team, led by Brandon Eggum and his staff, will once again host a coaches clinic this fall. The event will take place on Friday, October 28th, 2022, inside the Minnesota wrestling room in Minneapolis, Minn. The clinic offers professional instruction on the fundamentals and techniques of coaching wrestling and is open to coaches, fans, and wrestlers of all ages.

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Eight inducted into the 2022 Bartelma Minnesota Wrestling Hall of Fame

2022 MWCA Award Recipients Honored

Benson, Minn. – Eight new members were inducted into the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association Dave Bartelma Hall of Fame on Saturday, May 7th in Benson, Minn.

The new inductees honored were Steve Carlson, Neil Jennissen, Dan Lefebvre, Tony Nelson, Jim Repke, Ron Sanders, Zach Sanders, and Kevin Steinhaus.

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Sanders, McKee to Compete at HWC Showdown Open

Former Gopher All-Americans Zach Sanders and Mitch McKee are scheduled to compete at the Hawkeye Wrestling Club (HWC) Showdown Open Sunday at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.

In the main event, Sanders will face two-time NCAA Champion and 2020 Hodge Trophy Award winner Spencer Lee, a senior for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Currently a volunteer assistant coach for Minnesota, Sanders was a four-time All-American from 2009-12 and finished sixth in Gopher history with a 134-27-1 career record.

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Zach Sanders Prepares for Last Chance Qualifier

Volunteer assistant coach Zach Sanders and two members of the Minnesota Storm Regional Training Center (RTC) are registered to compete at the 2019 Last Chance Senior World Team Trials Qualifier.

Held at Kohler Fieldhouse in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania from May 3-5, the highest placing wrestler at each weight that is not already qualified will earn a qualification to the 2019 World Team Trials in Raleigh, North Carolina from May 16-19.

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Gophers Coach Zach Sanders With Whirlwind Postseason

The day after the Big Ten Champions, Gophers volunteer assistant coach Zach Sanders flew to one of the coldest parts of the world: Yakutsk, Russia. In Yakutsk, Sanders competed at the Freestyle Wrestling World Cup.

As soon as the competition ended, Sanders flew back to America, but this time went straight to Pittsburgh for the NCAA Championships. In the span of two weeks, Sanders coached the Maroon and Gold at their two biggest postseason tournaments in addition to pushing himself against global grapplers.

“I was obviously excited, but it was brutal in a way,” Sanders said of the nearly 18 hours in the air. “It was awesome to be out there, but also by the end I was ready to back with the guys.”

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Gophers Greats Head to Freestyle World Cup

Two former Gopher greats, Zach Sanders and Tony Nelson, are headed to Yakutsk, Russia, for the Freestyle World Cup on March 16-17.

Sanders (’12), a four-time All-American, is also a volunteer coach for the Gopher wrestling team. He’ll comete at 57kg after a career with the Gophers at 125-pounds.

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