Gable Steveson returning for fifth season with Gophers wrestling team

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Gable Dan Steveson of Team United celebrates defeating Geno Petriashvili of Team Georgia during the Men’s Freestyle 125kg Gold Medal Match on day fourteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Makuhari Messe Hall on August 06, 2021 in Chiba, Japan. (Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Gable Steveson is back for one more run with the University of Minnesota wrestling team.

Steveson and the Gophers announced on Tuesday he’s returning to Minnesota for his fifth and final college season. He has one more year of eligibility left due to NCAA waivers with taking a redshirt for the Olympics, and getting an extra year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Why it matters

Steveson is an Olympic gold medalist and two-time NCAA champion at heavyweight. He’s also a two-time Hodge Trophy winner, given annually to the best college wrestler.

He’s one of six Gophers’ wrestlers in history to win multiple NCAA titles, and one of eight to win three Big Ten titles. He’s also one of 11 to earn All-American honors four times.

Steveson has an 85-2 carer record at Minnesota, is 48-0 in dual competition and 36-0 in Big Ten action. Steveson took his talents to WWE, and had a stint in an NFL training camp with the Buffalo Bills before being released.

What they’re saying

Steveson made the announcement through a post on Gopher wrestling’s social media pages.

"First I would like to thank the University of Minnesota for their time, their effort and their persistence with me to push me to the man I am today," Steveson said in his comeback video.
"Minnesota has given me everything, and now it's my turn to give it right back to them: to put my feet back on the wrestling mat, to be the champ, one more time."

His coach couldn’t be more excited to have him back.

"Gable has the burning desire to compete for the Maroon and Gold one last time," Brandon Eggum said. "We are thankful he has chosen the opportunity to add to his historic legacy with our program. He is one of the best to ever compete in the sport of wrestling, and we are grateful for the impact has had at our program."