Gable Steveson wants to 'put on a show,' finish Gophers career with 2nd NCAA title
University of Minnesota wrestler Gable Steveson celebrates after beating Mason Parris of Michigan to win the NCAA title at 285 pounds Saturday night. ((credit: NCAA.com))
MINNEAPOLIS - University of Minnesota star Gable Steveson sat and answered questions from reporters Wednesday afternoon, less than 24 hours before he starts his quest for a second straight NCAA title.
Not that he needed the reminder, but the Gophers’ heavyweight sat with the championship trophy directly to his right. He hops to hoist that hardware one final time this weekend and become just the sixth Minnesota wrestler in program history to win multiple NCAA titles.
"It would mean a lot to go out on top. I can speak for everybody in these chairs, everybody wants to go out with that first place trophy. We’re going to put both feet forward and just go out there and enjoy our time," Steveson said. "We just love the sport of wrestling. Wrestling has made me a better human, a better wrestler, a better everything."
Steveson’s time with the Gophers has been a roller-coaster. He was suspended from the team a little over two years ago, facing accusations of sexual assault. He was later cleared of any wrongdoing, reinstated and back on the mat with the Gophers in January of 2020.
He won the first of three straight Big Ten championships that year, but never got the chance to wrestle for an NCAA title after the tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, another Big Ten title, his first NCAA title and then he shocked the world, winning Olympic gold with Team USA in Tokyo on a walk-off takedown.
He eventually made the decision to come back for one more year, rather than pursue full-time opportunities with WWE or UFC. Amid the attention and fans seeking autographs, he’s never lost sight of his purpose.
"What people don’t see in the limelight doesn’t go unnoticed, so I just try to make sure I put my good heart out there and my good soul so that people can really see who Gable Steveson is," Steveson said." A lot of people really don’t know who he is, and I’m trying to put out that message that Gable is a figure for these little kids that are going to come and watch."
He says in five to 10 years, he sees himself a "superstar" that has changed wrestling at the amateur and professional levels. It’s his goal to become the next "Rock."
Steveson takes a perfect 13-0 record into the NCAA Tournament and is one of nine Gophers to qualify. His perfect season includes one fall, four technical falls, seven major decisions and one victory by forfeit. He’s 81-2 for his career, and with a perfect weekend, can finish 86-2 and a two-time national champion.
"It's bittersweet, it’s my last NCAA Tournament. Just want to make sure everyone watches a good show because when the lights hit, Gable hits better," Steveson said.