![]() |
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Born | April 20, 1967 57) White Sands, New Mexico, U.S. | (age|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Home town | Torrance, California, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Country | United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Wrestling | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Event(s) | Freestyle and Folkstyle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
College team | Arizona State Cal State Bakersfield | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club | Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team | USA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coached by | Bobby Douglas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
|
Townsend Saunders (born April 20, 1967) is an Olympic silver medalist in freestyle wrestling. [1] Collegiately, Saunders was a two-time NCAA Division I All-American at Arizona State University and an NCAA Division II National Champion for California State University-Bakersfield. Townsend was also a Goodwill Games gold medalist in 1994 and won two Pan American Games gold medals in 1991 and 1995.
Saunders was born in White Sands, New Mexico. Known in college as "Junior" Saunders, [2] he adopted his given name in international competition. In 1985, he was a California State runner-up while wrestling for Torrance High School in Torrance, California. Townsend Saunders has also competed in mixed martial arts for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, at UFC 16 and UFC 18.
Saunders is married to Tricia Saunders, a four-time FILA World Champion in women's freestyle wrestling, and is the father of three children.
In 2019, Saunders was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member. [3]
2 matches | 0 wins | 2 losses |
By decision | 0 | 2 |
Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 0–2 | Mikey Burnett | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 18 | January 8, 1999 | 1 | 15:00 | Kenner, Louisiana, United States | |
Loss | 0–1 | Pat Miletich | Decision (split) | UFC 16 | March 13, 1998 | 1 | 15:00 | Kenner, Louisiana, United States | MMA Debut. |
Pat Smith is a former folkstyle and freestyle wrestler. He competed collegiately at Oklahoma State University (OSU) and later served as an assistant coach at OSU. During his collegiate wrestling career, Smith became the first four-time NCAA Division I champion in the sport's history. His older brother is John Smith, who was a two-time NCAA champion, six-time gold medalist at the World and Olympic levels, and former head wrestling coach at Oklahoma State.
Danny Mack Gable is an American former folkstyle and freestyle wrestler and coach. Considered to be one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Gable is a two-time NCAA Division I national champion, a world gold medalist, and an Olympic gold medalist. Gable was only the third wrestler to be inducted into the United World Wrestling's Hall of Fame in the Legend category. In 2014, Gable was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame and awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2020.
John William Smith is an American folkstyle and freestyle wrestler and coach. Smith was a two-time NCAA Division I national champion, and a six-time world level champion with two Olympic Championships and four World Wrestling Championships. Smith is the only American wrestler ever to win six consecutive World and Olympic championships as a competitor. At the end of his competitive career, Smith had won more World and Olympic gold medals in wrestling than any other American. Smith was widely known for his low single leg takedown, and is considered one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers of all time.
David Lesley Schultz was an American Olympic and World champion freestyle wrestler, and a seven-time World and Olympic medalist. He coached individuals and teams at the college level and also privately.
Steve Mocco is an American former amateur wrestler, judoka and mixed martial artist. As a collegiate wrestler, he was a two-time NCAA national champion, four-time finalist, and was awarded the Dan Hodge Trophy. In freestyle, he represented the US at the Olympics and was a three-time Pan American Champion. As an MMA fighter, he most notably competed at the WSOF. He is currently a coach at both combat sports, being one of the main coaches at MMA powerhouse American Top Team and an assistant wrestling coach at Lehigh University.
Stephen Anthony Abas is an American Olympic freestyle wrestler and mixed martial artist. Abas became a three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion in the 125 lb (57 kg) weight division while attending Fresno State University. He has competed in two world freestyle championships and received a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys wrestling team is the most successful NCAA Division I athletic program of all time in any sport. As of 2021–2022, Oklahoma State wrestling has won 34 team national championships, 143 individual NCAA championships, and 485 All-American honors.
Leslie Lyle Gutches is an American former wrestler and coach. His accomplishments include becoming a World Champion in freestyle wrestling at the 1997 World Wrestling Championships, the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation's best college wrestler in 1996, becoming the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) champion in the 177 lb. weight division in both 1995 and 1996, earning All-American status in 1994, 1995 & 1996, becoming a member of the 1996 United States Olympics freestyle wrestling team and winning numerous other tournaments and honors.
Kevin Andre Jackson is an American retired freestyle and folkstyle wrestler, and mixed martial artist. Following his competitive career, Jackson would become a wrestling coach.
Mark Philip Schultz is a former American freestyle wrestler. Schultz was a 3-time NCAA champion, Olympic champion and 2-time World champion. In 1995, Schultz was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member. He is also in the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame, the California Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the San Mateo Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame.
Barry Alan Davis is an Olympic silver medalist, a World bronze and silver medalist, and a Pan American Games gold medalist in freestyle wrestling. From 1994 until 2018, he served as head wrestling coach at the University of Wisconsin.
Daniel Ryan Cormier is an American former professional mixed martial artist, freestyle wrestler, and current commentator for the UFC. As a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight Champion, Cormier is the second fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously and is the first fighter to have title defenses in two divisions. As an international wrestler, Cormier was a six-time US World or Olympic Team Member, a World bronze medalist, a World Cup runner-up, a 2003 Pan American Games gold medalist, and a two-time Pan American champion. In folkstyle wrestling, Cormier was an NCAA Division I national finalist and two-time Big 12 Conference runner-up for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. He was also a two-time NJCAA champion.
Harry Geris was a Canadian Olympic wrestler who represented Canada in the 1968, 1972, and 1976 Olympics, 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games and 1975 Pan American Games.
Henry Carlos Cejudo is an American professional mixed martial artist and former freestyle wrestler. He currently competes in the Bantamweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC Flyweight Champion and Bantamweight Champion. Cejudo is the fourth UFC fighter to hold titles in two different weight classes simultaneously, and the second to defend titles in two different weight divisions. He is considered to be among the greatest combat athletes of all time due to his accomplishments in MMA and freestyle wrestling, earning him the nickname "Triple C."
The Iowa State Cyclones wrestling team represents Iowa State University (ISU) and competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I. The Cyclones are 8 time National Champions, 17 time National Runners-Up, and have 45 Trophy Finishes. The team is coached by Kevin Dresser. The Cyclones host their home meets at Hilton Coliseum on Iowa State's campus. Iowa State became the second collegiate wrestling program to reach 1,100 dual wins on January 23, 2022.
Leroy (Lee) P. Kemp, Jr. is an American former freestyle and folkstyle wrestler. Kemp would achieve success at the high school, collegiate, and international levels.
Tricia Saunders is an American amateur wrestler and pioneer the sport of women's freestyle wrestling. During her freestyle wrestling career, she won five FILA Wrestling World Championships medals, including four gold and one silver, never lost to an American opponent, and won eleven U.S. national titles.
Jacob Stephen "Jake" Varner is an American wrestler. Varner won the gold medal in the 96 kg category at the 2012 Summer Olympics in freestyle wrestling.
Kyle Frederick Snyder is an American freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who competes at 97 kilograms.
The Ohio State Buckeyes wrestling team represents the Ohio State University and competes in the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA Division I level. The Buckeyes host their home meets at the Covelli Center on Ohio State's campus.