Dan Gable remains one of the most popular and influential figures in wrestling. Known for his high-intensity training methods, Gable revolutionized wrestling and transcended the sport. 

Dan Gable was a three-time state wrestling champion for Waterloo West High School (64-0) and a two-time NCAA wrestling champion for Iowa State (117-1). Gable won 181 consecutive matches through high school and college until he lost his last match in college. He won the 1971 World Championship and then won the 1972 Munich Olympics at 149.5 pounds without surrendering a single point. Gable was named the head wrestling coach at the University of Iowa in 1976 and took the wrestling program to unprecedented heights, winning 15 NCAA team championships in 21 seasons as head coach, including nine NCAA team championships in a row from 1978-86, and 21 consecutive Big 10 championships.

Gable has been named to the USA Wrestling Hall of Fame, the United States Olympic Hall of Fame, and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and he is the namesake of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. He has been named the top wrestler of the 20th century by Gannett News Services, is listed as one of the top coaches of the 20th century by ESPN, and is named Iowa’s top sports figure in the past 100 years. In 1996, Gable was named one of the “100 Golden Olympians,” an honor bestowed to the top 100 US Olympians of all time.

During the 2012 Olympics, he was inducted into the FILA Hall of Fame Legends of the Sport category, becoming one of five people in the world to receive this honor. Iowa Wrestling, led by Dan Gable, was named the top Division I male sports dynasty by NCAA “High Five”—beating out UCLA basketball. Dan currently lives in Iowa City with his wife, Kathy. He has four daughters—Jenni, Annie, Molly, and Mackie—four sons-in-law and 14 grandkids (10 boys and four girls). 

A statue of Dan Gable was built outside of Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City

Dan Gable Timeline

October 25, 1948—Dan Gable born in Waterloo, Iowa

1964—Dan Gable wins first of three Iowa high school state wrestling championships for West Waterloo. Gable defeats Mike Reams of Charles City in the 95-pound state championship finals, 6-4. He finishes his sophomore season with a 20-0 record with 4 pins.

1965—Dan Gable wins his second state championship. Gable defeats Dennis Knudson of Fort Dodge 6-0 to win the 103-pound state championship finals. He finishes his junior season 21-0 with 10 pins.

1966—Dan Gable wins his third and final state wrestling championship. Gable defeats Don Briggs of Cedar Rapids Jefferson 11-1 in the state championship finals. He finishes his senior year with a 23-0 record with 11 pins. He completes his high school career with a 64-0 record with 25 pins.

1966—Dan Gable signs with Iowa State University. He wins the prestigious Midlands wrestling tournament at 130 pounds as a true freshman. Due to rules in place at the time, freshmen were not allowed to compete in varsity competitions. However, Gable compiles a 17-0 record with 9 pins during open tournaments and freshmen meets during the 1966-1967 season.

1968—Dan Gable wins his first individual Big Eight championship and NCAA championship. Gable won the NCAA tournament at 130 pounds with a 4-1 win over the defending NCAA champion Dave McGuire (Oklahoma) in the finals. He finishes his sophomore season 37-0 with 18 pins. Iowa State places second as a team.

1969—Dan Gable wins his second individual Big Eight title and his second NCAA championship. He pins his way through both the Big Eight tournament and the NCAA tournament to win titles at 137 pounds. Gable finishes his junior season 30-0 with 26 pins. Iowa State wins the team title by 35 points over runner-up Oklahoma.

1970—Dan Gable enters the NCAA tournament finals with an 181-0 record over his high school and college career. Gable pins his way through the Big Eight tournament and the NCAA tournament (142 pounds) until he reaches the 1970 NCAA championship finals. Larry Owings of Washington upsets Dan Gable 13-11, handing Gable the only loss of his high school and college career. He finishes his senior season with a 34-1 record with 30 pins. His overall college career record was 117-1 with 83 pins. His overall career record through high school and college was 181-1 with 108 pins. He won two All-Star matches after his loss to Owings in the finals.

1971—Dan Gable wins the World Championship in Bulgaria at 149.5 pounds. He won all six of his matches, including four pins.

1972—Dan Gable wins a gold medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics at 149.5 pounds without surrendering a point in six matches. He won three matches by fall and the other three matches by scores of 20-0, 6-0, and 3-0. Gable surrendered one point in 22 matches at the Olympic trials and Olympic Games. He became the first American wrestler to win a World Championship and an Olympic title in consecutive years.

1972—Dan Gable joins the University of Iowa coaching staff as an assistant coach.

1975—The University of Iowa wins its first NCAA wrestling championship with a 25-point win over runner-up Oklahoma.

1976—Dan Gable was named the head wrestling coach at the University of Iowa.

1978—Dan Gable wins his first NCAA championship as the head wrestling coach at Iowa. The Hawkeyes won the NCAA tournament by ½ a point over Gable’s alma mater, Iowa State.

1980—Dan Gable was named the head freestyle wrestling coach of the 1980 Olympic team. The is not allowed to compete due to a boycott by the United States due to the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.

1984—Dan Gable was named the head wrestling coach of the freestyle wrestling coach for the 1984 Olympics. The freestyle team garners 7 gold and 2 silver medals.

1986—Gable coaches the University of Iowa to its ninth consecutive NCAA championship. The Hawkeyes crown five individual NCAA champions and score 158 points—a new NCAA tournament record.

1987—Iowa placed second to Iowa State at the NCAA wrestling tournament, which halted Iowa’s string of NCAA tournament victories at nine. 

1997—Dan Gable coaches his last NCAA tournament as the head wrestling coach at the University of Iowa. The Hawkeyes crown five individual NCAA champions and set the all-time NCAA tournament point record at 170 points. The NCAA tournament took place at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa—just miles away from where Gable grew up. Gable ends his 21-year coaching career with a 355-21-5 dual meet record, 21 consecutive Big Ten titles, and 15 NCAA championships. He also coaches 45 individual NCAA champions, 152 All-Americans, and 106 individual Big Ten champions.

2000—Dan Gable is named co-head coach of the Sydney freestyle Olympic team.

2002–Dan Gable considers run for governor of Iowa.

2006—Dan Gable returns for one season as an assistant wrestling coach at the University of Iowa.

2013—The International Olympic Committee recommends that wrestling be dropped from the Olympic Games beginning in 2020. Dan Gable takes a leadership role in the effort to get wrestling reinstated back into the Olympics through 2024. 

2020—Dan Gable was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Donald Trump. 

Dan Gable was known for his intensity during his coaching tenure at the University of Iowa (1977-97)

Dan Gable The Wrestler

— Won the 1972 Olympics without surrendering a point
— 1971 World champion
— 1971 Pan-American champion
— 1971 Tbilisi Russian national champion
— 304-7-2 lifetime record (high school, college, and international)
— Two-time NCAA champion (1968-69) and three-time finalist at Iowa State University (1968-70)
— Three-time Big Eight champion (1968-70)
— 183-1 record in high school and college (1963-70)
— 64-0 in high school (1963-66)
— Three-time state champion for Waterloo West High School (1964-66)
— 119-1 in college (1966-70)
— Pinned 25 consecutive opponents in college
— Pinned his way through the 1969 NCAA tournament
— Six-time Midlands champion (five-time outstanding wrestler)

Dan Gable’s Coaching Career

— Head wrestling coach at the University of Iowa from 1977-1997 (21 years)
— 355-21-5 career dual meet record
— 15 NCAA team titles
— 21 consecutive Big Ten titles
— Won nine consecutive NCAA titles from 1978-1986
— 106 individual Big Ten champions
— 45 individual NCAA champions
— 152 All-Americans
— 12 Olympic athletes
— 4 Olympic gold medalists
— Head coach of the 1980, 1984, and 2000 Olympic team

Iowa’s Dan Gable Coaching Era (1977-1997)

NCAA team titles
Iowa - 15
Oklahoma State - 3
Iowa State - 2
Arizona State - 1

All-Americans
Iowa - 152
Oklahoma State - 112
Iowa State - 104
Arizona State - 76

NCAA Points
Iowa - 2536.75
Oklahoma State - 1690.50
Iowa State - 1545.75
Oklahoma - 1101.50

National Champions
Iowa - 45
Oklahoma State - 25
Iowa State - 18
Oklahoma - 13

NCAA Finalists
Iowa - 78
Oklahoma State - 42
Iowa State - 28
Oklahoma - 25