# Gabe Dean

Gabriel Curtis Dean (born June 19, 1994) is an American retired freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who formerly competed at 86 kilograms. In freestyle, he was the 2020 US National Champion, a '17 Pan American Championship medalist, and a '14 Junior World Championship medalist. He was also the '15 Pan American Championship runner–up in Greco-Roman. As a collegiate wrestler, Dean was a two–time NCAA Division I champion, a four–time EIWA Conference champion, and a four–time NCAA Division I All-American for the Cornell Big Red.

## Folkstyle career
### High school

Dean was born in Lowell, Michigan, where he went on to attend Lowell High School. His father David was an NCAA Division I National runner-up out of the University of Minnesota, which led to Gabriel's early start in the sport of wrestling. During his high school years, Dean was a standout wrestler and football player, and as a quarterback, he led his team to a state title and runner–up finishes and was a two–time All-State player. In wrestling, he went on to make the finals of the MHSAA state tournament, winning the title in an undefeated run as a junior and ending his senior year as the runner–up.

### College

Dean chose to attend the Cornell University and wrestle there. During his four years of collegiate wrestling, Dean went on to become one of the most decorated athletes in the history of the team, claiming two NCAA titles and four EIWA conference titles, as well as racking up four All-American honors and a runner–up finish as a senior, where he lost to eventual three–timer Bo Nickal from Penn State in a legendarily close match. In regards to honors, Dean was a two–time EIWA and Ivy League Wrestler of the Year, as well as the Rookie of the Year as a freshman.

## International career
### 2013–2017

Dean, who was graduating high school, made his senior freestyle debut in May 2013, when he went on to place third at the Northeastern Regionals and sixth at the US University Nationals. At the 2015 Pan American Championships, Dean made his Greco-Roman debut with no previous training in the discipline, and went on to place second. In April 2017, Dean decided to wrestle at the US Open in freestyle, and went on to place sixth. Afterwards, he placed third at the Pan American Championships, with technical falls over former Olympian from Colombia Carlos Izquierdo and South American Games runner–up from Peru Pool Ambrocio. Dean then announced he would try his hand as a Greco–Roman wrestler, but after competing and losing in his first match at the 2017 US U23 World Team Trials, he decided to retire.

### 2020–2021

In October 2020, Dean opted to come out of retirement to compete at the US Nationals, where he claimed the title after defeating former All-American Nate Jackson in the finals. Next, he competed at the Flo 8-Man Challenge: 195 lbs, where he lost in the first match to Taylor Lujan (whom he had tech'd weeks earlier) after dominating prior to a pin. Dean then confirmed he would take a run for the US Olympic Team Trials. In November, Dean wrestled World Champion David Taylor at the NLWC III and went to a fairly close decision loss.
To start off the 2021 year, he earned the biggest win of his career when he defeated U23 World Champion Bo Nickal at the NLWC III, while also earning revenge from the '17 NCAA's, before being tech'd by three–time World and Olympic champion at 97 kg Kyle Snyder. On March, he earned a spot at the US Olympic Team Trials when he won the US Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier as the top–seed, defeating Nate Jackson and NCAA champion Drew Foster in the process. At the US Olympic Team Trials, Dean defeated former NCAA champion Myles Martin before being downed himself by David Taylor in a rematch, failing to make the team. After his last run, Dean returned to retirement from competition.

## Freestyle record

Senior Freestyle Matches :
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Score | Date | Event | Location |
| 2020 US Olympic Team Trials DNP at 86 kg |||||||
| Loss | 27–11 | David Taylor | 0–4 | April 2, 2021 | 2020 US Olympic Team Trials | Fort Worth, Texas |
| Win | 27–10 | Myles Martin | 2–1 | April 2, 2021 | 2020 US Olympic Team Trials | Fort Worth, Texas |
| 2020 US Last Chance OTT at 86 kg |||||||
| Win | 26–10 | Nate Jackson | 7–2 | March 27, 2021 | 2020 US Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier | Fort Worth, Texas |
| Win | 25–10 | Drew Foster | 8–0 | March 27, 2021 | 2020 US Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier | Fort Worth, Texas |
| Win | 24–10 | C.J. Brucki | TF 12–2 | March 27, 2021 | 2020 US Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier | Fort Worth, Texas |
| Win | 23–10 | Jonathan Loew | FF | March 27, 2021 | 2020 US Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier | Fort Worth, Texas |
| Win | 22–10 | Jake Hendricks | TF 10–0 | March 27, 2021 | 2020 US Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier | Fort Worth, Texas |
| Loss | 21–10 | Kyle Snyder | TF 2–13 | February 23, 2021 | NLWC V | State College, Pennsylvania |
| Win | 21–9 | Bo Nickal | 3–2 | February 23, 2021 | NLWC V | State College, Pennsylvania |
| Loss | 20–9 | David Taylor | 2–6 | November 24, 2020 | NLWC III | State College, Pennsylvania |
| 2020 US Nationals at 86 kg |||||||
| Win | 20–8 | Nate Jackson | 1–1 | October 10–11, 2020 | 2020 US Senior Nationals | Coralville, Iowa |
| Win | 19–8 | Trent Hidlay | 2–1 | October 10–11, 2020 | 2020 US Senior Nationals | Coralville, Iowa |
| Win | 18–8 | Taylor Lujan | TF 10–0 | October 10–11, 2020 | 2020 US Senior Nationals | Coralville, Iowa |
| Win | 17–8 | Nathan Haas | Fall | October 10–11, 2020 | 2020 US Senior Nationals | Coralville, Iowa |
| Win | 16–8 | Leonardo Tarantino | TF 12–1 | October 10–11, 2020 | 2020 US Senior Nationals | Coralville, Iowa |
| Flo 8-Man Challenge DNP at 195 lbs |||||||
| Loss | 15–8 | Taylor Lujan | Fall | October 31, 2020 | FloWrestling 8-Man Challenge | Austin, Texas |
| 2017 Pan American Championships at 86 kg |||||||
| Win | 15–7 | Pool Ambrocio | TF 12–2 | May 5–7, 2017 | 2017 Pan American Wrestling Championships | Lauro de Freitas, Brazil |
| Loss | 14–7 | Yurieski Torreblanca | 4–6 | May 5–7, 2017 | 2017 Pan American Wrestling Championships | Lauro de Freitas, Brazil |
| Win | 14–6 | Carlos Izquierdo | TF 11–0 | May 5–7, 2017 | 2017 Pan American Wrestling Championships | Lauro de Freitas, Brazil |
| 2017 US Open 6th at 86 kg |||||||
| Win | 13–6 | TJ Dudley | 8–8 | April 26–29, 2017 | 2017 US Open National Championships | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Loss | 12–6 | Pat Downey | 6–7 | April 26–29, 2017 | 2017 US Open National Championships | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Win | 12–5 | Austin Trotman | 13–10 | April 26–29, 2017 | 2017 US Open National Championships | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Loss | 11–5 | Nick Heflin | 3–6 | April 26–29, 2017 | 2017 US Open National Championships | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Win | 11–4 | Kyle Crutchmer | TF 15–4 | April 26–29, 2017 | 2017 US Open National Championships | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Win | 10–4 | John Rizqallah | TF 10–0 | April 26–29, 2017 | 2017 US Open National Championships | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| 2013 US University Nationals 6th at 84 kg |||||||
| Loss | 9–4 | Alex Meyer | 5–6 | May 23–26, 2013 | 2013 ASICS US University National Championships | Akron, Ohio |
| Loss | 9–3 | Max Thomusseit | 1–3 | May 23–26, 2013 | 2013 ASICS US University National Championships | Akron, Ohio |
| Win | 9–2 | Nathaniel Brown | INJ | May 23–26, 2013 | 2013 ASICS US University National Championships | Akron, Ohio |
| Win | 8–2 | Kyle Crutchmer | TF 11–1 | May 23–26, 2013 | 2013 ASICS US University National Championships | Akron, Ohio |
| Win | 7–2 | James Mannier | TF 10–0 | May 23–26, 2013 | 2013 ASICS US University National Championships | Akron, Ohio |
| Win | 6–2 | Kris Klapprodt | 14–8 | May 23–26, 2013 | 2013 ASICS US University National Championships | Akron, Ohio |
| Loss | 5–2 | Kenneth Courts | Fall | May 23–26, 2013 | 2013 ASICS US University National Championships | Akron, Ohio |
| Win | 5–1 | Derek Thomas | TF 12–2 | May 23–26, 2013 | 2013 ASICS US University National Championships | Akron, Ohio |
| Win | 4–1 | Brian Engdahl | TF 11–0 | May 23–26, 2013 | 2013 ASICS US University National Championships | Akron, Ohio |
| 2013 NE Regionals at 84 kg |||||||
| Win | 3-1 | Scott Gibbons | 3–0, 5–2 | May 3–5, 2013 | 2013 NE Regional Championships | East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania |
| Win | 2–1 | Tyler Wood | 6–0, 5–0 | May 3–5, 2013 | 2013 NE Regional Championships | East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania |
| Loss | 1–1 | Enock Francois | 0–2, 0–1 | May 3–5, 2013 | 2013 NE Regional Championships | East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania |
| Win | 1–0 | Andrew Detwiler | Fall | May 3–5, 2013 | 2013 NE Regional Championships | East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania |

## Greco-Roman record

Senior Greco-Roman Matches :
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Score | Date | Event | Location |
| 2017 US U23 World Team Trials at 85 kg |||||||
| Loss | 2–2 | Spencer Wilson | TF 2–10 | October 7, 2017 | 2017 US U23 World Team Trials | Rochester, Minnesota |
| 2015 Pan American Championships at 85 kg |||||||
| Loss | 2–1 | Gilberto Piquet Herrera | 0–4 | April 24–26, 2015 | 2015 Pan American Championships | Santiago, Chile |
| Win | 2–0 | Luis Betancourt | INJ | April 24–26, 2015 | 2015 Pan American Championships | Santiago, Chile |
| Win | 1–0 | Querys Pérez | 6–1 | April 24–26, 2015 | 2015 Pan American Championships | Santiago, Chile |

## NCAA record

NCAA Championships Matches :
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Score | Date | Event |
| 2017 NCAA Championships at 184 lbs ||||||
| Loss | 19–2 | Bo Nickal | 3–4 | March 16–18, 2017 | 2017 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Win | 19–1 | Nolan Boyd | 9–3 | March 16–18, 2017 | 2017 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Win | 18–1 | Jack Dechow | TB–1 4–3 | March 16–18, 2017 | 2017 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Win | 17–1 | Jordan Ellingwood | MD 11–3 | March 16–18, 2017 | 2017 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Win | 16–1 | Michael Coleman | MD 21–12 | March 16–18, 2017 | 2017 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| 2016 NCAA Championships at 184 lbs ||||||
| Win | 15–1 | Timothy Dudley | 5–3 | March 17–19, 2016 | 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Win | 14–1 | Pete Renda | 9–4 | March 17–19, 2016 | 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Win | 13–1 | Nolan Boyd | 10–4 | March 17–19, 2016 | 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Win | 12–1 | Thomas Sleigh | Fall | March 17–19, 2016 | 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Win | 11–1 | Jack Dechow | 3–1 | March 17–19, 2016 | 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| 2015 NCAA Championships at 184 lbs ||||||
| Win | 10–1 | Nathaniel Brown | 6–2 | March 19–21, 2015 | 2015 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Win | 9–1 | Victor Avery | TB–2 4–3 | March 19–21, 2015 | 2015 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Win | 8–1 | Sammy Brooks | 3–2 | March 19–21, 2015 | 2015 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Win | 7–1 | Timothy Dudley | 9–8 | March 19–21, 2015 | 2015 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Win | 6–1 | Patrick Kissell | MD 10–1 | March 19–21, 2015 | 2015 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| 2014 NCAA Championships at 184 lbs ||||||
| Win | 5–1 | Jack Dechow | 5–4 | March 20–22, 2014 | 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Win | 4–1 | Lawrence Thomas | Fall | March 20–22, 2014 | 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Loss | 3–1 | Ed Ruth | 3–5 | March 20–22, 2014 | 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Win | 3–0 | Jacob Swartz | 11–4 | March 20–22, 2014 | 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Win | 2–0 | John Rizqallah | 11–4 | March 20–22, 2014 | 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |
| Win | 1–0 | Lelund Weatherspoon | MD 12–4 | March 20–22, 2014 | 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships |