• Roster
• ▪
• Schedule / Results
• ▪
• News
• ▪
• Archives

Sean Stender Position: Assistant Coach Experience: 3rd Season

Sean Stender is beginning his fourth season as an assistant coach for the Panthers, and his second as a volunteer assistant. Stender served three seasons as the Panthers' conditioning specialist.

"It is great having Sean committed to the UNI wrestling program with his goals of competing and furthering Panther wrestling," Penrith said. "He has had many opportunities to move on but he knows staying at UNI and working in this environment and atmosphere provides him the best chance to reach his goals of becoming a world and Olympic champion."

Stender was a three-time All-American for the Panthers as he placed fourth in 2003, sixth in 2004 and second in 2005. He became the first UNI wrestler to three-peat as an All-American since Justin Greenlee in 1995. During his career as a Panther, he compiled a 94-33 record, 37-14 in duals.

Following his collegiate career, Stender joined the UNI coaching staff as a conditioning specialist - a position he has held for the past three seasons. While serving as the Panthers' conditioning specialist he has proven to be a competitive wrestler at the national level as he captured top honors in the 96 kg/215.5 pound Freestyle Division of the Dave Schultz Memorial International tournament held in Colorado Springs, Co., on Feb. 8-10, 2008. Stender added a bronze meal at the 2008 Dmitri Korkin International Championships in Yakutsk, Russia.

Stender is currently ranked No. 3 on the Olympic ladder at his weight class.

The Donahue, Iowa, native placed at the state tournament three years, including claiming first in his senior campaign. Stender compiled a 149-12 in his career at North Scott High School with an untouchable 45-0 record his senior year.

Student-Athlete Bio

2003-04...Returned to nationals finishing in sixth place and earning all-American honors for the second year in a row...Made it to semi-final match before dropping match to Ryan Fulsaas, the eventual runner-up...Went 3-3 in competition in St. Louis...Rolled to his second consecutive West Regional title...Pinned Brenden McLean of Air Force in :48 in the first round of regionals...Racked up four major decisions and four pins with no marks against him in either category...Was selected to wrestle in the NWCA All-Star Classic, dropping match to Emmett Willson of Montana-Northern, 7-3...Sat out first half of the season due to academic reasons. 2002-03 ...Was one of two Panthers to earn all-American status with a fourth-place finish and a record of 5-2 at the national tournament, with both of his losses coming to second-ranked Muhammed Lawal of Oklahoma State...Swept through the West Regional without a loss...Defeated eight of his opponents by a major decision, two by a tech fall and three by pins...Recorded a record of 31-9 mark on the season. 2001-02 ...Entered the season ranked but saw limited action when Jason Payne earned the starting role, going on to become an all-American ...Went 4-1 at the Kaufman Brand Open, defeating teammate Payne...Won nine out of his first 10 matches ...Moved up to heavyweight when Paul Hynek was out with a knee injury ...Won three matches up a weight class and took Minnesota's Garett Lowney to sudden victory. 2000-01 ...Redshirted. High School ...Three-time state placer and finished first his senior year ...Recorded a 45-0 mark his senior year ...Career record 149-12 ...Wrestled in the Mississippi Athletic Conference...All-Star wrestling meet participant ...First team all-conference...First team all-state cornerback in football. Personal...Son of Alvin and Susan Stender...Born April 12, 1982...Has a brother, Brett ...Chose UNI because of the coaches, the team and academics ...Recruited by Iowa State, Nebraska and Edinboro ...Favorite movie is Beettlejuice...Favorite historical figure is John Lennon...Most admires his parents ...Best sports memory is becoming an all-American ...Best lesson learned in life is "academics come first"...Famous relative, Bob Marshall ...Hobbies include fishing, golfing and the pool.