Cael Swensen

Cael Swensen in a blue singlet jockeys for position with a wrestler in a white singlet

Photo by: Amber Seaton

Cael Swensen, a wrestler in a blue singlet, picks up his opponent in a red singlet during a match.

Photo by: Stephen McDaniel

A wrestler in a blue singlet, Cael Swensen, picks up his opponent a wrestler in a red singlet during a match

Photo by: Amber Seaton

A wrestler, Cael Swensen, puts a wrestler in a white singlet's shoulders to the mat during an amateur wrestling match

Photo by: Evan Patzwald

Cael Swensen takes down his opponent with a double leg shot against Kyle Boeke of Augustana

Photo by: Riley Edds

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia Sports Media

Cael Swensen NCAA Wrestling Teaser 2024-1

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia Sports Media

Photo by: Brett Rojo/For The Big 12 Confer

Photo by: Keith Lucas | Sideline Media Productions

Photo by: Justin Hoch | jhoch.com

Cael Swensen against the Wyoming Cowboys on January 22 at Frost Arena in Brookings, South Dakota.

Photo by: Miranda Sampson/Sampson Snapshots

Height:
5-10
Weight:
157
Position:
157 Pound Weight Class
Class:
Redshirt Junior
Hometown:
Plymouth, Minn.
High School:
Wayzata H.S.
Major:
Business Economics

HONORS AND AWARDS

NCAA Qualifier (2022-23, 2023-24, 2025-26)
Amateur Wrestling News All-Rookie Team (2022-23)
NWCA Scholar All-American (2022-23, 2023-24, 2025-26)
Academic All-Big 12 Wrestling First Team (2022-23, 2023-24, 2025-26)
College Sports Communicators Academic All-District (2023-24)

2025-26: Returned to the starting lineup after missing all of the 2024-25 season with an injury … qualified for his third NCAA Wrestling Championships, going 1-2 during his run with a major decision over 157-pound 33-seed Yannis Charles … finished 4th at the Big 12 Wrestling Championships, going 3-2 in Tulsa … wrestled every dual for the Jackrabbits, putting up a 15-2 record in duals … scored early season upset over No. 15 Charlie Millard (Minnesota) by decision, 8-5 … finished as the runner-up at the Tiger Style Invitational … put up most dual points on the team with 57 … put up 25-9 record overall, the second most wins on the team … picked up 4 technical falls and 2 falls … seven major decision victories … fastest fall came at 4:03 … NWCA Scholar All-American and Academic All-Big 12 selection … SDSU’s Justin Sell Leadership Award recipient.

2024-25: Medical redshirt for the 2024-25 season.

2023-24: Was the starter for SDSU at 157 pounds and finished third at the Big 12 Championships (3/9-10) … put up a 22-10 record overall and a 12-4 record in duals throughout the year … qualified for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships for the second year in a row … finished runner-up at the Soldier Salute (12/29-30) … went on a nine match winning streak during January, earning bonus points in six of the nine matches ... scored four wins by technical fall and four wins by major decision …notched eight ranked wins throughout the season including Brock Mauller (Missouri) and Teague Travis (Oklahoma St.) (3/10) ... put up 47 team dual points for SDSU.

2022-23: Earned a starting spot at 157 pounds and qualified for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships ... posted a 24-10 overall record, including an 11-2 mark in duals ... placed sixth at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational with a 4-3 record, defeating nationally ranked wrestlers Derek Holschlag (Northern Iowa) and Luka Wick (Cal Poly) (12/2-3) ... advanced to the championship match of his weight class at the Soldier Salute (12/29-30) ... put together a 10-match winning streak in dual matches during January, winning two matches by technical fall ... went 3-2 to place fifth at the Big 12 Wrestling Championship (3/4-5) ... notched a 3-2 record at the NCAA Championships, highlighted by wins over Corbyn Munson (Central Michigan), Garrett Model (Wisconsin) and Paddy Gallagher (Ohio State) (3/16-17)

2021-22: Redshirted during his first season in the Jackrabbit wrestling program ... wrestled extensively in open tournaments, compiling a 17-11 record ... placed in the top six of the 157-pound weight class in six of the seven tournaments he competed ... began collegiate career with a third-place finish at the Bison Open (11/13) ... tied for fifth at the Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open (11/21), then advanced to the finals in his next two tournaments ... placed second in the Freshman/Sophomore Division of the Harold Nichols Cylone Open (11/28), then won the championship at the Doane Open the next weekend, winning the last two of his four matches by technical fall (12/4) ... recorded a sixth-place finish at the UNI Open (12/11) ... after posting a 1-2 record at the Southern Scuffle (1/1), wrapped up his season with a fourth-place showing at the North Country Open (1/23)

BEFORE SDSU: Cael was a five-time all-conference honoree and four-time Class AAA state placer at Wayzata High School … finished his prep career with a 223-37 record after winning consecutive state championships at 138 pounds in 2020 and 152 pounds in 2021 under his coach and father, Eric … also was active in USA Wrestling, finishing as runner-up in the 126-pound division at the 2019 Greco-Roman Junior Nationals and placing in the 106-pound class at the 2018 Cadet Nationals