MINNEAPOLIS — It's been a busy few years for Gable Steveson.
After winning gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Apple Valley, Minnesota native went on to secure his second NCAA championship in March 2022 with the University of Minnesota, was named a repeat winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy and took home the title of Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year.
After leaving his shoes on the mat following his NCAA title win, it seemed clear Steveson was ready to retire from amateur wrestling to focus on his contract with the WWE and make another go at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
“I need to have that Paris experience in front of a packed house,” Steveson told the Associated Press in June of his desire to compete next summer. “I need to have them see what it’s like to see Gable Steveson in person. Having been in Tokyo and having no fans was -- it was okay because I still won an Olympic gold. But I want to have that experience of having my family in the front row. They need to see it live.”
But it appears Steveson hasn't completely written off the possibility that he could return to the mat for his final year of collegiate eligibility.
Last month, FlowWrestling reported that Steveson wants to return to NCAA competition next year if scheduling with the WWE pans out.
On Wednesday, Gopher's Athletics Director Mark Coyle expressed his excitement at the possibility of having the heavyweight champ back at the U.
“Gable is a generational talent and one of the most accomplished athletes – regardless of sport – in school and state history," Coyle said in a statement on July 5, "and we are excited about the opportunity of him returning to Minnesota for one final season. The two-time Hodge Trophy winner and Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient is the most entertaining athlete in collegiate sports, and we are thrilled about the possibility of being able to watch him compete once again as a Gopher.”
According to the AP, Steveson has recently been splitting his time between training in Minneapolis with Brandon Eggum, his college coach at the University of Minnesota, and the WWE Performance Training Center in Orlando, Florida.
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