Gabe Dean really made a name for himself during his time at Cornell University, becoming one of the standout wrestlers in the program’s history. He competed at 184 lbs and was a three-time NCAA finalist, winning two NCAA Division 1 national championships along the way. Dean built an impressive career record of 152-7, racking up 101 bonus-point wins, which both set school records. He always placed at least third in the NCAA Championships and earned All-American honors four times.

On top of that, Dean snagged four titles from the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) and was recognized twice as the Ivy League Wrestler of the Year. His steady excellence and leadership really helped boost Cornell’s reputation in collegiate wrestling while he was there. But, you know, there were sacrifices in his career. He shared a story like that with FloWrestling as a part of their #FloFilms series. He thought back to a surprising and personal story from his college days — when he had to break up with his girlfriend because his coaches told him to.

“The coaches, they didn’t exactly like the girl I was dating at the time. And I was dating a girl from back home. And I came in right after Nationals, and they were like, they called me in the office, and they were like, ‘You’ve got to break up with this girl.’ And I’m like, okay, well, I don’t feel that way. But they’re like, nope, you’ve got to do it. You’re going home for spring break in five days. You’re going to do it in person when you’re home. And I was like, whatever. And I went home, and I broke up with her,” the Cornell national champion shared.

After winning Nationals, Dean found himself in his coaches’ office, where they straightforwardly told him he needed to break up with his girlfriend from back home. Even though Dean wasn’t on board at first, he ended up trusting their judgment. So, during his spring break, he ended things with her. He mentioned that while he didn’t directly point fingers at the coaches, he was aware they had a big influence on his choice. Dean shared that his girlfriend found it tough to keep up with the intense demands of his wrestling career, and this was something his coaches and teammates, especially Mark Grey, noticed pretty early on.

They weren’t just worried about personal preferences — they thought the relationship might pull him away from reaching his goals. “But I probably, without them and Mark Grey—Mark Grey really couldn’t stand her from day one. And I figured out a lot of my team couldn’t after. But without them and Mark, I don’t know, man; I might still be dating her to this day. But they, you know, that’s the kind of stuff that they’ll just be like, ‘Hey, listen, you got to fix this.’ And you do it,” Dean said.

The narrative really highlights how much of an impact coaches can have on their athletes, reaching far beyond just what happens during competitions. Dean’s experience highlights that sometimes, the toughest advice, when it comes from a place of care and understanding, can really spark personal growth and help an athlete focus on their future. So, what was his international career like?

A stellar international career for the Cornell wrestler

Back in 2014, Gabe Dean really made waves on the international scene by snagging a bronze medal at the FILA Junior World Championships in Croatia. He scored some big wins against opponents from Turkmenistan and Latvia but just fell short against Kazakhstan’s Azamat Dauletbekov. Dean bounced back in the repechage rounds and ended up finishing in third place. When Dean made the jump to senior-level competition, he snagged a silver medal at the 2015 Pan American Championships, competing in the Greco-Roman 85 kg category.

Even though he didn’t have much experience in Greco-Roman wrestling, he really showed his ability to adapt by beating Luis Betancourt from Puerto Rico and Querys Perez from Venezuela before losing to Cuba’s Gilberto Piquet Herrera in the final. After taking a short break, Dean jumped back into freestyle wrestling in 2020 and snagged the U.S. Senior National title at 86 kg. In 2021, Dean kept up his amazing streak by winning the Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier, taking down some tough competitors like Nate Jackson and Drew Foster.

During the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, he managed to beat Myles Martin but then got knocked out by World Champion David Taylor. Dean has shown an impressive knack for switching between different wrestling styles during his international career. Furthermore, the wrestler once said, “The only reason I am successful is because I have failed countless times and learned through those experiences.” Competing at a high level against experienced opponents really highlights his talent and commitment to the sport.