Getting cut from the seventh grade boys’ basketball team was probably the best thing that could have ever happened to Stanford University wrestler Tanner Gardner.

Growing up in Berryton, Kan., the young Gardner dreamed of playing basketball like most of his schoolmates, but because of his smaller size, junior high coaches did not really see him excelling on the hardwood.

“It turns out that guys that are 5’1� when they are in seventh grade can’t really play basketball,� said Gardner. “When I got cut from the seventh grade basketball team, the wrestling coach was there and asked me to come out for the team. My older brother had wrestled, so I figured I may as well try it.�

The mat turned out to be a pretty comfortable place for Gardner. He eventually became a two-time Kansas state high school champion, going undefeated with an 80-0 record in his last two seasons, and winning the 2002 Greco-Roman Junior National Championship.

Gardner then arrived at Stanford where he has become one of the best wrestlers in Cardinal history. The senior 125-pounder is a two-time All-American, and is currently ranked sixth in his weight class with a 28-1 record this season. With 15 pins on the year, he needs just three to tie the Stanford single-season record, and is only eight wins shy of the school’s all-time win mark.

Not only does he excel in his sport, but Gardner is also an Academic All-American. He already has a Bachelor’s degree in public policy, will finish his Master’s in Sociology at the end of the year with nearly a 4.0 grade point average, and has got a management consulting job lined up in Dallas following graduation.

“I am a very competitive person in general and that really drives me to be the best in everything I do,� said Gardner. “It can be bad sometimes, but it works out pretty well because wrestling has really taught me a good work ethic and what it takes to succeed in every part of life. They always say wrestling is training for the rest of your life. It’s kind of a cliché statement, but I really feel that way. NCAA Wrestling has taught me a lot of disciplines that I’ll use for the rest of my life.�

Gardner also branches out beyond the wrestling room and classroom, and is active around campus in student organizations like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

“I like spending time with people – relationships are a big part of my life,� said Gardner. “I’m involved with a lot of Christian groups at Stanford, and I have a really big community with that. I think investing in other people’s lives is something that is really important to me.�

Gardner’s belief in his own abilities is unwavering, and it is a philosophy the tri-captain shares with his Cardinal teammates.

“Wrestling is a very mental sport,� said Gardner. “I tell a lot of the young guys that I think they are some of the best guys here and they can beat anyone – they just need to believe they can beat them. I might not be the best guy in the country, but I think I’m the best, and that’s really all that matters when it comes down to it. If you believe that you can do it, you can do it.�

Stanford is having one of its’ best dual seasons in program history with an 8-2 record, fresh off a 22-16 victory against Pac-10 foe Cal State Bakersfield on Jan. 24.

“It’s been exciting seeing the progression of the younger guys and seeing the team come together,� said Gardner. “I think we have a lot of potential, so that’s a really positive part of it. I’d really like to see our team be successful and win a Pac-10 championship and qualify a lot of guys for nationals and have a lot of All-Americans. One of my big goals here was to elevate the Stanford wrestling program to another level.�

Ultimately, Gardner wants to improve on his own finishes at NCAA Wrestling Championships to conclude an outstanding career, but he knows it will not be an easy road.

“When you’re a returning All-American or highly-ranked, you have a target on your back, so you know you’re going to get everybody’s best match when they wrestle you. For me, it’s a mental advantage, because I feel like I’m better than everyone I wrestle, and whether that is true or not, I don’t think it really matters as long as I think I’m better. By going in with that attitude that everyone is going to give me their best match, I’m going to wrestle every match like it’s the NCAA Championship.�

Stanford continues its dual season with matches against Menlo and Pac-10 opponent Portland State on Jan. 25.