Education
Wartburg College.
Wartburg College.
He was a 1999 Minnesota State High School League Wrestling Championships qualifier for Hopkins High School. He placed 8th at 2001 Fila Junior. Greco-Roman World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
He placed 5th at the 2001 Greco-Roman World Team Trials at 130 kg.
He was a three time National Collegiate Athletic Association All-American at 285 lbs. placing 6th (2001), 3rd (2002) and 1st (2003) for Wartburg College of Waverly, Iowa.
Gardner was the first National Collegiate Athletic Association Heavyweight National Champion in history for Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa in 2003 This individual contribution helped Wartburg College win the 2003 National Collegiate Athletic Association Wrestling Team Championship, including National Collegiate Athletic Association records for largest margin of victory and most team points scored. He was a 5th place winner at 1999 United States of America Wrestling Junior National Freestyle Wrestling Championships at 220 lbs. He was a 2001 United States Fila Junior. Greco-Roman National Champion and World Team Member at 130 kg, he also placed 4th at the 2001 United States Fila Junior. Freestyle National Championships. He was also a two time Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference wrestling champion in 2002 and 2003.