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The Oklahoma State Cowboys continue their program makeover with an intriguing Penn State wrestling feel.
The Cowboys and first-year head coach David Taylor − the Nittany Lion icon and Olympic gold medal winner − have added their third former PSU wrestler to their roster in the past week.
Zack Ryder, a junior world champion and promising college 184-pounder, announced that he would be transferring to Oklahoma State, joining former Lions Gary Steen and Alex Facundo.
Ryder and Facundo, backups on Penn State fourth straight national championship team last month, project as Cowboy starters in 2025-26. Facundo will wrestle at 157 or 165 pounds; Steen expects to be a backup at 125 or 133.
Taylor had hired away PSU assistant coach Jimmy Kennedy when he took the Oklahoma State job last May. He also added Nittany Lion Wrestling Club competitor and trainer Thomas Gilman as his lightweight coach.
[IMG alt="Minisink's Zack Ryder, top wrestles Pine Bush's Braydon Pennell, bottom in the 189lb weight class in the Section 9 Division I wrestling finals in Central Valley, NY on Saturday February 11, 2023.ALLYSE PULLIAM/For the Times-Herald Record.
Minisink S Zack Ryder Top Wrestles Pine Bush S Braydon Pennell Bottom In The 189lb Weight Class In The Section 9 Division I Wrestling Finals In Central Valley Ny On Saturday February 11 2023 Allyse Pulliam For The Times Herald Record"]https://media.zenfs.com/en/york-daily-record/7a859cb10e307beb409285c71f52e990[/IMG]
Ryder is from Minisink Valley High in New York, where he won four state wrestling titles, including one as an eighth-grader. He bypassed his senior high school season, in part, to move to State College and train with Taylor at his former wrestling club, the M2 Academy.
While training at M2 and with the NLWC, Ryder won a silver medal at the 2024 U20 World Wrestling Championships in Spain.
He redshirted last season as a Penn State freshman but still went 8-0 in tournaments. That included winning the 184-pound title at the Southern Scuffle and being named Big Ten Freshman of the Week.
He was the leading candidate to take over for five-time NCAA champ Carter Starocci next season − at least until the Lions added transfer Rocco Welsh, an Ohio State All-American who plans to wrestle at 184.
Ryder entered the transfer portal a few days after Welsh's announcement.
Meet the new PSU All-American: How the Penn State wrestling dynasty just got better again. Welcome, Rocco Welsh
A 'football genius' at PSU: What's Jim Knowles really like? James Franklin talks Penn State football, defense
Our latest PSU podcast: Penn State football podcast: D.J. Dozier on Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen, winning a title
Ryder will now re-start his training work under Taylor, who led the Cowboys to a third-place NCAA Championships finish in his first year as head coach.
Taylor was a two-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American at Penn State under head coach Cael Sanderson.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State wrestling for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Why did Zack Ryder leave Penn State wrestling for Oklahoma State?
Continue reading...
The Cowboys and first-year head coach David Taylor − the Nittany Lion icon and Olympic gold medal winner − have added their third former PSU wrestler to their roster in the past week.
Zack Ryder, a junior world champion and promising college 184-pounder, announced that he would be transferring to Oklahoma State, joining former Lions Gary Steen and Alex Facundo.
Ryder and Facundo, backups on Penn State fourth straight national championship team last month, project as Cowboy starters in 2025-26. Facundo will wrestle at 157 or 165 pounds; Steen expects to be a backup at 125 or 133.
Taylor had hired away PSU assistant coach Jimmy Kennedy when he took the Oklahoma State job last May. He also added Nittany Lion Wrestling Club competitor and trainer Thomas Gilman as his lightweight coach.
[IMG alt="Minisink's Zack Ryder, top wrestles Pine Bush's Braydon Pennell, bottom in the 189lb weight class in the Section 9 Division I wrestling finals in Central Valley, NY on Saturday February 11, 2023.ALLYSE PULLIAM/For the Times-Herald Record.
Minisink S Zack Ryder Top Wrestles Pine Bush S Braydon Pennell Bottom In The 189lb Weight Class In The Section 9 Division I Wrestling Finals In Central Valley Ny On Saturday February 11 2023 Allyse Pulliam For The Times Herald Record"]https://media.zenfs.com/en/york-daily-record/7a859cb10e307beb409285c71f52e990[/IMG]
Ryder is from Minisink Valley High in New York, where he won four state wrestling titles, including one as an eighth-grader. He bypassed his senior high school season, in part, to move to State College and train with Taylor at his former wrestling club, the M2 Academy.
While training at M2 and with the NLWC, Ryder won a silver medal at the 2024 U20 World Wrestling Championships in Spain.
He redshirted last season as a Penn State freshman but still went 8-0 in tournaments. That included winning the 184-pound title at the Southern Scuffle and being named Big Ten Freshman of the Week.
He was the leading candidate to take over for five-time NCAA champ Carter Starocci next season − at least until the Lions added transfer Rocco Welsh, an Ohio State All-American who plans to wrestle at 184.
Ryder entered the transfer portal a few days after Welsh's announcement.
Meet the new PSU All-American: How the Penn State wrestling dynasty just got better again. Welcome, Rocco Welsh
A 'football genius' at PSU: What's Jim Knowles really like? James Franklin talks Penn State football, defense
Our latest PSU podcast: Penn State football podcast: D.J. Dozier on Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen, winning a title
Ryder will now re-start his training work under Taylor, who led the Cowboys to a third-place NCAA Championships finish in his first year as head coach.
Taylor was a two-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American at Penn State under head coach Cael Sanderson.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State wrestling for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Why did Zack Ryder leave Penn State wrestling for Oklahoma State?
Continue reading...
