World champion Kyle Snyder to remove Olympic redshirt and compete for Ohio State this season

Kyle Snyder will return to the Ohio State lineup this springs. Photo: Tony Rotundo.

Men’s freestyle World champion and NCAA runner-up for Ohio State Kyle Snyder has elected to remove his Olympic redshirt and return to collegiate competition this season for the Buckeyes.


Snyder became the youngest World champion in U.S. history at age 19 last September. He stormed to five straight wins, including a 5-5 criteria win over reigning World champion Abdusalam Gadisov of Russia in the 97 kg gold medal match, on his road to a World title.


After winning World gold Snyder announced his intentions to take an Olympic redshirt and focus solely on freestyle training leading up to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.


After collaborating with the Ohio State and Team USA coaching staff’s, all parties agreed that removing his redshirt was the best move for Snyder to achieve his goal of Olympic gold.


“One I figured out it was possible for me not only to travel overseas twice and wrestle in international events and wrestle in the trainings camps, but I could also help the team and compete at heavyweight, and hopefully score enough points that we can win a second team title in a row, I decided that it was the best thing for me,” said Snyder.


To align with his international competition weight of 97 kg/213 lbs. Snyder will compete for the Buckeyes this spring at 285 pounds as a true sophomore.


“My goal of being an Olympic champion still hasn’t changed,” Snyder said. “I think these couple folkstyle matches that I’m going to wrestle are just going to help me sharpen my technique up for the Trials and then for the Olympic Games.”


During his true freshman year of NCAA competition for Ohio State Snyder posted a 30-4 record and was runner-up at both the Big Ten and NCAA Championships.


“I couldn’t have been set up in a better way,” Snyder said. “Big Ten’s are in Carver Hawkeye Arena March sixth and seventh, and I’m going to be wrestling in the Olympic Trials April 10th in Carver Hawkeye Arena, so it’s going to be a good tune up event to be able to wrestle in front of that crowd.”


With Snyder returning to the fold, combined with the announcement of true freshman Myles Martin coming out of redshirt next week, the Buckeyes will undoubtedly be in contention to defend their NCAA championship from last season.


Snyder is expected to return to the Ohio State’s lineup for the first time against Penn State on Feb. 5.