Zain Retherford

2024-25 Team USA Ranking: No. 1 at 65 kg

Years on Team USA: 8 (2016-18, 2019-25) 

Residence: State College, Pa.

Regional Training Center: Nittany Lion Wrestling Club

Club: Titan Mercury Wrestling Club

College: Penn State

High School: Benton, Pa.

Born: May 21, 1995

Height: 5’8”

Olympic Games 

2024 Paris Olympics (13th at 65 kg)

Senior World Teams

2023 Senior Worlds (Gold at 70 kg), 2022 Senior Worlds (Silver at 70 kg), 2019 Senior Worlds (26th at 65 kg), 2017 Senior Worlds (11th at 65 kg)

Age-Group World Teams 

2012 Cadet Worlds (Gold at 63 kg)

Career Highlights 

• 2024 Olympic Team Member
• 2023 World Champion
• 2022 World silver medalist
• Four-time World and Olympic Team Member
• Three-time NCAA Champion (2016, 2017, 2018)
• Two-time Dan Hodge Trophy Award Winner (2017, 2018)

Career Biography

2024: Thirteenth at Paris Olympic Games...U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion...Third at World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Istanbul, Turkey...

2023: Senior World Champion in Belgrade, Serbia…Final X champion…Pan American Championships champion in Buenos Aires, Argentina…

2022: Senior World silver medalist in Belgrade, Serbia… Zouhaier Sghaier Tournament champion in Tunis, Tunisia…Sixth at Pan American Championships in Acapulco, Mexico…Final X champion…Dan Kolov champion in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria…

2021: Third at Senior World Team Trials… 

2020: Third at Pan American Olympic qualifier…Third at Matteo Pellicone International in Rome, Italy…

2019: World Cup Team member…Seventh at the Alans International Tournament in Vladikavkas, Russia… Qualified for Senior Worlds after defeating Yianni Diakomihalis in Final X special wrestle-off…Senior World Team Trials champion…U.S. Open runner-up… Seventh at Yasar Dogu in Istanbul, Turkey…Eighth at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in Krasnoyarsk, Russia…

2017: 11th at Senior World Championships in Paris, France…Grand Prix of Spain champion in Madrid, Spain…Senior World Team Trials champion…Third at U.S. Open…

2016: Third in 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials…

2015: Junior World Team Trials runner-up…Junior Nationals runner-up…Fourth at Dave Schultz Memorial International…

2014: Junior World Team Trials runner-up…Junior Nationals runner-up…

2013: Junior World Team Trials runner-up…Junior Nationals runner-up…

2012: Cadet World champion in Baku, Azerbaijan…Cadet Nationals champion…

2011: Fifth at Cadet Nationals…

College: Two-time Dan Hodge Trophy recipient, as nation’s top college wrestler (2017, 2018)…Three-time NCAA champion for Penn State (2016, 2017, 2018)… Fifth at 2014 NCAA DI Championships… Three-time Big Ten champion (2016, 2017, 2018)… Graduated from Penn State in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in finance…

High School: Two-time Pennsylvania state champion… Coached by Russ and Scotty Hughes… Posted a perfect 47-0 mark at Benton High School, closing his high school career with a 130-3 career record…

Age-Group Achievements: 2012 Cadet World champion…2012 Cadet Nationals Champion…Second at Junior World Team Trials and Junior Nationals in 2013, 2014 and 2015…Fifth at 2011 Cadet Nationals…

Personal: Son of Sarah and Allen Retherford…Has two sisters, Hannah and Mylee…Married Julianna DeLuca on Dec. 11, 2021…Started wrestling at the age of 6…Hobbies include reading, learning the guitar, and anything outdoors…

Twitter/X: @zaintrainusa

Instagram: @zaintrainusa

Individual Website: zainretherford.com