Junior Kyle Snyder lifts Penn State’s Nick Nevills for a takedown on Feb. 3, 2017 at the Schottenstein Center. OSU lost, 32-12. Credit: Nicholas McWilliams | Sports Editor
ST. LOUIS – World champion and Olympic champion, Ohio State’s Kyle Snyder is now a two-time NCAA champion, securing his second consecutive NCAA title with a 6-3 win over Wisconsin’s No. 2 Connor Medbery at heavyweight.
Snyder’s second NCAA title came against the same opponent he defeated at the Big Ten championships, where he beat Medbery 8-5.
Medbery was able to get a late takedown to make the match closer, but it was too little too late for the Wisconsin senior.
Snyder was battling a rib injury at the NCAA tournament, but it didn’t seem to bother him in his win over Medbery, as he tallied two takedowns over the larger Medbery.
As a junior, Snyder was undefeated in college competition but competed in fewer matches than many other heavyweights due to his participation in international competition.
In 2017, Snyder has won the Ivan Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix, helped Team USA to second place at the Iran Freestyle World Cup, been named an All-American for the third time, and now won his second NCAA title.
Snyder also earned a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and placed first in the 2015 World Wrestling Championships, becoming the youngest American wrestler ever to do so.
Snyder lost in the NCAA finals as a freshman in 2015 at 197 pounds, but has dominated the heavyweight division since moving up for the 2016 season.
