Oklahoma State head wrestling coach David Taylor coaches during the college wrestling dual between Oklahoma State and Air Force at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., Friday, Jan., 3, 2025. SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

David Taylor, Cowboys Land Commitment From PSU Transfer Zack Ryder

Originally posted on Oklahoma State Cowboys on SI
By Taylor Skieens | Last updated Apr 5, 2025 10:43 PM ET

The Wrestling saga between Oklahoma State and Penn State is only in its infancy and is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Penn State was once again dominant at NCAAs in 2025, as it scored a mind-blowing 177 team points.

The Pokes showed that a new era was being born under first-year head coach David Taylor. They finished third at Nationals this season and sent a pair of wrestlers to the top of the podium this season. They made up a little more ground this week when they landed yet another Penn State wrestler.

Official: Zack Ryder will be transferring to Oklahoma State. pic.twitter.com/Mm577Zm4dP
— Justin Basch (@JustinJBasch) April 4, 2025

Zack Ryder, a 184-pound freshman at Penn State this past season, announced his commitment to Oklahoma State on Friday. Ryder went 8-0 while redshirting in Happy Valley. He has four years of eligibility remaining. Ryder becomes the third Penn State wrestler to join the Oklahoma State Cowboys from the transfer portal.

He graduated early from high school so he could train under David Taylor prior to enrolling at Penn State. Ryder wasn’t in the Nittany Lions’ lineup this past season, but there’s good reason for that: he was behind the first five-time national champion in the sport’s history in Carter Starocci.

He is already a decorated freestyle wrestler. Ryder has won a U.S. Open title the past three years (two at the U17 level and the most recent as a U20). That means he’s also been to the past three World Championships, finishing second in the U20 division in 2024 after bronze finishes at U17 in 2022 and 2023. His 2023 and 2024 U.S. Open runs were via the M2 Training Center that Taylor started.

It was presumed Ryder would slot into Penn State’s 184-pound spot going into next season, but Penn State hit the portal and brought in Ohio State transfer Rocco Welsh, who didn’t wrestle this past season but made the NCAA finals at 174 pounds in 2024.

Dustin Plott has been the Cowboys’ 184-pounder the past two seasons but finished out his eligibility this past year. Brayden Thompson, who qualified for NCAAs in 2024 at 174 pounds, and Jersey Robb are other 184-pounders on OSU’s roster.

This article first appeared on Oklahoma State Cowboys on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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