REPORT: Penn State wrestling loses star recruit to transfer portal

Penn State wrestling has been on a bit of a rollercoaster ride since winning the program’s fourth consecutive national championship two weeks ago in Philadelphia. The Nittany Lions have made several headline-grabbing additions to the roster for 2026 while losing a handful of wrestlers to the transfer portal.

Another name can apparently be added to the list of departures from Happy Valley this offseason, as Justin Basch reports on Wednesday evening that true freshman Zack Ryder is entering the portal.

BREAKING: PSU's Zack Ryder has hit the Transfer Portal. pic.twitter.com/9MSJH7IY6L

— Justin Basch (@JustinJBasch) April 2, 2025

Ryder’s exit comes days after Penn State wrestling landed 2024 NCAA Finalist 184-pounder Rocco Welsh from Ohio State via the portal. The No. 6 recruit in the country in 2024, Ryder redshirted this season behind Levi Haines (174) and Carter Starocci (184). Many projected him to replace Starocci at 184 pounds next year, with Haines returning for his final season at 174 pounds and NCAA Runner-Up Josh Barr establishing himself as the starter at 197 pounds.

Ryder went 8-0 during his lone season with the Nittany Lions, winning both the Black Knight Invite and Southern Scuffle. In those appearances, half of his victories came over NCAA qualifiers. Ryder’s international success was part of his recruiting pedigree. He earned Bronze Medals at the U17 World Championships in 2022 and 2023 before winning Silver at the U20 World Championships last summer.

Could another Penn State wrestler be heading to Stillwater?

Zack Ryder is one of the biggest names in the transfer portal so far this spring. He may not have the proven NCAA success of other notable wrestlers, but his national championship potential and four years of eligibility will attract plenty of suitors.

The first team that has to come to mind based on recent events is Oklahoma State. On Monday, Cowboys head coach David Taylor gained commitments from former Nittany Lions Alex Facundo and Gary Steen.

A move to Stillwater would be another step in Taylor’s push to gain ground on Penn State wrestling. Oklahoma State finished third at this year’s NCAA Championships but had two individual NCAA champions in Dean Hamiti and Wyatt Hendrickson. Both upset multi-year champions in their Finals appearances. In the past, Ryder has spoken highly of his connection with Taylor, formed when the top recruit graduated high school a year early to wrestle with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club.

Oklahoma State isn’t the only team to keep an eye on, however. Other potential teams to watch include Arizona State, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Cornell, NC State, and Lehigh, all of which made Ryder’s top eight before he ultimately committed to Penn State.

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