Kyle Snyder

Kyle Frederick Snyder (born November 20, 1995) is an American freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who competes at 97 kilograms. He currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division of Real American Freestyle (RAF), where he is the current RAF Light Heavyweight Champion.

Snyder is the youngest wrestler ever to win the world, NCAA, and Olympic championships in the same year—a triple crown of American wrestling not accomplished in a generation until he completed his sweep at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Snyder, nicknamed "Snyderman", became the first Olympic gold medalist to return to college and win an NCAA title, clinching his second consecutive NCAA heavyweight title in 2017 despite tearing cartilage in his chest in the quarter-finals and being outweighed by upwards of 40 pounds throughout the tournament. In 2018, Snyder won his third straight individual NCAA title as a heavyweight, this time being outweighed by nearly 60 pounds "in one of the biggest size differences in an NCAA championship match in history", and became the first three-time NCAA heavyweight champion in nearly 30 years.

Along the way he became the youngest American, and only the eleventh ever, to win the Ivan Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix, widely considered the toughest open wrestling tournament in the world. Snyder dominated it with three technical-falls and then a pin in the finals. The following year Snyder became the first American man not only to win back-to-back Yarygin titles, but the only one to win the prestigious tournament more than once at all, earning him Best Foreign Wrestler honors from his Russian hosts.

In 2017, Snyder defeated Abdulrashid Sadulaev at the 2017 World Championships, marking Sadulaev's first loss in his last 75 matches and the third one in his senior career. This come-from-behind victory earned Team USA its first World Championship in over 20 years and Snyder his third consecutive individual World or Olympic championship, and led to Snyder being ranked as the best pound-for-pound freestyle wrestler on the planet by Flowrestling in September 2017, a title he would retain in their June 2018 rankings. Snyder's accomplishments led him to being named the winner of the 2017 AAU Sullivan Award, presented annually to top amateur athlete in the United States. He ended his collegiate career as the second wrestler to win the NCAA, World, and Olympic championships as a student athlete.

Career In his first three years of high school at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Maryland, Snyder amassed a 179–0 record, won three prep national championships, and only conceded a single takedown. Named the national high school wrestler of the year by both Intermat and ASICS, Snyder was also ranked as the #1 pound-for-pound high school wrestler in America by FloWrestling after his junior season. He spent his senior year training at the United States Olympic Training Center, competing internationally for Team USA. He won a junior world championship in 2013, while becoming the youngest two-time junior world medalist in American history in 2014.

To begin his collegiate wrestling career, Snyder accepted a scholarship from the Ohio State Buckeyes, helping them to an NCAA team championship as a true freshman by finishing as runner-up to a fifth-year senior, Iowa State's Kyven Gadson, in the national finals. A few weeks later, he defeated returning Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner to represent the U.S. on its 2015 World Team, then became the youngest world champion in American wrestling history by dethroning the reigning world champion. Snyder continued his extraordinary run by returning to Ohio State and rallying for an overtime victory over NC State's Nick Gwiazdowski, the returning back-to-back heavyweight national champion. Even giving away more than 30 pounds, Snyder ended Gwiazdowski's 88-match win streak and earn his first individual NCAA title as a true sophomore.

A few months later, Snyder won his historic gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, capping his unprecedented streak of winning wrestling's three most prestigious championships in succession before his 21st birthday, defeating the man holding each title along the way.

After returning to Ohio State and winning his second consecutive NCAA heavyweight title at the end of an undefeated 2016–2017 wrestling season, He then faced another historic bout in the finals of the 2017 Paris World Championships: with Russia and the U.S. tied for first place at 53 points, Snyder stepped onto the mat for "The Match of the Century"—the team championship, an individual title at 97 kg, and two young legacies were on the line. His opponent was Abdulrashid Sadulaev, a young Russian phenom on a three-year undefeated streak that included two world championships as well as an Olympic gold, who was then considered the best pound-for-pound wrestler in the world.

Sadulaev moved up a weight class to challenge Snyder, and quickly took a 2–0 lead early in their finals match. Snyder battled back and tied the match 3–3 before the end of the first period, only to have Sadulaev score another takedown and regain the lead. A lead that lasted until the final 20 seconds of the match when Snyder's furious pace allowed him to score a late takedown at the edge of the mat —sealing Team USA's first World Championship in over 20 years, Snyder's third consecutive individual World or Olympic championship, and wresting the title of best pound-for-pound wrestler on the planet away from Sadulaev. after Snyder's thrilling come-from-behind overtime victory to clinch his first NCAA heavyweight title in front of a sold-out Madison Square Garden, a match chosen by fans to be the final one of the night – a maintenance worker approached Ryan to let him know what made Snyder, who'd already made wrestling history as America's youngest world champion and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of those NCAA Championships,

Snyder (USA) lost 0:10 early to Akhmed Tazhudinov (Bahrain) at the World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade 2023

Freestyle record

Res. Record Opponent Score Date Event Location

Win 216-22

Tbilisi, Georgia

Win 215-22

Arlington, Texas

Win 214-22

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Win 213-22

Tampa, Florida

Win

Tirana, Albania Win 212-22

Loss 211-22

Win 211-21

Win 210-21

Win 209-21

Zagreb, Croatia Win 208-21

Win 207-21

Win 206-21

Win 205-21

Win 204-21

Win 203-21

Win 202-21

Win 201-21

Win 200-21

Win 199–21

Loss 198–21

Win 198–20

Win 197–20

Win 196–20

Win 195–20

Win 194-20

Win 193-20

Win 192-20

Win 191-20

New York City, New York Win 190-20

Loss 189–20

Paris, France Loss 189–19

Win 189–18

Win 188–18

Win 187-18

State College, Pennsylvania Win 186-18

Win 185-18

Win 184-18

Win 183-18

Loss 182-18

Zagreb, Croatia Win 182–17

Win 181–17

Win 180-17

Win 179-17

Win 178–17

Win 177–17

Win 176–17

Win 175–17

Belgrade, Serbia Win 174–17

Loss 173–17

Win 173–16

Win 172–16

Win 171–16

Win 170–16

Win 169–16

Win 168–16

Sofia, Bulgaria Win 167–16

Win 166–16

Win 165–16

Win 164–16

Win 163–16

Win 162–16

Win 161–16

Win 160–16

Iowa, United States Win 159–16

Win 158–16

Win 157–16

Belgrade, Serbia Win 156–16

Win 155–16

Win 154–16

Win 153–16

Win 152–16

Win 151–16

Win 150–16

Stillwater, Oklahoma Win 149–16

Win 148–16

Win 147–16

Win 146–16

Win 145–16

Detroit, Michigan Win 144–16

Win 143–16

Arlington, Texas

Win 142–16

Krasnoyarsk, Russia Win 141–16

Win 140–16

Win 139–16

Win 138–16

Win 137–16

Win 136–16

Win 135–16

Loss 134–16

Oslo, Norway Win 134–15

Win 133–15

Win 132–15

Loss 131–15

Tokyo, Japan Win 131–14

Win 130–14

Win 129–14

Win 128–14

Win 127–14

Win 126–14

Win 125–14

Win 124–14

Win 123–14

Fort Worth, Texas Win 122–14

Win 121–14

State College, Pennsylvania Win 120–14

Win 119–14

Win 118–14

Nice, France Win 117–14

Win 116–14

Win 115–14

State College, Pennsylvania

Win 114–14

Coralville, Iowa Win 113–14

Win 112–14

Win 111–14

State College, Pennsylvania

Win 110–14

Ottawa, Canada Win 109–14

Win 108–14

Win 107–14

Win 106–14

Loss 105–14

Win 105–13

Win 104–13

Win 103–13

Loss 102–13

Win 102–12

Win 101–12

Win 100–12

Win 99–12

Win 98–12

Win 97–12

Win 96–12

Win 95–12

Win 94–12

Win 93–12

Win 92–12

New York City, New York

Win 91–12

Win 90–12

Win 89–12

Win 88–12

Win 87–12

Win 86–12

Loss 85–12

Krasnoyarsk, Russia

Loss 85–11

Win 85–10

Win 84–10

Win 83–10

Win 82–10

Win 81–10

Loss 80–10

Win 80–9

Win 79–9

Win 78–9

Win 77–9

New York City, New York

Win 76–9

Win 75–9

Win 74–9

Win 73–9

Win 72–9

Win 71–9

Win 70–9

Win 69–9

Win 68–9

Tehran, Iran Win 67–9

Win 66–9

Win 65–9

Win 64–9

Win 61–9

Win 60–9

Win 59–9

Win 58–9

Win 57–9

Win 56–9

Win 55–9

Win 54–9

Win 53–9

Win 52-9

Win 51–9

New York City, New York

Win 50–9

Win 49–9

Win 48–9

Win 47–9

Loss 46–9

Win 46–8

Win 45–8

Win 44–8

Win 43–8

Win 42–8

Win 41–8

Loss 40–8

Kharkiv, Ukraine Win 40–7

Loss 39–7

Win 39–6

Win 38–6

Win 37–6

Win 36–6

Win 35–6

Win 34–6

Loss 33–6

Win 33–5

Win 32–5

Win 31–5

Win 30–5

Win 29–5

Win 28–5

Win 27–5

Win 26–5

Loss 25–5

Win 25–4

Loss 24–4

Win 24–3

Win 23–3

Win 22–3

Loss 21–3

Win 21–2

Win 20–2

Win 19–2

Win 18–2

Win 17–2

Win 16–2

Win 15–2

Win 14–2

Win 13–2

Win 12–2

Win 11–2

Win 10–2

Win 9–2

Win 8–2

Win 7–2

New York City, New York

Win 6–2

Win 5–2

Win 4–2

Win 3–2

Loss 2–2

New York City, New York

Win 2–1

Nice, France Win 1–1

Loss 0–1

High school and junior Snyder amassed a 179–0 record in his first three years of high school as well as Zeke Jones. Although Snyder did not repeat his gold-medal run in 2014, he brought home a bronze medal and became the youngest two-time junior world medalist in American history.

Before bringing home his junior world title in 2013, Snyder had already decided to forgo his senior year of high-school competition and instead compete internationally as a resident athlete at the United States Olympic Training Center beginning in fall 2013. Snyder, who competes internationally at 96 kg, lost a tightly contested exhibition match 6–3 against Khadzhimurat Gatsalov, the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the world at 120 kg who at 31 years old had won five World Championships and an Olympic gold medal. A few weeks later, Snyder secured a place on his second consecutive United States Junior World Team, winning by technical fall in the national finals.

Snyder hoped to repeat his championship run at the Junior World Championships in 2014, though fell short and lost to Georgy Gogaev of Russia from North Ossetia-Alania in the quarterfinals, and wrestled back for a bronze. Earlier in 2014, Gogaev had defeated two former Division I (NCAA) champions Dustin Kilgore and Cam Simaz, both of whom had won their NCAA titles years earlier, in 2011 and 2012 respectively – while Snyder was still competing in high school.

Junior record

Res. Record Opponent Score Date Event Location

Win 8–1

Win 7–1

Loss 6–1

Win 6–0

Win 5–0

Win 4–0

Win 3–0

Win 2–0

Win 1–0

Olympic, collegiate, and senior Snyder, just 19 years old at the time, defeated the reigning World Champion at 97 kg, Russia's Abdusalam Gadisov, for his 2015 World Championship in Las Vegas. And then less than one year later, Snyder bested Azerbaijan's Khetag Gazyumov, a former World Champion and two-time Olympic medalist, for his Rio Olympic gold. Additionally, to earn the honor of representing the United States of America on each of those national teams, Snyder had to beat reigning London 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner in both America's 2015 World Team Trials and the 2016 Olympic Team Trials. Weighing in for the 285 lb. Heavyweight division at just 226 pounds, Snyder was the lightest heavyweight in the field and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.

For his two international championships Snyder was rewarded with over a quarter million dollars by the Living the Dream Medal Fund, which was founded by "two former collegiate wrestlers-turned Wall Street tycoons," billionaire investment banker Michael E. Novogratz and real estate developer David Barry. Snyder was well endowed with $250,000 for his 2016 Summer Olympics gold and earlier received $50,000 for his 2015 World Championship, money he is allowed to keep since the NCAA made an exception to its rules against student-athlete financial compensation for the Fund.

NCAA record

Res. Record Opponent Score Date Event

Win 75–5

Win 74–5

Win 73–5

Win 72–5

Win 71–5

Win 70–5

Win 69–5

Win 68–5

Win 67–5

Win 66–5

Loss 65–5

Win 65–4

Win 64–4

Win 63–4

Win 62–4

Win 61–4

Win 60–4

Win 59–4

Win 58–4

Win 57–4

Win 56–4

Win 55–4

Win 54–4

Win 53–4

Win 52–4

Win 51–4

Win 50–4

Win 49–4

Win 48–4

Win 47–4

Win 46–4

Win 45–4

Win 44–4

Win 43–4

Win 42–4

Win 41–4

Win 40–4

Win 39–4

Win 38–4

Win 37–4

Win 36–4

Win 35–4

Win 34–4

Win 33–4

Win 32–4

Win 31–4

Loss 30–4

Win 30–3

Win 29–3

Win 28–3

Win 27–3

Loss 26–3

Win 26–2

Win 25–2

Win 24–2 alig26–1n=left|Elliot Riddick

Win 23–2

Win 22–2

Win 21–2

Win 20–2

Win 19–2

Win 18–2

Win 17–2

Win 16–2

Win 15–2

Loss 14–2

Win 14–1

Win 13–1

Win 12–1

Loss 11–1

Win 11–0

Win 10–0

Win 9–0

Win 8–0

Win 7–0

Win 6–0

Win 5–0

Win 4–0

Win 3–0

Win 2–0

Win 1–0

NCAA stats Season Year School Rank Weigh class Record Win Bonus 2018 Senior

1 285 17–1 94.44% 76.92% 2017 Junior 1 285 17–0 100.00% 76.47% 2016 Sophomore 1 285 11–0 100.00% 72.73% 2015 Freshman 3 197 30–4 88.24% 50.00%

Highlights In the early minutes of his gold medal Junior World Championships match in 2013, Snyder was thrown to his back by his Armenian opponent, Viktor Kazishvili, and nearly pinned.

During his 179–0 run during his first three years of high school, Snyder only gave up a single takedown. Snyder, who stopped playing football for his nationally ranked high school team following his sophomore season, is a two-time Washington Post All-Met Wrestler of the Year, and was named the male 2013 ASICS Wrestler of the Year Snyder won the Walsh Ironman twice, Beast of the East three times, and the Powerade Wrestling Tournament once. but later backtracked saying, "I don't think it's even down the road. I don't think that I'm going to fight. I think I'm going to wrestle as long as I can as long as [God] wants me to. We'll see what happens after that. I don't foresee it being fighting."

Awards and honors

2022 Pan American Championship 97 kg

2021 2020 Summer Olympics 97 kg

2019 World Championship 97 kg Pan American Games 97 kg Yaşar Doğu 97 kg Pan American Championship 97 kg Dan Kolov Grand Prix 97 kg

2018 World Championship 97 kg Yaşar Doğu 97 kg NCAA Division I 285 lbs Big Ten Conference 285 lbs Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix 97 kg

2017 World Championship 97 kg Ivan Yarygin 97 kg Pan American Championships 97 kg NCAA Division I 285 lbs Big Ten Conference 285 lbs Ohio State University Male Athlete of the Year James E. Sullivan Award Winner

2016 2016 Summer Olympics 97 kg NCAA Division I 285 lbs Big Ten Conference 285 lbs Most Outstanding Wrestler NCAA Division I championships Ohio State University Male Athlete of the Year

2015 USA Freestyle Wrestler of the Year World Championship world 97 kg Pan American Games 97 kg NCAA Division I 197 lbs Big Ten Conference 197 lbs NCAA Division I (team championship as a member of the Buckeyes)

2014 UWW junior world 96 kg

2013 ASICS High School Wrestler of the Year UWW junior world 96 kg Maryland State Division I 220 lbs

2012 Junior Nationals 96 kg Junior Nationals (Greco Roman) 96 kg Maryland State Division I 220 lbs

2011 Cadet World 96 kg Cadet World (Greco Roman) 96 kg Maryland State Division I 215 lbs

Personal life Kyle Snyder is married to former Syracuse soccer player Maddie Pack Snyder. Snyder is a Christian.

In May 2018, President Donald Trump appointed Snyder to be a member of his Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.

Legal issues On May 9, 2025, Snyder was arrested at a hotel as part of a prostitution sting operation in Columbus, Ohio. He was released from custody the same day, and had a court appearance set for May 19, 2025. Snyder pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct after completing a john school class, and was issued a $250 fine.