One of the best to ever do it for Penn State wrestling will be competing at this weekend’s Senior World Team Trials.
Of all the greats that Cael Sanderson has coached at Penn State, only two have won multiple Hodge Trophies.
David Taylor (2012, 2014) was the first to accomplished the feat, and Zain Retherford (2017, 2018) was the second.
Taylor retired from active competition upon taking the Oklahoma State coaching job in 2024, returning briefly for an official swan song at that year’s Senior World Championships.
In August of that year, Retherford kinda, sorta retired, shifting to a coaching role with Nittany Lion Wrestling Club.
Now, for the first time since the 2024 Olympics, Retherford will be competing, going at 70 KG for a spot in Final X.
If Retherford wins his weight class, he’ll face former Nebraska star Ridge Lovett at Final X next month for a spot on the Senior World Team.
Retherford is more than familiar with the World Team, having won a Senior World Championship at 70 KG in 2023, and having won a silver medal the year before.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.To make it to Final X, Retherford will take on a field that includes former Virginia Tech national champion Caleb Hansen (Southeast RTC/Titan Mercury WC), reigning Oklahoma State national champ Landon Robideau (Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC) and current Penn State wrestling star Tyler Kasak (NLWC).
Along with past (Retherford) and current (Kasak) Penn State stars, one future Penn State star will be competing at the World Team Trials.
Fresh off a U20 championship at the U.S. Open last month, Jayden James is competing at 74 KG.
James, the No. 3 pound-for-pound high school wrestler in the country from his class per FloWrestling, is entering his true freshman season at Penn State.
The 2026 U.S. Senior World Team Trials are set to begin Friday, May 14, and run through Saturday, May 15.
The event will be streamed exclusively on FloWrestling.
