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Penn State Wrestling: Creating the Dream Team

By Chris Snyder

STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 13: The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team is introduced before a match against the Lock Haven Bald Eagles on November 13, 2015 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 50-0. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 13: The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team is introduced before a match against the Lock Haven Bald Eagles on November 13, 2015 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 50-0. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – MARCH 17: Zain Retherford of the Penn State Nittany Lions is introduced before his 149 pound championship match during session six of the NCAA Photos via Getty Imagess via Getty Images Wrestling Championships on March 17, 2018 at QuickenLoans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zain Retherford
CLEVELAND, OH – MARCH 17: Zain Retherford of the Penn State Nittany Lions is introduced before his 149 pound championship match during session six of the NCAA Photos via Getty Imagess via Getty Images Wrestling Championships on March 17, 2018 at QuickenLoans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zain Retherford /

149

Zain Retherford

Years: 2014-2018
Record: 126-3
Conf. Titles: 3
NCAA Titles: 3

Zain Retherford has everything.

You want a strong freshman season? Well, you got it. Retherford went 33-3 which included a 2nd place finish in the B1G’s and a 5th place finish in the 2014 NCAA’s.

How about some undefeated seasons? Zain has that as well. How about three straight undefeated seasons from 2016-2018 in which he compiled a record of 93-0. This includes a stretch of 1,456 days between his last loss his freshman year and the final match he won at Penn State. That’s almost 4 full years.

How about some hardware? Like almost everyone on this list, Retherford has a full trophy case at home which includes three B1G Titles and three NCAA Titles.

But what separates Zain from the rest of them? He’s only one of five people to ever win the prestigious Hodge Trophy more than once. Retherford was a finalist for the award in 2016 and he took home the award in both 2017 and 2018.

Zain Retherford isn’t just a Penn State wrestling legend, he’s a collegiate wrestling legend. And he’s an easy pick at 149 for this team.

Honorable Mention (in order)

Frank Molinaro

Years: 2009-2012
Record: 121-29
Conf. Titles: 2
NCAA Titles: 1

Troy Sunderland

Years: 1989-1993
Record: 100-13-3
Conf. Titles: 2
NCAA Titles: 0 (finished runner-up twice)

Bill Vollrath

Years: 1974-1978
Record: 49-17-1
Conf. Titles: 2
NCAA Titles: 0 (never participated)

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