Even though the Penn State-affiliated wrestlers had a tough time at the 2025 World Championships, where the Oklahoma State Cowboys were already celebrating Zahid Valencia’s gold in 86kg and former Nittany Lion Roman Bravo-Young was gearing up for a bronze medal match for Mexico, which he eventually lost, the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club had a bright spot with the legendary Kyle Snyder stepping up.

The NLWC’s social media announcement, “Kyle Snyder is going to the World Championship Gold Medal Finals!” provided a crucial boost of pride and focus for a program accustomed to elite success.

Snyder, a three-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist, really showed what consistency and dominance look like as he made his way to the 97 kg final. He got back at a previous loss by taking down Japan’s Arash Yoshida with a solid 9-1 win in the semifinals.

It was a performance that really highlighted his fast pace and technical skills. Snyder just snagged his eighth World Championships medal in a row, which really shows how long he’s been at the top and how elite he is in the sport. However, his journey to the final was quite different from what happened to other wrestlers connected to Penn State.

Kyle Snyder’s peers are writing their own stories

Penn State has definitely been on top of its game in the NCAA. But when it comes to competing on the international stage, it really puts their wrestlers to the test. Levi Haines, just like Kyle Snyder, had an exciting journey to the gold medal match at 79kg. So, the three-time NCAA All-American and 2024 national champion had an awesome Sunday, going 4-0 and taking down Mongolia’s Suldkhuu Olonbayar with a score of 4-1 to make it to the championship match.

However, freshman PJ Duke left the tournament early after going 1-1. Duke kicked off the championship with an 11-0 technical decision against Shuang Chen from China. The freshman really went head-to-head in a scoring battle with Nurkozha Kaipanov from Kazakhstan during the quarterfinals. He jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead with a couple of takedowns, but then Kaipanov flipped Duke early in the second period, taking a 6-4 lead that he held onto for the rest of the match.

So, Snyder’s last match will be much-anticipated rematch with Iran’s Amirali Azarpira, the wrestler who had beaten him for the Olympic bronze medal just a year earlier in Paris. This narrative really brings a sense of redemption to the event, showing Snyder not just as someone aiming for a fourth world title, but as a seasoned pro looking to get back to the top and create a memorable moment for Penn State wrestling on the world stage.