Dec. 17, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State Nittany Lion true freshman Zain Retherford has been named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week for the week ending December 15. 2013. The honor is the first for the Lion rookie and the third this year for Penn State.
Retherford, ranked No. 2 at 141 by Intermat, sent Penn State's 14th-straight home sell-out crowd through the Rec Hall roof on Sunday with a 4-2 sudden victory decision over No. 1 Logan Stieber of Ohio State. Trailing 2-1 after one period, Retherford, in his first year of collegiate wrestling, rode Stieber out for the entirety of the second period to build up a one-minute riding time edge. That riding time edge would send the match to extra time after a scoreless third period (tied 2-2).
Retherford then electrified the crowd with a quick shot in sudden victory and a short scramble to post the deciding takedown over Stieber, a two-time defending NCAA Champion (and undefeated heading into the dual). Retherford remains unbeaten on the year with an 11-0 mark as Penn State downed Ohio State 31-6 in front of nearly 6,400 fans.
Retherford sports an 11-0 record with two pins, two technical falls and two majors. His honor is Penn State's third this year as senior David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) was named Wrestler of the Week twice in November.
Penn State treks to Iowa City this weekend for a much-anticipated non-conference battle with No. 3 Iowa on Saturday night. The dual, which will air live on the Big Ten Network, begins at 9 p.m. Eastern (8 p.m. Central) in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Penn State's next home date is a Sunday, Jan. 12, dual with Purdue in Rec Hall at 2 p.m.
With the full season of Rec Hall duals sold out prior to the start of the campaign, a very limited number of standing room only tickets are available to a few of remaining Rec Hall duals. People may purchase tickets by calling 1-800-NITTANY or by visiting the Penn State Athletics ticket office located in the BJC. Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstateWREST and on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2013-14 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.