But not even the amazing Snyder won an NCAA title as a freshman.
As a 19-year-old true freshman for Ohio State, Snyder lost by a stunning second-period fall to Iowa State's Kyven Gadson in the 2015 NCAA finals at 197 pounds.
That's a prime example of how difficult it can be to win an NCAA title. That was a crushing loss for Snyder, who came back with a vengeance to win NCAAs as a sophomore in between collecting World and Olympic gold for the United States.
That same year, in 2015, another Buckeye freshman did win an NCAA title. Nathan Tomasello won it all at 125 before OSU's Myles Martin followed suit last year with a surprise title as a freshman at 174.
With wrestlers excelling at even younger ages now, in part because of having more opportunities internationally, freshmen annually are contenders for NCAA championships each March.
This year is no exception. Here is a look at the top 10 freshmen entering next week's NCAA tournament in St. Louis.
Zahid Valencia won by pin the Pac-12 finals, and enters the NCAAs undefeated (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)1. Zahid Valencia (Arizona State, 174)
The top-ranked wrestler in the country and the No. 1 seed for the NCAA tournament, Valencia has continued to mature and progress at an exponential rate. He's unbeaten this season at 33-0 and rolled to a Pac-12 title under Coach Zeke Jones, the former U.S. National freestyle coach. He is an aggressive wrestler who is frequently in attack mode. He will come at you with both barrels firing from the opening whistle.
2. Logan Massa (Michigan, 165)
Overpowered and nearly pinned early in his Big Ten finals match against two-time NCAA champion Isaiah Martinez of Illinois, Massa somehow got off his back and managed to fight his way back into the match. Massa is another fearless, go-for-broke wrestler who is entertaining to watch. It would be a treat for fans to see Massa battle Martinez, who won titles as a freshman and sophomore, again on the big stage on Saturday night. He is seeded second.
3. Nick Suriano (Penn State, 125)
Some may question how high Suriano is here, especially after he suffered an apparent ankle injury that forced him to skip Big Tens, but this kid is rock solid. He proved that when he battled Iowa's top-ranked Thomas Gilman, a senior and returning NCAA finalist, to a one-point match in front of a hostile crowd in Iowa City. Suriano is a strong and powerful wrestler with a gas tank to match. The big key, obviously, will be how he holds up physically in a grueling, three-day national tournament. He is the 3 seed in his weight class.
Mark Hall reached the Big Ten finals before losing to Ohio State's Bo Jordan in overtime (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com)4. Mark Hall (Penn State, 174)
Hall is another wrestler who is very advanced for his age. He already owns Cadet and Junior World titles on the freestyle circuit, and he won't be intimidated by the big stage in St. Louis. Hall was pulled out of a redshirt after Christmas and the move has paid off so far as Hall has made steady gains with the Nittany Lions. Hall is a tremendous talent who definitely could be standing on top of the 174 podium this year. Expect him to come back strong from an overtime loss to two-time All-American Bo Jordan of Ohio State in the Big Ten finals. A strong showing by Hall in St. Louis could lift Cael Sanderson's crew to a sixth team title in the past seven years. He is seeded fifth for the NCAAs.
5. Michael Kemerer (Iowa, 157)
He's not overly flashy, athletic or dynamic, but Kemerer is a solid, steady, consistent, hard-nosed wrestler who has been a mainstay in the Hawkeye lineup all season. His only losses are a pair of setbacks to top-ranked Jason Nolf of Penn State, and the matches weren't close. Nolf is far ahead of the rest of the pack in this class. Kemerer certainly has a shot to meet Nolf, who he has trained with and knows well, again in the national finals. He is the 2 seed at 157.
OSU's Kaid Brock enters the NCAAs as the No. 3 seed at 133 pounds (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com)6. Kaid Brock (Oklahoma State, 133)
Here is another young stud with an outstanding pedigree. Brock came out of redshirt last year and pinned returning national champion Cody Brewer of Oklahoma before being injured. Now back and still a freshman eligibility-wise, Brock is another push-the-pace wrestler who has the type of makeup to hold up strong at his first NCAAs. This is a very strong weight class, but Brock certainly is capable of being in the top three. He beat Iowa's Cory Clark, second nationally the past two years, by a 7-6 score in a January dual. He is the 3 seed at 133.
7. Kollin Moore (Ohio State, 197)
The Big Ten Freshman of the Year has an opportunity to become the third straight Buckeye freshman to win a national title. That will be a very tall order with two-time NCAA champion and Olympic bronze medalist J'den Cox in the weight class, but Moore showed his ability in knocking off top seed Brett Pfarr of Minnesota 15-11 in a wild Big Ten finals bout. Moore had lost twice to Pfarr during the regular season. He is seeded third.
8. Stevan Micic (Michigan, 133)
He is thriving with the Wolverines after transferring from Northwestern, and Micic has come on late in the season. He's a proven freestyle wrestler who won a Junior World bronze medal, and he's very good on his feet. Micic lost a hard-fought 4-3 semifinal to NCAA champion and top-ranked Nathan Tomasello of Ohio State at the Big Ten tournament. Trust me, Micic is a guy you don't want to draw at nationals. He is the No. 5 seed at 133.
PSU's Vincenzo Joseph defeated OSU's Chandler Rogers in the NWCA National Duals championship (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com)9. Vincenzo Joseph (Penn State, 165)
The studs keep rolling in and out of the powerful Nittany Lions lineup, and Joseph is a guy who often gets overshadowed by being on such a strong team. Joseph has been superb all season and he earned a big win over returning national finalist Isaac Jordan of Wisconsin in the third-place bout at Big Tens. He's another young guy who seems unfazed by competing on the big stage. He will be the 3 seed in St. Louis.
10. Matthew Kolodzik (Princeton, 141)
It's always great to see kids from elite academic schools excelling on the mat as well. Kolodzik has helped lead a revival at Princeton with a stellar freshman campaign. He looked strong in winning an EIWA title and he's a wrestler that can't be overlooked at the national tournament. Kolodzik defeated two-time league champ Randy Cruz of Lehigh 3-2 in the EIWA finals. A good performance could lead to a top-four finish in a weight class where the top three NCAA finishers return. He is seeded fourth at 141.
Other top freshmen to keep an eye on in St. Louis:
Anthony Valencia (Arizona State, 165). He won a Pac-12 title.
Max Thomsen (Northern Iowa, 149). Runner-up at MAC tournament.
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