All-American Klinsky: A juice worth the squeeze

By Benjamin Shinault

The year is 2020. In a world of uncertainty, one thing was left for certain: graduate student Tyler Klinsky was going to commit to Rider. 

As time rolled on, Klinsky continued to wrestle for the Broncs. Year after year, he honed his craft and perfected his maneuvers. 

By the end of his senior year in 2024, Klinsky had scooped up 49 wins, but he was not quite done with his Rider journey.

Two more seasons passed by and Klinsky completed his Rider career, not just as a Rider wrestling veteran, but as an All-American.  

The Klinsky timeline

Klinsky, a native to Middletown, New Jersey, was the top wrestler in the state at 113 pounds in 2020. Klinsky also went on to be ranked the 15th-best 113-pound wrestler in the nation, making him a sought-after prospect for Rider Head Coach John Hangey and his staff.

Throughout his high school career at Middletown North, Klinsky scooped up 169 wins, placing him first in the school’s history. Klinsky was a state champion in his senior year and also was a two-time state finalist.

Klinsky came to Rider in a year of unpredictability in 2020 for his freshman year. 

The 2020 season for all college sports looked very different. Rider finished with a record of 4-1, only wrestling in two Mid-American Conference matches. Klinsky finished his freshman year with a record  of 3-2.

During Klinsky’s sophomore year in 2021, he completed the MAC Championships after a season where he went 11-12 overall with a 6-2 record in   MAC play.

From sophomore year on, Klinsky started to find his groove and role within the team. His junior and senior year were very productive, as he had 28 wins combined over the two years. At the MAC Championships his senior year, Klinsky finished second and secured his first ever NCAA at-large bid. 

Senior year came and went for Klinsky, but with two more years of eligibility, Klinsky stayed put            at Rider.

Finishing strong

With a diploma in hand, Klinsky continued on wearing cranberry and white for Rider. In his first graduate season, Klinsky decided to redshirt.

“I took time to stay healthy and get stronger,” Klinsky said. 

His off-year proved to be fruitful.

In Klinsky’s final collegiate season, he had his best one yet. Klinsky finished with a record of 30-6 overall, going undefeated in dual meets for the first time since Ethan Laird ’23 did it in the 2022-23 season.

“It was definitely a grind that took a lot of work. I am thankful for the tough schedule Coach [Hangey] created,” Klinsky said.

When conference play rolled around, Klinsky was ready. In his first MAC match of the season, Klinsky defeated his Clarion University opponent by decision. And from there, Klinsky continued his dominance. 

As matches passed by and Klinsky continued to collect win after win, it was time for the                    MAC Championships.

Klinsky wasted zero time at the tournament in Buffalo, New York, as he made his way to the final round and won by major decision, 11-3. 

With the win, Klinsky secured his first ever MAC title and was also named the tournament’s most outstanding wrestler. Klinsky also secured a bid to the NCAA Championships. Later on, Klinsky was named MAC Wrestler of the Year on March 27.

‘Nerves and doubts always find a way into your head’

After a little over a week to soak in being a MAC champion for the first time, Klinsky knew that his job was not finished.

The day of the NCAA championships was full of anticipation for Klinsky. The sleep the night before was not very restful.

“Those nerves and doubts always find a way into your head and keep you awake for a few hours,” Klinsky said. 

Throughout the sessions at the NCAA championships, there is a lot of down time for the wrestlers who are waiting to hit the mats.

Klinsky used this time to maintain his high energy and stay focused.

“It’s a lot of sitting around waiting for your turn to wrestle, but it’s important to focus on yourself and focus your energy on warming up, eating and drinking properly to ensure you compete to your best ability every time,” Klinsky explained.

During the first session, Klinsky faced off against a foe from the University of Pennsylvania. Klinsky crushed his opponent, winning by a technical fall.

In his next match, Klinsky took on a wrestler from the University of Minnesota. This time around, the match was very low scoring, with both wrestlers battling for position. By the end of the match, Klinsky was shut out, 2-0. With the loss, his streak of 20 straight wins was snapped, but he stayed alive in All-American contention.

‘The juice was worth the squeeze’

After another night of limited rest, Klinsky was ready for day two of the championships. Klinsky was set to face off against wrestlers from Ohio State University and the University of Oklahoma. 

In his match against the Oklahoma Sooner, Klinsky had his way and coasted to a 14-5 major decision. 

Next up, Klinsky went up against the third-ranked wrestler in his weight class, setting up for a prestige match.

Klinsky fell behind in the match early, but was able to come through in the late stages to secure a massive, upset win.

Riding the high of a huge win, Klinsky then faced off against a wrestler from the University of Iowa. 

With a win, Klinsky became an All-American.

The score was knotted up at 0-0 by the end of the first period. The Hawkeye was able to score first with an escape, in which Klinsky quickly equalized. 

With time dwindling in both the match and his Rider career, Klinsky came through with a takedown to pick up three points. Time expired and he was victorious.

Running and jumping into Hangey’s open arms was Klinsky, cementing six years of Rider wrestling as  an All-American.

“The juice was worth the squeeze … it was the greatest, most fulfilling feeling I have ever experienced,” Klinsky said. 

Hangey, who recruited Klinsky and coached for six years, had nothing but great words for his                All-American wrestler.

“Couldn’t be happier for Tyler. It couldn’t happen to a better kid. He pours his heart and soul into everything he does,” Hangey told Rider Athletics after the match.

Etched into history

With Klinsky’s All-American recognition, he is now Rider’s 11th All-American in the last 12 years and 22nd overall.

“For a program like ours, having four All-Americans in four years, and 11 in the last 12, says a lot about what our guys put into this and the support we get. It’s a standard we expect to keep going,” Hangey said.

Klinsky, however, is not too sure what his next step will be. After spending six years at Rider, Klinsky’s life will look a lot different in the next few weeks.

“A lot of decisions have to be made. I definitely want to be involved in the sport of wrestling, but not sure what level that will be or what my future will look like,” Klinsky said. “Teaching and coaching was originally the goal but things change, but I am excited to see where I end up.”