Hofstra wrestling heavyweight Zachary Knighton-Ward had a monster 2019-20 campaign, going 22-12 and qualifying for the NCAA tournament. His journey to get to this point took many stops along the way.
Knighton-Ward was a multi-sport athlete at Uniondale High School when he began wrestling. “I first started wrestling in 10th grade,” Knighton-Ward said. “My brother did it. I followed the sports he did: wrestling, football, lacrosse. I threw in swimming with it.”
When he was ready to graduate, Knighton-Ward had to make the decision many young athletes have to make, and wrestling came out on top. “I knew that if I wanted to go to college I was going to have to be exceptional at one of these sports,” he said. “I know that I can make myself really good at wrestling just by working hard myself. I think it’s because it was an individual sport, I was able to push myself and get better really fast.”
Knighton-Ward won a state championship at 220 pounds in his senior year of high school, just three years after taking up the sport. After graduating, Knighton-Ward took his talents to Nassau Community College (NCC) where he continued to wrestle.
“Nassau helped me out tremendously,” Knighton-Ward said. “I had really experienced coaches, I had [assistant head coach] Vougar [Oroudjov], [assistant coach] Sam Thomas and [head coach] Paul Schmidt. I feel like, in that atmosphere, it’s not like the coaches are hounding you to take care of your business, it’s more so, ‘If you want to be good at this, you’re going to do the extra stuff to get good at the sport,’ and that’s what I did. I was always looking for the next way to improve my technique and my skill that much more.”
In one season at NCC, Knighton-Ward was 24-4 and took home the National Junior College Athletic Association Northeast District title at 197 pounds.
Knighton-Ward didn’t have to move very far the next year when Hofstra came calling.
“[Coach Dennis Papadatos] gave me the opportunity, and that’s the best thing about being here. I know I was wanted here,” he said. “I know that I wasn’t really a sought-after recruit, and he gave me the opportunity and I’m definitely taking advantage.”
The transition was tough, but it was a challenge Knighton-Ward embraced. “It’s completely different,” he said. “You only see success at this level if you really love it and if you really want to do it. It doesn’t matter if you’re really talented or a hard worker, it matters if you’re going to do the extra stuff to be that much better.”
Not only did Knighton-Ward have to adjust to the Division I level of competition, he also changed weight classes again, jumping from 197 pounds to the heavyweight division. “I thought I was going to come [to Hofstra] as a 197-pounder,” Knighton-Ward said. “I said, ‘Dennis [Papadatos], do you want me wrestling 197?’ and he said, ‘No, I want you as my heavyweight.’”
Knighton-Ward redshirted the 2018-19 season as he worked to gain weight, and by the time the 2019-20 campaign rolled around, he was ready. “My biggest thing was putting muscle on and putting weight on. It was a slow progression,” Knighton-Ward said. “I was about 220 pounds when I first got here, last year, I got up to about 245ish and then this year, I got to about 265.”
Last year, Knighton-Ward was one of the top contributors for the Pride, but he felt he could have been even better. “The beginning of the season could have gone a lot better,” Knighton-Ward said. “As I started to pick it up toward the end of the season, I was happy about that. It could have definitely went better. I probably should have only lost five matches, if that.”
Knighton-Ward’s season culminated in a fourth-place finish at the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Championships, although it was uncertain whether or not he would be able to wrestle in the tournament at all.
“Prior to the EIWA tournament, I had the flu so I wasn’t practicing that week leading up to it,” Knighton-Ward said. “My symptoms subsided once we got there and I was able to work out with our previous heavyweight All-American, Mike Hughes, and he got me ready.”
After winning his first two matches, Knighton-Ward’s 3-1 loss to Harvard’s Yaraslau Slavikouski sent him to the consolation bracket. “I saw him prior,” Knighton-Ward said. “It’s a tough one, I gave up a takedown in the last 10 seconds.”
Knighton-Ward made it to the third-place match before losing a 7-2 decision to Cornell’s Brendan Furman. “That match didn’t go how I wanted it to go at all,” Knighton-Ward said. “I wasted way too much time on bottom and gave up dumb points.” The finish left a sour taste in his mouth and provided fuel for next year: “I think I should have taken third. I should have been in the finals,” Knighton-Ward said. “I was happy I had the chance to go to the NCAA tournament, but I think I should have been competing for a [EIWA] championship.”
The title is “without a doubt” Knighton-Ward’s goal for this upcoming season, but he’s also looking for more. “I know where I’m at in the NCAA,” he said. “I know that I’m a top contender. I’m going for that first place in the EIWA and then that All-American and national title.”
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
