Parkins, Ford Place at U23 World Team Trials

GENEVA, Ohio. – Incoming freshman Tahir Parkins (sixth) and rising sophomore Ryan Ford (eighth) placed at the U23 World Team Trials, held May 31-June 1 in Geneva, Ohio. Ford and Parkins were two of several athletes from Rutgers wrestling and the Scarlet Knights Wrestling Club to compete at the two-day tournament.

Parkins earned a sixth-place finish at the trials after closing the weekend with six victories during his impressive run to the podium. After losing on the front side of the bracket in the Round of 16, Parkins ripped off five consecutive wins to advance to the fifth-place bout at 65kg. Parkins impressive run included a 14-9 decision over two-time All-American CJ Composto (Penn/Penn RTC).

After an opening-round loss, Ford earned seven consecutive wins to advance to the consolation quarterfinals before bowing out of the tournament with an eighth-place finish at 79kg. Rising sophomore Ayden Smith worked three wins on the front side of the bracket at 57kg, while classmate Mason Gibson and junior Dagen Condomitti both earned three championship wins at 61 kg and 70kg, respectively.