Rutgers wrestling signee Anthony Knox earned runner-up status in the 57kg weight class at the 2026 Senior World Team Trials Challenge in Knoxville last Friday, after earning his way to the title match, where he lost to three-time NCAA champion and Olympic silver medalist Spencer Lee.
This performance is another notable performance in a freestyle circuit run that has been full of them. As the No. 2 seed, Knox defeated 2026 Pan American champion and NCAA All-American Liam Cronin, 11-0, in the semifinals
of the championship bracket on Thursday to advance to the finals on Friday. This flawless performance against a highly respected wrestler shows Rutgers fans what they should expect when he takes the mat for the Scarlet Knights next season.
Some other accomplishments that Knox has had during his time in the freestyle circuits include earning a bronze medal at the 2026 U.S. Open last month at the Expo at World Market Center in Las Vegas, being named Most Outstanding Wrestler while winning the U20 Men’s Freestyle National Championship at last year’s U.S. Open, and a U20 World Team Trials title at 57kg in Geneva, Ohio, which earned him a spot at the U20 World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, representing Team USA. That competition will run from August 17 to August 23rd.
