As a freestyle wrestler, Zadick won a silver medal at 2006 FILA Wrestling World Championships in Guangzhou, China, defeating two-time Olympic champion Mavlet Batirov in the semi-final.

As a youth wrestler, Zadick had national success competing in USA Wrestling age-group events in both freestyle and Greco-Roman styles.

Zadick was a three-time all-American wrestler (2000–02) at the University of Iowa, winning the 149-pound Big Ten Conference title in 2002.

He previously spent 10 years on the staff at the University of Iowa head coach Tom Brands.

During his tenure, Iowa has won two NCAA national championships (2008–09), and two Big Ten Conference team titles (2008–09).