David Taylor Faces Setback as Iowa Snags Star Wrestler From Olympian-Coached Team

With the 2024 Olympics on the horizon and a new NCAA season looming ahead, NCAA

wrestling is undergoing a significant transformation. Amid the high stakes, the transfer portal has become a hot topic, with blazing deals for the top prospects keeping the community abuzz ahead of the season. One such significant twist this year came with 2020 Olympic gold medalist and former Penn State star David Taylor’s appointment as the new head coach of Oklahoma State’s wrestling program. In a significant move, OSU has acquired several promising wrestlers from the transfer portal, thanks to the Magic Man’s persuasive appeal.

Among those responding to his call is Jimmy Kennedy, a former wrestler and member of Cael Sanderson’s coaching staff, who has joined OSU to

lend his expertise to Taylor’s vision. However, Taylor’s efforts have faced a significant setback. Ahead of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Iowa has managed to snag a star wrestler from David Taylor’s newly formed team. According to a post on X by Justin Basch, the announcement of Christian Carroll’s transfer to Iowa State has added another layer of intrigue to the unfolding drama in collegiate wrestling.

Christian Carroll, who had previously committed to Illinois and Penn before enrolling at Oklahoma State, has announced his transfer to Iowa State. Carroll, with all four years of college eligibility remaining, was a redshirt last year and competed with the Cowboy Regional Training Center (RTC). Carroll, a highly-rated wrestler from Jimtown High School in Elkhart, Indiana, had an impressive high school career, particularly excelling in freestyle wrestling. Ranked as the top pound-for-pound recruit in the 2023 class, let us see how his journey to becoming a Cyclone unfolded.

Christian Carroll’s transfer amid David Taylor’s new additions

Upon joining Oklahoma State University (OSU), Carroll was expected to make a significant impact on their wrestling team. His talent shone brightly in April when he competed in the US Olympic Trials at 97 kilograms (213 pounds). Christian Carroll made waves by defeating Iowa alumnus Tony Cassioppi in the first round and narrowly losing to the accomplished J’den Cox in a 1-1 match where Cox advanced by criteria.

Initially planning to wrestle in the heavyweight category, Carroll’s plans, shifted with the arrival of another top heavyweight wrestler at OSU. He was likely to compete in the 197-pound weight class for the upcoming season. Christian’s decision to transfer came amidst Oklahoma State’s coaching change to David Taylor. He placed a “Do not contact” tag on his transfer portal entry, indicating he had already chosen a new school.

On Instagram, Christian Carroll announced the transfer from Cowboy Wrestling, sharing, “First and foremost, I want to thank Oklahoma State University for everything they have given me. My final destination will be Ames, Iowa, and I am proud to be a Cyclone!” This transfer makes Carroll the third OSU wrestler to leave this offseason, following Sammy Alvarez and AJ Heeg. However, OSU has also welcomed several prominent wrestlers from the transfer portal, including Wyatt Hendrickson, Dean Hamiti, and Cam Amine.

OSU boasts the most successful wrestling program in NCAA history, with 34 NCAA titles. Despite this, the program has not won an NCAA title since 2006. With significant recruiting and transfers, including the addition of renowned wrestlers, many wonder if coach David Taylor can end this drought. What are your thoughts about the Magic Man’s prospects for rekindling OSU’s championship glory? Share in the comments below!