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

With all four years of college eligibility remaining, Christian Carroll has announced his transfer to Iowa State.

Carroll was previously committed to Illinois and Penn before enrolling at Oklahoma State where he red-shirted last year & competed with the Cowboy RTC. pic.twitter.com/N8inwiToOs

— Justin Basch (@JustinJBasch) June 13, 2024

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!