David Taylor and Oklahoma State’s Next Move Could Change College Wrestling Season in November

After taking up the coach position in the Oklahoma Cowboys wrestling camp, David Taylor knew that he would have to rub shoulders with records that his predecessor John Smith left in the gallery- 23 conference titles! So the reigning Olympic champion made his attitude clear that he would stop at nothing less than the top podiums in the upcoming contests. The NCAA will draw a special notation as the Cowboys need to prove many things against their odds in the championship. Therefore, to keep his hands on that trophy as the coach, David Taylor is ready to play his cards before November comes in. And one of those cards could be his admirer. 

In his acknowledgment of the coaching role, David Taylor talked about employing the “right resources in right situation”. Right now, the right resource is ready to jump in the Cowboys’ ship. 

David Taylor moves ahead with handpicking solutions 

After a hefty 2022-23 season for Cornell Athletics, 149-pound weight category wrestler Yianni Diakomihalis still has one year left because of the updated eligibility after the COVID-19 disruption. But right now, he is interested in shifting to the Oklahoma Cowboys because of David Taylor’s presence. The possibility of shifting has found firm ground after The Wrestling Room’s tweet saying Yianni’s appearance in Stillwater for the entire week. 

Eventually, the Cowboys’ headquarters is in Stillwater, and after facing a defeat to Jesse Mendez in the 65-kg category in the Olympic trial, Yianni Diakomihalis did not have many options left except continuing his fifth year for the Cornell Red or changing the wrestling address. The second option has a higher chance of turning into reality. 

The contributing factor that could affect the choice to rope in a phenom like Yianni Diakomihalis, is his achievement. Holding four NCAA titles and silver in the World championships, the Rochester native is a force to reckon with. He may add an extra force in the 149-weight band in the camp. Another factor is his familiarity with David Taylor. 

The 25-year-old wrestler has had several memorable meetings with David in the past along the fence line. One such remained in the 2023 Final X Wrestling, where both appeared for their weight categories. Although Yianni faced a defeat from Nick Lee, David crossed the walls to win against Aaron Brooks. This year, after David Taylor’s taking up the coaching post, Yianni celebrated the appointment on X, by retweeting the news, captioning it “Wowza”. However, a final seal on the recruitment news is yet to come. But if it lands, Yianni Diakomihalis wouldn’t be the only one to make use of the extended eligibility. 

The PSU steadies another champion into the fold 

David Taylor’s old mate Cael Sanderson threw his support behind Carter Starocci to keep him in the camp using the fifth-year eligibility regulations. The 4-time NCAA champion has been responding to his coach in his own style. 

After confirming his stay in Penn State NLWC, Starocci forwarded a request to the Penn State fans, asking to “sell out the beaver stadium in November“.  Subsequently, he has served proof through his X posts that despite his defeat in the Olympic trial to Trent Hidlay, he is yet to rest his guard. He seems to have good health after his injury in his last match in the last season. Expectedly, Carter Starocci is looking to extend his fairy run in the 197-pound weight category. David Taylor will surely keep an eye on that development. But right now, it is his time to add weapons to his arsenal while standing on the other side of the mat.