The Gallagher-Iba Arena was packed to the rafters on Sunday with eager fans. With a record season’s highest attendance, Cowboys wrestling fans were in for a special afternoon as the squad continued their dominant start to the season with David Taylor. Oklahoma State hosted West Virginia in a Big 12 dual that promised to send sparks flying. And it was a promise that did not go unfulfilled.

Although the Cowboys ultimately ended the dual on top 30-12, the Mountaineers certainly put up a fight. West Virginia exited the gates strong with WVU #13 Jett Strickenberger pinning OSU #4 Troy Spratley in an upset win in the 125-pound category. However, the Cowboys ensured Spratley’s loss remained a blip as the back half of the lineup rallied to close out the meet with 4 straight duals, securing the win in style.

Under the leadership of former wrestling star and first-time coach, David Taylor, the Cowboys have begun the season scoring 30+ points in their first nine duals for just the second time in program history. Cowboys Wrestling has a storied past, and it looks like Taylor’s guidance will allow this team to live up to it.

After the match, Taylor acknowledged the hard-fought nature of the win. As per The Oklahoman, he said, “It was a scrap. We found ourselves in some tough matches tonight.” Furthermore, Taylor also emphasized the challenges that come with wrestling for such a decorated program. “It’s good for our team to experience that. I think that when you wrestle for a program like Oklahoma State, you are going to get the best of everybody,” added the 34-year-old.

Taylor was also full of praise for the fans who set a record attendance at the Gallagher-Iba Arena. “I think we’re continuing to push the limits,” Taylor said. “It means a lot to our guys, our program, our university. It’s really cool to see that and be a part of a program that can show that type of support for wrestling. They made a difference tonight in a couple matches. Pretty grateful for that.”

OSU #3 Dean Hamiti Jr., who kicked off the 4-dual winning streak with his win against WVU #29 Brody Conley, echoed Taylor’s sentiments and spoke of his faith in the team. Hamiti Jr. stated, “We’re all confident in each other; we all work very hard. We have faith in each other. I think when everyone wrestles hard, it sets the tone. We all want to compete with each other to see who can score the most points, and it sets us up well.” Assessing his own performance, Hamiti Jr. added, “It’s wrestling; anything can happen in there,” he said. “I’m not gonna wrestle any different just because we’re behind.”

What’s Next for the Cowboys?

David Taylor and the Cowboys will look to continue their 30+ point streak and 9-0 winning streak by securing more wins this weekend. This week they hit the road to face off against two of their biggest hurdles of the season. On Friday, the Cowboys will face No. 5 Northern Iowa in a dual that is shaping up to be the latest exciting chapter of a recent but intense rivalry.

What’s more, it is a question of who will blink first. The Panthers are also riding a 9-0 winning streak after having won several match-ups against top teams. Following that dual, the Cowboys continue their Iowa sojourn with a dual against No. 13 Iowa State on Sunday, before returning home to host Missouri on February 2nd.

With this, the Cowboys fans are hopeful that their team can keep their fairytale start to the season going with key away victories.