The anticipation for the 2024 NCAA wrestling season is building up, as the events will be starting in a few days. However, one of the teams, which is OSU, has already showcased what they are capable of at the Michigan State Open, under the guidance of their new head coach, David Taylor.

The Olympic wrestler who was assigned a new role in his esteemed wrestling career made him switch from Penn State to OSU, and the results that he promised to his new legion of followers were already under commencement. Many of his wrestlers were at the top of the NCAA standings, which made Taylor very confident prior to the Michigan State Open, and as seen during a media availability, he stayed true to his words.

David Taylor establishing OSU’s dominance

There are 25 state teams participating in the 2024 NCAA wrestling season, and each one of them has their strengths and weaknesses. However, which one of them has caught the most attention among the fans? It’s OSU. The team underwent plenty of changes during the year, and those changes are now reflected in their results as they are led by David Taylor. 

As reported by The O’Colly, prior to the Michigan State Open, the press saw a confident head coach who had a lot of trust in his wrestlers, stating, “The guys are in a really good spot practicing—they’re practicing really good this week. We’ve got a handful of guys going to the Michigan State Open this weekend. So I’m excited to watch them compete there. Still have a few things to look at. But we’re in a good spot right now.”

After leaving Penn State, the Olympic champion’s full focus was on building his new team at OSU. He evaluated the wrestler’s practice sessions and eventually was pleased with the way things were going on. So, what exactly was the result at the Michigan State Open? Out of the participating 13 wrestlers from the OSU, 6 took the champion’s crown in their respective classes.

In the 133-pound class, Cael Hughes took the victory and was followed by Tagen Jamison in the 141-pound class. Furthermore, dominant performances by Jersey Robb, Cody Merrill, Konner Doucet, and JJ McComas in the 184, 197, heavyweight, and 133 underclasses, respectively, showcased what OSU was truly capable of.

Taylor’s team is looking really strong prior to the NCAA campaign, and these particular victories are surely a wake-up call for his rivals. While the aforementioned OSU wrestlers did dominate the event, among them there are also some who are at the very top of the rankings in the NCAA.

OSU’s top wrestlers ahead of the NCAA campaign

Apart from the other seasons, OSU has been under the radar of wrestling aficionados a lot this year. And what’s the reason for this? It is none other than them taking in David Taylor as their head coach, who eventually added Jimmy Kennedy and Thomas Gilman to his coaching roster. 

These big names in the sport have been involved with the preparation of OSU wrestlers before the NCAA’s official season kicks off. Entering the campaign, Oklahoma is ranked third just below Penn State in first and Iowa in second, but nine of their wrestlers are present in the top 20 list of the Intermat rankings for the 2024-25 season. 

However, out of those nine wrestlers, four have made it to the top five. The ranking puts Cameron Amine (165) and Dean Hamiti Jr. (174) fifth in their respective weight divisions. Dustin Plott also reached the top of the charts, finishing third in the country in the 184-pound weight class. However, OSU supporters will be cheering for Wyatt Hendrickson, the second-highest-rated wrestler, to begin the season. There would be plenty of action in Utah Valley, where OSU will begin its season, and it would be a sight to behold.