David Taylor’s first season as head coach of Oklahoma State University wrestling is a prime season for the program. Taylor, a dynamic, gifted, and accomplished college and Olympic wrestler, provides a fresh perspective at OSU that has widely been viewed as stale for too long in the recent past. His coaching philosophy is based on making wrestling something difficult and fun, as he said wrestling is hard, but it’s going to be fun. Taylor’s vision extends beyond technique and tactics—he aims to instill a growth-oriented mindset among his wrestlers.

David Taylor joined OSU as a head coach earlier this year, and with his debut, Taylor started making headlines. His first win as a wrestling coach at Oklahoma State was against Wyoming, with a score of 32-6. Last year, the OSU team scored more than 31 points in one dual, and this season, they have yet to score less than 32 team points. And it seems like the head coach couldn’t be prouder as he said, “Our guys that have been there and had success at the national tournament—their aura, their demeanor, their work ethic—are super valuable for some of the younger guys on our team.”

David Taylor’s coaching influences wrestlers like Troy Spratley, Like Surber, and Tagen Jamison, and transfers like Dean Hamiti and Wyatt Hendrickson. Further, Hamiti defeated Columbia wrestler Lennox Wolak at the 2024-25 NCAA D1 wrestling season. Taylor expressed, “It’s a tough weight class (174 pounds), but that’s why we’re training and what we’re wrestling for.”

Taylor retired from wrestling as a competitor at the age of 33 but came out of retirement to compete in the US World Team Trials. He made the US World Team and competed in the World Championships, where he earned a bronze medal. Continuing his legacy as a head coach, the Cowboys won a team title at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, the second-ranked recruiting class, and an undefeated dual record with a score of 34-9 over No. 7 Virginia Tech in Gallagher-Iba Arena. Thus, David Taylor’s vision for OSU is nothing short of making the team the topmost team in the wrestling world.

David Taylor’s vision is to shape the next generation of wrestling stars

Taylor’s vision extends beyond technique and tactics—he aims to instill a growth-oriented mindset among his wrestlers. Taking cues from Taylor’s own career mentee under the auspicious Cael Sanderson, he recounts how the culture of wrestling has evolved. He has long pointed to the need for modern wrestlers to be more adaptable and to develop a greater awareness of individual strengths.

In an interview, when Taylor asked about the similarities between him and his coach, Cael Sanderson, he responded, “Yeah, I mean, I think that there’s some—there’s a lot of similarities to what we’re doing here now to what Penn State did, you know, [number] years ago. College athletics is much different now than what it was then, that’s for sure.” 

Taylor believes that wrestling is a history, and history repeats itself. He said, “I think history and wrestling kind of repeat themselves, you know. If you look back in the history of time—it’s the same programs; it’s just different eras, right?” Taylor’s dedication to continuing OSU’s tradition while also expanding the possibilities of the sport heralds a new chapter for the team and its dedicated fanbase. It is to be seen how Taylor’s coaching and unique technique on the mat will take Oklahoma State University after OSU dominated the NCAA this season.