Oklahoma State University Athletics
Senior Salute: Tyler Caldwell
May 01, 2014 | Cowboy Wrestling
May 1, 2014
STILLWATER – “Senior Salute” is a weekly feature that asks 2014 Cowboy seniors what their careers meant to them, providing commentary from each senior wrestler, as well as coach John Smith. This edition features Tyler Caldwell, who wrapped up his collegiate career as a four-time All-American. Their comments:
What did your time at Oklahoma State mean to you?
“It's something that I'm going to remember and cherish forever. It's one of those things where coming here from another school, especially an in-state school, a lot of people remember me for that. I've made a lot of memories here with the people I've met and my teammates, and I'm excited about my future here at Oklahoma State.”
How do you think transferring from OU to OSU made your collegiate career unique?
“The first year I came here, it got a lot of media attention. A lot of people referred to me as the kid from OU, but after that first year people stopped saying that and instead said, 'Hey, that's Tyler Caldwell, the OSU Cowboy.' The second year when we wrestled against OU, it was kind of forgotten. It wasn't a big deal anymore.”
How did OSU help prepare you for your future?
“Working under the greatest coaches in the country with John Smith, Eric Guerrero, Zack Esposito and Coleman Scott – and Kenny Monday was here my first year. They taught me a lot. It was very helpful in my transition to OSU, and I think it will help in my transition to freestyle and one day coaching.”
What is your favorite memory as a Cowboy?
“That's tough. I'd say when we beat Iowa at home in 2013. That was great. Also, the team race at NCAAs that same year, when we chased after Penn State and only lost by four points. It was a bitter memory, but it was also fun and something that'll I'll cherish with the guys on the team. That was a really special team we had that year.”
What would you tell someone who is thinking about becoming a Cowboy?
“Do it. You won't regret it. The people here are amazing. They take you right in and you feel like you're at home. The fans and the support from everyone is just awesome. It was the best decision I ever made.”
What does your future look like at OSU?
“I'm going to go into my master's program in the fall and work as a graduate assistant and continue training and preparing the guys for the NCAA Championships.”
What are you looking forward to most about being a graduate assistant?
“I think impacting other people's lives and seeing other guys have success and knowing that you were kind of a part of that. I've always enjoyed helping people and I think that's going to be really special when I have my first NCAA champion that I helped out.”
Coach John Smith
What has Tyler Caldwell meant to OSU?
“He really brought great leadership to the program – not by talking, but by actions. He's a good student, a responsible student who has pride in his work. On the mat, there's only one option and that's to win a national championship. He fell short of it, but his examples rubbed off on a lot people.”
What do you expect from Caldwell moving forward?
“He loves wrestling, and I like that he's making an attempt at 2016 in probably the toughest weight in the U.S. Anything is possible, and I think his best wrestling is still ahead of him.”
What will you miss most about having Caldwell on the team?
“He'll be around, but the thing that I'll miss as a student-athlete is how tough he is on the mat. He's a tough guy that doesn't give up a lot. He's pretty consistent with his emotions. He shows up each and every match. He shows up every practice. Those are the things you love to see as a coach, just that consistent behavior on a consistent basis. He's not somebody where you're having to maintain their emotions. This is a guy who brought it every day, and it showed throughout his career. He's a great wrestler.”
