Oklahoma State University Athletics
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Taylor, Cowboys Preview NCAA Championships
March 13, 2025 | Cowboy Wrestling
STILLWATER – Head coach David Taylor and wrestlers Dustin Plott and Wyatt Hendrickson met with the media Thursday in Stillwater to discuss the 2025 NCAA Championships. Here are some of their comments:
Head Coach David Taylor
On the NCAA Championships:
"The national tournament is what we have been preparing for since the day we got on campus. Now, we get a chance to go wrestle in this tournament and go represent our university. I look forward to it... It's like no other tournament in the world. With everything that goes into it, it is such a great opportunity for our guys to go wrestle there."
On his message to the team ahead of the tournament:
"It's about belief. You just have to believe in your skills, your abilities, your preparation and the plan we put in place for you guys, which they do. That's the best we can do going into this tournament. Whether it's your first tournament, your last tournament or somewhere in between, you get a little amount of time to wrestle in the national tournament. Make the most out of it."
On his first NCAA Championships as a coach:
"I remember as a little kid going and watching guys that I looked up to. Watching them compete, and then I was competing in the tournament. Then, I was a part of the broadcast for a period of the time, so your lens changes and how you're watching it. Now, (I'm) getting a chance to go as a coach… Looking forward to being there, but nothing changes. Just trying to be a staple for the guys."
184-Pounder Dustin Plott
On his attitude ahead of his final college tournament:
"Years past, I had a little more anxiety or maybe a little more excitement or build up. This year, I'm just at peace. I've trained, I've done everything I could and I'm confident I'm going to get the result that I want."
On the closeness of the team:
"The last two years have been the closest group of guys I've had in my time here at Oklahoma State. We're buddies outside the room going fishing, bowling, hanging out, doing things outside. That really helps the overall culture. When your friends are going the extra mile with their diet and their work and you're around them all the time to see that, it just brings everyone's level up."
Heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson
On his close Big 12 final:
"The best of the best guys, which I'm training to beat, (are) going to be matches like that. It's a good reset to realize I'm not going to be able to walk up there at the NCAA tournament and steamroll everybody… I think it's good, because then it reminds me of the basics and what it's going to take to be a national champion."
On not having wrestled many full matches this season:
"There are pros and cons to everything. On the pros, I've wrestled a little bit less, so maybe my body is not as worn out. But at the same time, I'm going to have five matches at the NCAA tournament and if they don't go super fast, it may be a little bit more stressful for me. What matters is the way we've been training and preparing for that."
Head Coach David Taylor
On the NCAA Championships:
"The national tournament is what we have been preparing for since the day we got on campus. Now, we get a chance to go wrestle in this tournament and go represent our university. I look forward to it... It's like no other tournament in the world. With everything that goes into it, it is such a great opportunity for our guys to go wrestle there."
On his message to the team ahead of the tournament:
"It's about belief. You just have to believe in your skills, your abilities, your preparation and the plan we put in place for you guys, which they do. That's the best we can do going into this tournament. Whether it's your first tournament, your last tournament or somewhere in between, you get a little amount of time to wrestle in the national tournament. Make the most out of it."
On his first NCAA Championships as a coach:
"I remember as a little kid going and watching guys that I looked up to. Watching them compete, and then I was competing in the tournament. Then, I was a part of the broadcast for a period of the time, so your lens changes and how you're watching it. Now, (I'm) getting a chance to go as a coach… Looking forward to being there, but nothing changes. Just trying to be a staple for the guys."
184-Pounder Dustin Plott
On his attitude ahead of his final college tournament:
"Years past, I had a little more anxiety or maybe a little more excitement or build up. This year, I'm just at peace. I've trained, I've done everything I could and I'm confident I'm going to get the result that I want."
On the closeness of the team:
"The last two years have been the closest group of guys I've had in my time here at Oklahoma State. We're buddies outside the room going fishing, bowling, hanging out, doing things outside. That really helps the overall culture. When your friends are going the extra mile with their diet and their work and you're around them all the time to see that, it just brings everyone's level up."
Heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson
On his close Big 12 final:
"The best of the best guys, which I'm training to beat, (are) going to be matches like that. It's a good reset to realize I'm not going to be able to walk up there at the NCAA tournament and steamroll everybody… I think it's good, because then it reminds me of the basics and what it's going to take to be a national champion."
On not having wrestled many full matches this season:
"There are pros and cons to everything. On the pros, I've wrestled a little bit less, so maybe my body is not as worn out. But at the same time, I'm going to have five matches at the NCAA tournament and if they don't go super fast, it may be a little bit more stressful for me. What matters is the way we've been training and preparing for that."
Players Mentioned
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