Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Wrestling
David Taylor
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- osu.wrestling@okstate.edu
- Phone:
- (405) 744-4541
David “Magic Man” Taylor is entering his second season as head coach of the Oklahoma State wrestling program after compiling an uber-impressive rookie season as a first-time head coach.
Taylor sparked a new hope into the Cowboy faithful in year one, as the Cowboys finished third at the NCAA Championships, Oklahoma State's highest placing since 2021. With two NCAA Champions, six All-Americans, and nine NCAA qualifiers, the Cowboys took home their highest point total since 2017. Additionally, Taylor became only the second first-year head coach to collect a Big 12 title in his first season. The team compiled a 13-1 record with its only loss coming in nail-biting fashion on the road. Taylor’s Cowboys were a must-see attraction, as Oklahoma State set a new home attendance record in Taylor’s first season. The OSU faithful were not the only ones fascinated with the recharged Cowboys. On the road, three separate foes on the Cowboys’ 2024-25 schedule set new attendance records of their own when the Pokes came to town.
Taylor’s Cowboys became a must-see attraction, as Oklahoma State set a new average attendance record with 7,597, eclipsing the previous record by nearly 30%. One of the reasons for the spike was Dan Hodge Trophy winner Wyatt Hendrickson. In the heavyweight’s first season with the program, Taylor and co. were able to propel the nation’s most dominant wrestler to a perfect season, where he defeated Olympic champion Gable Steveson in the NCAA final in one of wrestling’s biggest upsets ever.
Prior to his arrival in Stillwater, Taylor spent the last 20 years dominating every level of the sport as an athlete. His abundance of accolades includes an Olympic gold medal, three titles at the World Championships, six total world medals, two NCAA championships, two Dan Hodge Trophy awards, four national finals appearances and four conference championships.
As a Penn State wrestler from 2010-14, Taylor became one of the most accomplished athletes in program history. Most notably, Taylor brought home the 165-pound title as both a sophomore and senior as part of his four national finals appearances. He was also named the recipient of the Dan Hodge Trophy in both of those championship seasons, an award honoring the sport’s top college wrestler. With those two awards, Taylor became just the third multiple-time recipient in the history of the Dan Hodge Trophy. He saw even more success at the conference level as a four-time Big Ten champion.
Often praised for an exciting and aggressive style on the mat, Taylor put together a spectacular 134-3 record, totaling 50 pins, 42 technical falls and 29 major decisions, good for an 88.3% bonus rate throughout his entire career.
Taylor’s efforts as a freshman in 2011 helped lead Penn State to its first NCAA team title in 60 years, which was the first of four team championships Taylor went on to celebrate as a Nittany Lion. Taylor’s final collegiate bout in 2014 saw him win a national title in Oklahoma City, 10 years before his hiring just up the road in Stillwater. He faced current assistant coach Tyler Caldwell in that match, who was competing for the Cowboys.
Alongside his accomplishments on the mat at Penn State, Taylor excelled off it, earning multiple Academic All-America and All-Conference selections.
On the senior freestyle circuit, Taylor continued his dominance to the tune of four Olympic or World gold medals, six total medals and a remarkable seven-year run that saw him become the world’s top pound-for-pound wrestler. From December 2017 at the World Clubs Cup to the 2024 World Championships, Taylor won 79 of his 83 matches against the world’s top competition with 35 technical falls, 15 pins and a 57-match winning streak along the way.
Despite having never made a World Team prior, Taylor’s 2018 campaign produced perhaps the most decorated era of his seven-year run. First, Taylor became the 12th American to claim a gold medal at the Ivan Yarygin Golden Grand Prix, widely considered the toughest open tournament in the world. He then aided Team USA to a first- place finish the World Cup, won his third title at the U.S. Open just a few weeks later, captured his first of three gold medals at the Pan American Championships in May and finally broke through as a champion at the U.S. World Team Trials for the first time in his career. Taylor rode that momentum to the World Championships in Budapest, where he took down reigning World champion Hassan Yazdani of Iran in the first round and went 5-0 en route
to his first World title. After the season, Taylor was named both the UWW International and United States Freestyle Wrestler of the Year.
The highlight of Taylor’s freestyle career then came at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, which occurred in 2021 due to delays from the COVID-19 pandemic. There, Taylor racked up three technical falls on his way to the finals, defeating four-time World medalist Ali Shabanau from Belarus, San Marino’s Myles Amine and defending World silver medalist Deepak Punia of India. Awaiting in the finals was Yazdani yet again, who was the heavy favorite following his World title in 2019. With an Olympic gold medal on the line, Taylor blasted Yazdani for a clutch takedown with just seconds remaining in the match and secured the upset win, 4-3.
Taylor’s 57-match winning streak was snapped in the finals of the 2021 World Championships at the hands of Yazdani, but he bounced back with 13 more wins in a row and back-to-back World titles in 2022 and 2023. Taylor defeated Yazdani in both of those championship bouts, giving him a 5-1 edge in the legendary rivalry.
Most recently, Taylor capped off his historic career with a bronze medal at the 2024 World Championships in late October. Following a first-round defeat to eight-time gold medalist Abdulrashid Sadulaev, Taylor rebounded in repechage by winning three straight matches to reach the podium for the sixth and final time in his career. His bronze medal match came against two- time World champion Kamran Ghasempour of Iran and was one for the ages, as Ghasempour led 2-0 at the break but Taylor stormed back in the second to emerge as a 6-2 winner.
With the podium finish, Taylor completed his competitive career in a similar fashion to his predecessor, John Smith, who won his final gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics just months after completing his first season at the helm of the program.
Taylor sent a buzz through the wrestling world prior to the 2024 World Championships when he announced his intention to compete at the U.S. World Team Trials that September despite his position as head coach at OSU. He won all six of his matches at the tournament and secured his spot on Team USA with a sweep over 2023 World bronze medalist Zahid Valencia in the Championship Series.
In all, Taylor finished his senior freestyle career with a record of 161-22.
Before his collegiate and international success, Taylor won the prestigious Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award, which is given to the country’s top high school wrestler. He went 180-2 while competing for St. Paris Graham High School in Ohio and won four consecutive Ohio state championships, two of which coming at 103 pounds, one at 112 and another at 135. He was the Outstanding Wrestler at the 2009 Ohio state championship and the Ohio Wrestler of the Year as a junior and senior, as well as a two-time Asics First Team All-American. Taylor also claimed a Beast of the East title and won the Ironman crown an unprecedented four times, the first wrestler to ever do so in the history of the storied event. Other accolades included three cadet and two junior national titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, served as a member of the 4-H Club and was ranked top 10 in his recruiting class.
Taylor and his wife, Kendra, have three girls, London, Ivy and Birdie.
NCAA Team Championships
2011 – 157 pounds
2012 – 165 pounds
2013 – 165 pounds
2014 – 165 pounds
NCAA Individual Championships
2012 – 165 pounds
2014 – 165 pounds
Big Ten Team Championships
2011 – 157 pounds
2012 – 165 pounds
2013 – 165 pounds
2014 – 165 pounds
Big Ten Individual Championships
2011 – 157 pounds
2012 – 165 pounds
2013 – 165 pounds
2014 – 165 pounds
Senior Level Experience
2015 U.S. Open – First
2017 U.S. Open – First
2018 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix – Gold
2018 U.S. Open – First
2018 Pan American Championships – Gold
2018 World Championships - Gold
2019 Pan American Championships – Gold
2020 Tokyo Olympic Games – Gold
2021 Pan American Championships - Gold
2021 World Championships – Silver
2022 World Championships – Gold
2023 World Championships – Gold
2024 World Championships – Bronze
Taylor sparked a new hope into the Cowboy faithful in year one, as the Cowboys finished third at the NCAA Championships, Oklahoma State's highest placing since 2021. With two NCAA Champions, six All-Americans, and nine NCAA qualifiers, the Cowboys took home their highest point total since 2017. Additionally, Taylor became only the second first-year head coach to collect a Big 12 title in his first season. The team compiled a 13-1 record with its only loss coming in nail-biting fashion on the road. Taylor’s Cowboys were a must-see attraction, as Oklahoma State set a new home attendance record in Taylor’s first season. The OSU faithful were not the only ones fascinated with the recharged Cowboys. On the road, three separate foes on the Cowboys’ 2024-25 schedule set new attendance records of their own when the Pokes came to town.
Taylor’s Cowboys became a must-see attraction, as Oklahoma State set a new average attendance record with 7,597, eclipsing the previous record by nearly 30%. One of the reasons for the spike was Dan Hodge Trophy winner Wyatt Hendrickson. In the heavyweight’s first season with the program, Taylor and co. were able to propel the nation’s most dominant wrestler to a perfect season, where he defeated Olympic champion Gable Steveson in the NCAA final in one of wrestling’s biggest upsets ever.
Prior to his arrival in Stillwater, Taylor spent the last 20 years dominating every level of the sport as an athlete. His abundance of accolades includes an Olympic gold medal, three titles at the World Championships, six total world medals, two NCAA championships, two Dan Hodge Trophy awards, four national finals appearances and four conference championships.
As a Penn State wrestler from 2010-14, Taylor became one of the most accomplished athletes in program history. Most notably, Taylor brought home the 165-pound title as both a sophomore and senior as part of his four national finals appearances. He was also named the recipient of the Dan Hodge Trophy in both of those championship seasons, an award honoring the sport’s top college wrestler. With those two awards, Taylor became just the third multiple-time recipient in the history of the Dan Hodge Trophy. He saw even more success at the conference level as a four-time Big Ten champion.
Often praised for an exciting and aggressive style on the mat, Taylor put together a spectacular 134-3 record, totaling 50 pins, 42 technical falls and 29 major decisions, good for an 88.3% bonus rate throughout his entire career.
Taylor’s efforts as a freshman in 2011 helped lead Penn State to its first NCAA team title in 60 years, which was the first of four team championships Taylor went on to celebrate as a Nittany Lion. Taylor’s final collegiate bout in 2014 saw him win a national title in Oklahoma City, 10 years before his hiring just up the road in Stillwater. He faced current assistant coach Tyler Caldwell in that match, who was competing for the Cowboys.
Alongside his accomplishments on the mat at Penn State, Taylor excelled off it, earning multiple Academic All-America and All-Conference selections.
On the senior freestyle circuit, Taylor continued his dominance to the tune of four Olympic or World gold medals, six total medals and a remarkable seven-year run that saw him become the world’s top pound-for-pound wrestler. From December 2017 at the World Clubs Cup to the 2024 World Championships, Taylor won 79 of his 83 matches against the world’s top competition with 35 technical falls, 15 pins and a 57-match winning streak along the way.
Despite having never made a World Team prior, Taylor’s 2018 campaign produced perhaps the most decorated era of his seven-year run. First, Taylor became the 12th American to claim a gold medal at the Ivan Yarygin Golden Grand Prix, widely considered the toughest open tournament in the world. He then aided Team USA to a first- place finish the World Cup, won his third title at the U.S. Open just a few weeks later, captured his first of three gold medals at the Pan American Championships in May and finally broke through as a champion at the U.S. World Team Trials for the first time in his career. Taylor rode that momentum to the World Championships in Budapest, where he took down reigning World champion Hassan Yazdani of Iran in the first round and went 5-0 en route
to his first World title. After the season, Taylor was named both the UWW International and United States Freestyle Wrestler of the Year.
The highlight of Taylor’s freestyle career then came at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, which occurred in 2021 due to delays from the COVID-19 pandemic. There, Taylor racked up three technical falls on his way to the finals, defeating four-time World medalist Ali Shabanau from Belarus, San Marino’s Myles Amine and defending World silver medalist Deepak Punia of India. Awaiting in the finals was Yazdani yet again, who was the heavy favorite following his World title in 2019. With an Olympic gold medal on the line, Taylor blasted Yazdani for a clutch takedown with just seconds remaining in the match and secured the upset win, 4-3.
Taylor’s 57-match winning streak was snapped in the finals of the 2021 World Championships at the hands of Yazdani, but he bounced back with 13 more wins in a row and back-to-back World titles in 2022 and 2023. Taylor defeated Yazdani in both of those championship bouts, giving him a 5-1 edge in the legendary rivalry.
Most recently, Taylor capped off his historic career with a bronze medal at the 2024 World Championships in late October. Following a first-round defeat to eight-time gold medalist Abdulrashid Sadulaev, Taylor rebounded in repechage by winning three straight matches to reach the podium for the sixth and final time in his career. His bronze medal match came against two- time World champion Kamran Ghasempour of Iran and was one for the ages, as Ghasempour led 2-0 at the break but Taylor stormed back in the second to emerge as a 6-2 winner.
With the podium finish, Taylor completed his competitive career in a similar fashion to his predecessor, John Smith, who won his final gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics just months after completing his first season at the helm of the program.
Taylor sent a buzz through the wrestling world prior to the 2024 World Championships when he announced his intention to compete at the U.S. World Team Trials that September despite his position as head coach at OSU. He won all six of his matches at the tournament and secured his spot on Team USA with a sweep over 2023 World bronze medalist Zahid Valencia in the Championship Series.
In all, Taylor finished his senior freestyle career with a record of 161-22.
Before his collegiate and international success, Taylor won the prestigious Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award, which is given to the country’s top high school wrestler. He went 180-2 while competing for St. Paris Graham High School in Ohio and won four consecutive Ohio state championships, two of which coming at 103 pounds, one at 112 and another at 135. He was the Outstanding Wrestler at the 2009 Ohio state championship and the Ohio Wrestler of the Year as a junior and senior, as well as a two-time Asics First Team All-American. Taylor also claimed a Beast of the East title and won the Ironman crown an unprecedented four times, the first wrestler to ever do so in the history of the storied event. Other accolades included three cadet and two junior national titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, served as a member of the 4-H Club and was ranked top 10 in his recruiting class.
Taylor and his wife, Kendra, have three girls, London, Ivy and Birdie.
NCAA Team Championships
2011 – 157 pounds
2012 – 165 pounds
2013 – 165 pounds
2014 – 165 pounds
NCAA Individual Championships
2012 – 165 pounds
2014 – 165 pounds
Big Ten Team Championships
2011 – 157 pounds
2012 – 165 pounds
2013 – 165 pounds
2014 – 165 pounds
Big Ten Individual Championships
2011 – 157 pounds
2012 – 165 pounds
2013 – 165 pounds
2014 – 165 pounds
Senior Level Experience
2015 U.S. Open – First
2017 U.S. Open – First
2018 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix – Gold
2018 U.S. Open – First
2018 Pan American Championships – Gold
2018 World Championships - Gold
2019 Pan American Championships – Gold
2020 Tokyo Olympic Games – Gold
2021 Pan American Championships - Gold
2021 World Championships – Silver
2022 World Championships – Gold
2023 World Championships – Gold
2024 World Championships – Bronze
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