Oklahoma State Wrestling Coach David Taylor to Compete at U.S. World Team Trials

David Taylor’s retirement lasted a summer.

Taylor was hired as Oklahoma State’s wrestling coach on May 6, only a few weeks after falling short of reaching his second straight Olympics. His days of competing apparently aren’t over, though, as Taylor is registered to compete at the 2024 United States Senior World Team Trials this weekend in Omaha, Nebraska. Former Cowboys Daton Fix, Alex Dieringer and Jordan Oliver will also wrestle at the event.

“I’m at peace with it, because I did everything I wanted to do in my career — everything and more,” Taylor said at his introduction news conference. “And so many people helped me do that. I’m not at peace with losing. I hate to lose, but at some point, what are you still chasing?… I just realized that as my career came to an end that I wanted to pour into the next generation of kids. I believe this is the way I can do that to the best of my ability. I believe I can make a massive impact directly on the people I’m working with but also on the sport of wrestling. Hopefully we can leave wrestling in a better place. My journey as a competitor is done, but my journey as a coach is just starting.”

Taylor, famously nicknamed Magic Man, is one of the most decorated wrestlers in Penn State and United States history. He won a gold medal at 86 kg at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021. He upended defending Olympic champion Hassan Yazdani in the finals. Overall, Taylor has four world championships since 2018, including that Olympic gold. He failed to qualify to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after Aaron Brooks upset Taylor in the finals of the United States Olympic Team Trials in April, ultimately leading him to Stillwater.

Before his international career, Taylor won a pair of individual NCAA titles at Penn State in 2012 and 2014 and was also awarded the Dan Hodge Trophy twice. He beat OSU’s Tyler Caldwell 6-0 in the 165-pound championship match in 2014 to finish his college career. Taylor was a four-time NCAA finalist and four-time Big Ten champion. The Nittany Lions also won a national championship every season Taylor competed. Taylor was 134-3 during his college career.

Taylor will compete at a new weight, 92 kilograms, in the upcoming tournament, with champions getting the opportunity to represent the U.S. at the Senior World Championships in Tirana, Albania on Oct. 28-31, which would be a few weeks before OSU’s season starts. Taylor has competed at 86 kilograms since 2015.

To make it to the World Championships and represent the U.S., Taylor will have to get through the challenge tournament then defeat 2023 World bronze medalist Zahid Valencia, who awaits in the best-of-three championship series.

As wild as the concept of a Division-I coach still competing sounds, former coach John Smith won his second Olympic gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, only months after finishing his first season as the Cowboys’ head coach. Smith went on to lead the Cowboys to five NCAA titles and just retired in April.

“I think it’s a great thing any time that we can put the brand of the program out in the wrestling world,” OSU athletic director Chad Weiberg said in a statement. “For our team here to see him competing and doing the things to get ready to compete, it only makes what’s happening in our room better.”