OSU Seniors Reflect on Time in Stillwater Entering Senior Day

STILLWATER — Sunday will be the final time for a handful of Cowboys to take to the mat in Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Oklahoma State has eight seniors listed on its wrestling roster, with six or seven of those guys expected to be in OSU’s lineup Sunday. It feels like some of those wrestlers just got to Stillwater. Others seemingly grew up withing the hallowed halls of GIA.

It’ll also be David Taylor’s first Senior Day as the Cowboys’ coach. At 34 years old, Taylor isn’t all that far away from his own Senior Day at Penn State back in 2014.

“A piece of advice that I got one time, I was getting ready for the Olympics and I was in training, and I was like, ‘I can’t wait to get there, I can’t wait to wrestle, I can’t wait to wrestle,'” Taylor said. “The advice that I got was like, hey, don’t wish the days away. Enjoy this process, enjoy this moment. I just feel like my mindset shifted, and I really appreciated that time. I think that’s just what I try to share with these guys. Don’t wish the days away. These are awesome times. You’re gonna look back in your life and love this time. …

“College wrestling, it’s the pinnacle. It is. It’s the pinnacle of our sport in every way, shape or form. It is. I enjoyed that time. Feels like it’s a really long time ago now. These guys will look back, and their gonna enjoy this time, as well.”

Dustin Plott has been a regular in OSU’s lineup since getting to Stillwater by way of Tuttle High School, the same school that produced OSU senior Luke Surber. Plott has made the NCAA Tournament every year since, earning All-America honors the past three seasons which includes his runner-up finish last year. Plott is 13-2 in his final season with his only two losses coming to reigning national champ Parker Keckeisen.

Building off Taylor’s point of not wishing the days away, Plott said as a senior, he now appreciates even the tougher aspects of being a college wrestler.

“As far as things I won’t miss … I don’t know, I kind of enjoy everything,” Plott said. “I don’t have any complaints. …

“I think just part of the sport is learning to love everything, even the stuff that people would be like, ‘Man, that doesn’t look like fun.’ But through time have kinda learned to enjoy and appreciate all of it. I think it’s just something that happens with maturing through my college career.”

Plott said he’ll be sticking around Stillwater with the Cowboy RTC once his college career finishes, and Wyatt Hendrickson will join him.

Hendrickson is one of those guys whose time with the Cowboys has flashed by. A heavyweight transfer from Air Force, Hendrickson entered his time as a Cowboy already having been an All-American and Big 12 champion twice. He’s been one of the more exciting Cowboy heavyweights in recent memory. He’s 15-0 this season, winning a dozen of those matches by either fall or technical fall.

Dean Hamiti Jr., Cameron Amine and Caleb Fish join Hendrickson as OSU seniors who are in their first year with the program.

“It feels like it was just yesterday when I first got here, and now it’s like, wow,” Hendrickson said. “Since August, time has flown by, but time flies when you’re having fun. That just shows that it’s a fun time wrestling here. We’re competing well, we’re getting better at wrestling, we’re having fun along the way. It’s kinda gonna be sad.

“I definitely enjoyed the experience wrestling here at Oklahoma State for one year. It’s gonna be a little upsetting. It’s always going to be a little bitter sweet moment, but it’s also not the last time I’m going to be stepping on the mat, wearing Oklahoma State wrestling. Still got Big 12s, still got NCAAs. Still looking forward to that.”

OSU Wrestling Seniors

Cameron Amine
Konner Doucet
Reece Witcraft
Caleb Fish
Dean Hamiti Jr.
Wyatt Hendrickson
Dustin Plott
Luke Surber

OSU vs. Missouri

Time: 2 p.m. Sunday
Location: Gallagher-Iba Arena
Watch: ESPN+