David Taylor Gives Honest Take On Overshadowing Coach Cael Sanderson at NCAA
In the realm of college wrestling, Cael Sanderson of Penn State stands out as one of the most accomplished coaches, having led his team to an impressive 11 titles. However, Oklahoma State University garnered a lot of attention in the 2024–25 season due to its impressive 13-1 record. The team has been expertly guided by David Taylor, a former student of Penn State, who was under the leadership of Sanderson himself.

Upon joining, he expressed a significant dedication to the Cowboys, remarking, “What I realized yesterday (when I first met with the team) was that it looked like family. These kids look like they really care about each other, which is awesome. And we’re gonna keep building on that and moving forward… We want to win national championships at Oklahoma State. We want a team championship at Oklahoma State. We want to stay and win gold medals at Oklahoma State.”

Despite a season marked by victories and strong performances, the Cowboys faced a setback in their final match against the Iowa Hawkeyes, leading to the end of their winning streak. Nonetheless, Taylor’s resolve remains steadfast in the face of that defeat against the Hawkeyes. What comes next on his agenda? The Big 12 Championships are set to kick off this weekend. What insights does he have regarding the upcoming tournament?

“I mean, it would be great. I mean, um, but really, it’s just I want our guys to be able to go and compete, you know, and I’m excited to watch them wrestle. I mean, tournaments are, uh, you know, tournaments are what defines the end of the season in every aspect,” David Taylor stated in an interview featured on Pistols Firing’s YouTube channel. He elaborated, “You know, as a youth wrestler, as a high school wrestler, as a collegiate wrestler, as wrestling the worlds, the Olympics, and tournaments are what you got to win, you know, so I think it’s individually looking for our guys going out and competing, you know?”