Cowboy Wrestling Dominates Utah Valley to Begin David Taylor Era
Oklahoma State’s new era is off to an encouraging start.
This offseason, OSU wrestling was dealt a surprising blow when long-time coach John Smith announced his retirement. Smith spent over three decades as the Cowboys’ coach and led the program to five national championships throughout his career.
While the team had a huge void to fill, the Cowboys chose to hire David Taylor as Smith’s successor. After celebrating Smith’s career, the Cowboys quickly pivoted to the 2024-25 season.
On Friday, Taylor began his OSU career with a win at Utah Valley. The No. 3 Cowboys dominated with a 38-6 win.
"Tonight was a lot of fun," Taylor said. "Utah Valley provided a really good wrestling environment, and our guys got challenged in some unique ways. It's good to get challenged early so we can figure out how to make some adjustments. I was really happy with the way the guys wrestled."
In front of just over 5,000 people in Orem, Utah, the Cowboys’ stars shined. Dean Hamiti Jr. kicked off the match with a win and was the first of eight victories for the Cowboys in 10 tries.
Friday marked the ninth straight season-opening win for the Cowboys and their best performance in a road dual since 2021.
While it is only one performance, the Cowboys have given their fans plenty of reason for optimism. With Taylor and company looking to compete for a Big 12 and national championship, performances like Friday’s are key.
The Cowboys will look to remain undefeated in a quick turnaround, facing No. 24 Oregon State on Sunday. The wrestling squad will return home to Stillwater for their first home dual on Friday against Wyoming in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.