Penn State wrestling great David Taylor unretires, becomes top seed at World Team Trials

The Magic Man is back. Just over four months after announcing his retirement from competition, Penn State wrestling great David Taylor is returning to the mat. On Thursday, it was revealed that the former Nittany Lion turned Oklahoma State head coach will don his singlet once again for the U.S. World Team Trials this weekend.

Taylor will compete in the non-Olympic 92 kg weight class. Per USA Wrestling, he will be the No. 1 seed at the weight when the Trials kick off in Omaha, Nebraska, on Saturday.

“I think it’s a great thing any time that we can put the brand of the program out in the wrestling world,” Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg said. “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.”

It's official, David Taylor is in for the World Team Trials.

He'll be competing at 92kg this weekend. pic.twitter.com/KPgvlxepLZ

— Justin Basch (@JustinJBasch) September 12, 2024

The two-time National Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist had previously announced the end of his competitive career after leaving the NLWC to accept the Oklahoma State head coaching position in May.

“I loved coaching and realized as my career came to an end, I wanted to pour into the next generation of kids,” Taylor said then. “And I feel this is the best way to do that. Hopefully, we can leave wrestling a better place when my journey is done. My journey as a competitor is over, but my journey as a coach is just getting started.”

We last saw David Taylor compete at April’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials in State College. There, he fell to fellow Penn State wrestling alum Aaron Brooks 2-0 in the best-of-three Trials Championship. Although many expected Taylor to return to the Olympics and defend his Gold Medal, he couldn’t muster much offense against the younger Brooks.

Aaron Brooks finished with a Bronze Medal in Paris in an overall disappointing display by the U.S. Men’s Freestyle Team at the 2024 Olympics.

Penn State wrestling icon trying to revive one of the sport’s blue bloods

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-US PREWIRE

While the discussion at the World Team Trials will focus on what David Taylor can do on the mat, what has taken place over the past few months may interest Penn State wrestling fans more.

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are considered one of the greatest college wrestling programs to ever exist. The Cowboys have a record 34 National Championships, ten more than second-place Iowa and 22 more than Cael Sanderson and the Nittany Lions.

But despite the historical success, Oklahoma State hasn’t won a national title since its four-peat between 2003 and 2006. The Cowboys are the last non-Big Ten team to win a team title, with Minnesota, Iowa, Penn State, and Ohio State all collecting at least one in the past two decades.

The decision to hire David Taylor sent shockwaves through the sport. Many openly wondered if Taylor could revive the Cowboys program and slow the dominance of his former coach and alma mater in Happy Valley.

A contemporary wrestling giant, Taylor’s status will undoubtedly aid Oklahoma State on the recruiting trail. And while it won’t happen overnight, if David Taylor can establish a culture like Cael Sanderson has created with the Penn State wrestling program, then a competitive rivalry may be in the cards in the near future.

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