Penn State wrestling: NLWC star joins David Taylor at Oklahoma State

David Taylor has started to assemble his first coaching staff in Stillwater, starting with several prominent members around the Penn State wrestling community. On Thursday, Oklahoma State announced the hiring of former Iowa and current NLWC wrestler Thomas Gilman to an assistant coaching role. Gilman will join Nittany Lions assistant coach Jimmy Kennedy on Taylor’s staff.

Thomas Gilman leaves NLWC for Oklahoma State

When David Taylor decided to take the Oklahoma State wrestling head coach job on Monday, it sent shockwaves through the wrestling world. Taylor is one of the greatest wrestlers in American history, and his departure from Happy Valley was the first break in the Penn State wrestling dam that we have seen since Cael Sanderson took over in 2009.

We now know that Taylor is bringing fellow NLWC competitor and former Iowa Hawkeye Thomas Gilman onto his staff in an assistant coaching role. Gilman was an incredible lightweight wrestler for the Hawkeyes, winning the Big Ten Championship in 2017 and finishing as the National Runner-Up at the 2016 NCAA Championships.

Another Olympian joins the staff.

Welcome to Stillwater, Thomas Gilman!

📰: https://t.co/q0C9gKQ5re#GoPokes l @thomasgilmanusa pic.twitter.com/PEoQmICkac

— OSU Cowboy Wrestling (@CowboyWrestling) May 9, 2024

Thomas Gilman finished with a 107-12 record and was a three-time All-American in Iowa City. He then broke into international wrestling with a Silver Medal at the World Championships in 2017. However, he really broke through after joining the NLWC in 2020. Gilman won the Bronze Medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, took Gold at the 2021 World Championships, and Silver at the 2022 World Championships. Most recently, Gilman fell to Spencer Lee in the finals of the Olympic Team Trials in April.

Gilman is the second individual from the Penn State wrestling orbit to follow David Taylor to Stillwater. At the same time Gilman’s hiring was made public, Oklahoma State also announced the addition of Nittany Lions assistant coach Jimmy Kennedy. Kennedy had served on Cael Sanderson’s staff since the 2022-23 season.

What is the impact on Penn State wrestling?

While not directly tied to the university, the move by Thomas Gilman will certainly impact Penn State wrestling. Having an Olympic and World Championship Medalist in the wrestling room daily greatly benefits the current Nittany Lion wrestlers. The significance of what Cael Sanderson has been able to do with the NLWC and its contributions to Penn State can’t be overstated.

Since Gilman arrived in 2020, the lightweights in the Penn State wrestling room have been getting better and better. The Nittany Lions went from not having a 125-pounder qualify for the NCAA Championships several years in a row to Braeden Davis getting the No. 1 seed in 2024. Add in successful wrestlers like Roman Bravo-Young at 133 and Beau Bartlett at 141, and you can see the impact of having someone like Gilman in the room.

Penn State wrestling has been known for its great success in the heavier weight classes. But Cael Sanderson has started to recruit at a high level in the lower weights as well. This is most evident with No. 1 overall recruit Luke Lilledahl, who signed with the Nittany Lions for the 2024 class. Thomas Gilman definitely has had an impact on that success, even if it is in a more hands-off role compared to what Sanderson and his coaching staff do daily.

While Penn State wrestling isn’t leaving the national spotlight anytime soon under Cael Sanderson, keep an eye on lightweight recruiting. Don’t be surprised if David Taylor and Oklahoma State start to pick up more high-level wrestlers with the addition of Thomas Gilman to his staff.

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