Oklahoma State Wrestler Christian Carroll in the Transfer Portal

STILLWATER – Apparently not everybody is onboard with the new regime at Oklahoma State wrestling. Since former NCAA, World and Olympic champion David Taylor has come in to take over as the new head coach of Oklahoma State wrestling, he’s brought in through the portal top wrestlers like Air Force Big 12 champion and NCAA third-place finisher Wyatt Hendrickson, Wisconsin 165-pound Big Ten champion Dean Hamiti Jr. and Michigan State standout Caleb Fish, it looks like one is now leaving. Former top national wrestling recruit in the 2023 class, Christian Carroll, is in the NCAA Transfer Portal. 

Oklahoma State Athletics

Carroll as a heavyweight.

Carroll, who is under six-foot came in as a projected heavyweight, but worked hard in his redshirt freshman season to get down and did get close to 197 pounds. He competed at 97kg in the U.S. Olympic Trials and did well making it to the quarterfinals before being eliminated in the consolation quarterfinals. The thought was he would challenge for that spot in the Cowboys line up next season. However, he entered the portal on Thursday ( June 6) evening. 

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Jersey Robb is an interesting option.

There is nothing on his social media regarding his departure. As for Oklahoma State at 197 pounds, that leaves returning starter Luke Surber (Sr.) and contenders Jersey Robb of Bixby, who wrestled some successfully this past season, and Cody Merrill at that weight in the line-up. 

Surber fought through injuries this season. Merrill will be a freshman. Robb matches the mindset of the new head coach as an aggressive scorer on the mat.