STILLLWATER – In just his second year as head coach of Oklahoma State Wrestling, David Taylor was named the 2026 Dan Gable Coach of the Year.
This marks the second time an OSU coach has earned the award, which is presented by WIN Magazine, with John Smith being named in 2003.
The Cowboys had an incredible season as they went 15-1 overall, a perfect 7-0 in Big 12 play, with the only loss of the year being a close 18-16 loss to Iowa at the National Duals Invitational early in the season.
They became the only team in NCAA history with three freshman national champions as Jax Forrest (133), Landon Robideau (157) and Sergio Vega (141) all won individual titles. It marked the third time a team had multiple freshman champions, the first time since 1947. A fourth freshman in Cody Merrill also wrestled for a national championship at 197 pounds, finishing in second place.
The Pokes’ 131 team points marked the third-highest score at the NCAAs in program history and the second-highest runner-up score in tournament history.
They beat a talented Nebraska team twice, 33-6 at the NDI and 22-12 in Lincoln, NE. They blanked No. 15 OU 37-0, giving them 21-straight Bedlam wins, the longest streak of Bedlam wins in the 105-year rivalry. It also marked the first shutout win over the Sooners since 1992 and the largest margin of victory over OU since 2018.
The Pokes crushed Missouri 33-3 in Columbia, MO, Iowa State 24-9 in Stillwater and No. 7 Iowa 32-11 in Stillwater to avenge the loss early in the season. It marked the largest victory over the Hawkeyes since 1961 and the most points they had ever scored against them.
"The very first thing I'd like to do is just thank the fans," head coach David Taylor said after the match. "We've kind of talked about and articulated this vision of what we want this place to be, become, and reignite. I hear stories about what this place has been like in the past, and to see it come to fruition in a short period of time is pretty awesome."
David Taylor returns nearly every wrestler from last season with the Pokes poised to take another jump up.
