A year ago Oklahoma State University made a very wise decision by bringing in wrestling legend David Taylor as their coach. A Penn State icon and Olympic gold medalist, Taylor’s accolades don’t stop there—he’s also a three-time World Champion, two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner, and a multiple-time NCAA titleholder. And, as the NCAA Wrestling Championships close up, the University is now reaping win after win! Taylor and his team’s performance has won him some big accolades, with it being recently announced that David Taylor will receive $80,000 in bonuses, $60,000 for the third-place team finish and $10,000 for each NCAA Champion! This is a lot considering the team’s performance, but well-deserved.
Per his contract, David Taylor will receive $80,000 in bonuses for OSU’s performance at the NCAA Tournament. $60,000 for the third-place team finish and $10,000 for each NCAA Champion
— MatBoy (@Seth_Duckworth) March 23, 2025
Early on after his move, Taylor made some big decisions in the transfer portal. He got Dean Hamiti to transfer from Wisconsin to Oklahoma State, and Dean Hamiti just went on to defeat two defending champions to win the 174lbs NCAA title!
Then there was Wyatt Hendrickson who had a victory that will go down in NCAA history. The underdog managed to beat crowd favourite and former Olympic Gold medalist, and two-time Hodge Trophy winner, Gable Steveson to claim the heavyweight title. But Hendrickson managed to secure a 5-4 win with less than 20 seconds left on the clock!
And then there was seventh seed, Troy Spratley, who managed to make it into the 125 pound semi finals. Though he ultimately fell short to Vincent Robinson of NC State, 2-1, he still delivered an incredible performance all season, and eyes will now be on him as Taylor and his team lead OSU into the future.
So, if you look at OSU’s performance at the NCAA championships, and the latest announcements about Taylor’s bonuses, it looks like he will, indeed, be making bank, and fans had some thoughts on the same.
Fan reactions to David Taylor’s bonuses after the NCAA performance
As many might know, Taylor wrestled for Penn State between 2008 and 2012. During his time there Taylor won two NCAA titles at 157 pounds, and was a four time All American Champion, he also won the Dan Hodge Trophy in 2012. One X user brought up his wrestling history, writing, “Good. He earned it.” The X user said, adding, “Will be fun to see how the competition with his alma mater picks up. GOD bless him, his family, and his team.” The user seems to clearly wish him well, it will be interesting to see how the matches between OSU and Penn State go as the tension builds, after all Taylor built his legacy in the latter.
Other X users added some lightness to the situation, by stating the obvious, “…give that man his money.” While some didn’t think he was getting his fair dues, “Maybe add a lama and some donkeys or something to the farm.” Clearly, the second statement takes a jab at Oklahoma’s farming cliche. The tweet, seemingly divided in its tone–not disputing Taylor’s accolades but seemingly taking issue with Oklahoma state as a whole, may very well be the doing of a sour Penn State alum who wishes DT was still on their team!
Other users commented on how David Taylor is now transforming the shape of the OSU team, creating an exciting new competitor in the field, “Well deserved. Love DT, and I’m glad OKST can add some great competition to the field.” Though OSU has been ranked consistently amongst the top wrestling schools in the NCAA, Taylor’s changes and game planning might push the school to champion status, and fans are eager to see how it all plays out.
Finally, Hamiti’s performance was undeniably extraordinary, and one particular fan had all eyes on him saying, “Hamiti being otoole was incredible and it wasn’t even close to the highlight. The moment was literally worth more than financial freedom. I hate the pukes but it was a great night for them and what they’re doing for college wrestling.” Despite O’Toole’s strong start, Hamiti managed to secure a 4-1 win, against the national title holder.
We can say this based off the fan reactions. Whether or not they want him to be in Oklahoma, they are on Taylor’s side. Fans have taken notice of Taylor’s prowess, and their support for him is evident. Fans seem to resoundingly agree that David Taylor deserves all the accolades that are coming his way.
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