The Rise of "Magic Man"

“You have to believe. Through all of the adversity, I stayed the course. It’s not always perfect. It’s truly amazing how powerful your mind is, and the effect it will have on your performance! I am a world champion because of my coaches, my training partners, and my family.” – David Taylor 

David Taylor has been quoted as saying “Ever since I was a kid I wanted to be a 4x State Champ, 4x National Champ, a World and, Olympic Champ. When you want to be the best in the world you don’t duck people, that’ll catch up to you, you train to be your best.”
David Taylor the “Magic Man” takes gold at Budapest.  Seemingly every wrestling fan in the U.S. saw it coming because he has been so dominant as of late, but it has been an uphill battle for the Penn State Alum.  Let’s look back on his road to get there.

Fall 7 Times Get Up 8

2010:  Taylor commits to PSU as a 4x Ohio State Champion

2011:  Taylor loses to Bubba Jenkins in the National Finals

2012:  Taylor wins the Hodge Trophy and his first National Title

2013:  Dake vs Taylor … Taylor loses in the NCAA Finals to 4x champ Kyle Dake

2014:  Taylor leads PSU to a NCAA Title… loses to Burroughs in stunner at the U.S. open

2015:  Dake again… beats Taylor at the World Team Trials

2016:  You guessed it…. Dake beats Taylor at World Team Trials

2017:  Controversial Cox Final ….  Cox beats Taylor in best of three at WTT

2018:  THE MAGIC MAN breaks through and wins GOLD at Budapest

Career Highlights
– Third in 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials
– Two-time U.S. World Team Trials runner-up (2014, 2017)
– Third in 2015 U.S. World Team Trials
– Two-time U.S. Open champion (2015, 2017)
– World Cup champion (2017)
– Third in World University Games (2013)
– Two-time Grand Prix of Spain champion (2015, 2016)
– Paris International champion (2017)
– Two-time NCAA champion for Penn State (2012, 2014)
– Two-time Dan Hodge Trophy recipient, as nation’s best college wrestler (2012, 2014)

Career Biography
2017: Second in U.S. World Team Trials… U.S. Open champion… World Cup champion… Paris International champion…
2016: World Freestyle Wrestling Clubs Cup champion (Titan Mercury WC)… Second in U.S. Open…Third in U.S. Olympic Team Trials… Grand Prix of Spain champion… ?: Stepan Sargysyan Cup champion… Grand Prix of Spain champion… Third in U.S. World Team Trials… U.S. Open champion… Fifth in Golden Grand Prix Final… Fifth in Yasar Dogu International…
2014: Second in U.S. World Team Trials… Second in U.S. Open…
2013: Third in World University Games… Third in U.S. World Team Trials… University Nationals champion… Second in U.S. Open…
2008: U.S. Olympic Team Trials qualifier…
2007: Eighth in Junior World Championships… FILA Junior World Team Trials champion…
2005: FILA Cadet Nationals champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman…
College: 2012 and 2014 NCAA champion for Penn State… 2012 and 2014 Hodge Trophy award winner as college wrestler of the year… Second in 2011 and 2013 NCAA Championships… Four-time Big Ten champion… 2011, 2012 and 2014 Big Ten Wrestler of the Year… Led Penn State to four NCAA titles…
USA Age-Group: 2007 USAW Junior Nationals champion in Greco-Roman and freestyle… 2006 USAW Cadet Nationals champion in Greco-Roman… 2005 USAW Cadet Nationals freestyle champion… Second in 2005 USAW Cadet Nationals in Greco-Roman…
High School: Four-time Ohio state champion… Two-time ASICS first-team All-American… Dave Schultz Award winner for nation’s top high school wrestler…

 By James Kaishian