Wyatt Hendrickson will transfer from the Air Force Academy and head to Stillwater, Okla., next season to compete for Oklahoma State’s wrestling program.
Hendrickson announced the move on his Instagram account Sunday and confirmed the decision on “The Barn Session” podcast.
“After praying, one place stood out to me,” Hendrickson said on the podcast. “I said, what a great opportunity if David Taylor could be my coach. I’m gonna be going to Oklahoma State, baby!”
Hendrickson entered the transfer portal on April 24 following a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships in March.
As a Falcon athlete, however, Hendrickson required approval from the United States Air Force to compete at a different school and to defer his Air Force service.
“He has the official Air Force approval to compete,” Air Force Academy coach Sam Barber told FloWrestling in April. “… He can get a full-ride scholarship. He can get [a] Name, Image and Likeness [deal]. He can represent a different school for a year and after he does that. He can come back to the Air Force as part of the World Class Athlete Program wrestling again for the United States Air Force.”
Hendrickson concluded his four years at Air Force as a two-time All-American and ended his senior season 27-2.
For his career, Hendrickson compiled a 103-11 record and, after his freshman season, never lost more than twice in a season.
Hendrickson joins a stout Oklahoma State program that finished 10th during the NCAA Championships.
The Cowboys have 34 team championships and last won a title in 2006. As Hendrickson prepares for his first year with the Cowboys, so will Taylor, who accepted the Cowboys’ coaching job May 6.
Taylor wrestled at Penn State from 2009-2014 and was a two-time All American. The Nittany Lions’ wrestling program has won 11 team titles since 2011.
