David Taylor Class: Sophomore Hometown: St. Paris, Ohio High School: St. Paris Graham Weight: 157/165 Position: 157/165 Experience: So.

FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICAN
David Taylor established himself as one of the nation's best wrestlers last year during a freshman campaign that saw him advance all the way to the NCAA finals, become an All-American as a freshman and post 34 bonus point victories within a 38-1 record. One of five Big Ten Champions last year for Penn State, Taylor will now look to add NCAA individual champion to his growing wrestling resume in 2011-12.

Lion Career
2010-11:
Tech falled Frank Hickman of Bloomsburg in dual debut on 11/12...then pinned Sean Bilodeau of Lehigh in Rec Hall dual debut on 11/14...continued perfect start to collegiate career with 3-0 showing at Sprawl and Brawl Duals, including a pin and two majors (the final major a 13-3 dismantling of #18 Daryl Cocozzo of Rutgers)...blazed through the Nittany Lion Open field on 12/5, going 6-0 with three majors, a pin and a tech fall; downed Virginia Tech's Jesse Dong 9-3 (w/ over 5:00 riding time)...19-4 tech fall over Lock Haven's Seth Creasy on 12/12...dominated #13 Colt Sponseller of Ohio State in Big Ten dual meet debut on 12/19, nearly picking up a tech fall with a 14-1 win including 5:56 in riding time...perfect 6-0 with four tech falls and two pins to blaze his way to 157-pound crown at Southern Scuffle on 12/29-30...dominated #9 Paul Young of Indiana for an 18-2 tech fall in only 4:06 in the title bout...named Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 2011 Virginia Duals after going 4-0 with a pin, two tech falls and a major...tech fall over Pitt's Donnie Tasser (26-11) on 1/21...dominating 14-3 major over #5 Paul Young of Indiana on 1/23...majored #14 Derek St. John of Iowa on 1/30...20-5 tech fall over MSU's Sean McMurray on 2/4...pinned #20 Brandon Zeerip of Michigan in just 1:01 on 2/6...26-10 tech fall over Illinois' Jackson Morse on 2/11...tech fall over Minnesota's Matt Mincey on 2/13 (16-1 in 6:15)...completed perfect regular season with eighth Big Ten dual meet win, getting a TF over Wisconsin's Kalvin York on 2/18 (18-2).

Big Ten Championships
(3-0, 1st, NCAA Qualifier): Continued his undefeated run for the season with a perfect 3-0 showing at Big Tens to earn the 2011 Big Ten championship at 157. Taylor notched a pin and a major and then beat #7 Derek St. John soundly in the final, 8-3....named 2011 Big Ten Wrestler of the Year on 3/6 and 2011 Big Ten Freshman of the Year on 3/6 as well.

NCAA Championships
(4-1, 2nd, All-American/National Runner-Up): Went 4-1 at first NCAA tournament, blazing to NCAA finals with four straight wins, including a major and a tech, downed #2 Steve Fittery 7-1 in national semifinals and ended record setting freshman year as 2011 NCAA Runner-Up at 157...named Intermat's National Freshman of the Year.

2009-10:
Red-shirt season...posted 21-2 record as an unattached competitor...wrestled in five open tournaments, winning three and taking second in the other two...won W&J Open on 1/14...second at ESU Open on 11/22...won Mat-Town on 11/28...second at NLO on 12/6 (losing to Lion All-American Cyler Sanderson 9-7 in finals)...won National Collegiate Open on 2/20...competed all season at 157...7-0 in pins, 10-0 in technical falls and 2-0 in majors.

High School/Personal
Outstanding career at St. Paris Graham High School...Falcons reeled off a stunning nine consecutive Ohio State Division II state titles, including the 2008 DII National Championship...received the prestigious Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award for the nation...posted an amazing 180-2 overall record in four years and won four consecutive Ohio State Championships (won two titles at 103, one at 112 and last one at 135)...2009 Ohio State Wrestling Tournament's Outstanding Wrestler...Ohio Wrestler of the Year in each of the past two seasons...two-time Asics First Team All-American and has claimed the Beast of the East crown and won the Ironman title an unprecedented four times (he is the only wrestler in that tournament's long and storied history to win four titles)...won three Cadet and two Junior National titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman competition...member of 4-H Club...ranked in the top 10 of his class...4.0 GPA.