Oklahoma State Wrestling Adds Former Army Coach Kevin Ward

Oklahoma State University wrestling head coach David Taylor has bolstered his coaching staff by hiring Kevin Ward, a former OSU wrestler and long-time head coach at Army. Ward, who wrestled for OSU from 2001 to 2006 and was part of four NCAA team titles, brings extensive experience including 11 years leading Army's program where he coached 54 NCAA qualifiers and earned EIWA Coach of the Year honors in 2019. Taylor, a decorated Olympian and NCAA champion himself, praised Ward's return as a major boost for the Cowboys' ambitions both on and off the mat. Ward also has a successful coaching record at Ouachita Baptist, where he launched the wrestling program and earned Division II Coach of the Year. This addition comes after Taylor’s first season leading OSU to a Big 12 title and third place at the NCAA Championships, highlighting his strong recruiting and coaching impact. The move is seen as a strategic effort to maintain OSU's wrestling dominance and compete fiercely against programs like Penn State.