Blue White Illustrated

avid Taylor now has his own clothing line. Yes, you read that correctly. It's not o:en that former college wrestlers ink endorsement deals, but that's just what has happened to Taylor, aka the Magic Man. Two weeks a:er his 8nal NCAA com- petition date, Taylor signed a multiyear agreement with FlipsWrestling, a 9edgling company founded by a group of former wrestlers that sells apparel and head- phones. Financial details of the contract have not been disclosed, but it's another big win for the two-time 165-pound na- tional champ. "I used FlipsWrestling headphones all year and love the product," Taylor said in a prepared statement a:er the deal became public. "So when they approached me a:er NCAAs, I was thrilled to do a deal with them." Now available for purchase are DJ-style headphones bearing the "MAGIC MAN" emblem across the wrap and "M2" on the earpieces. Also, in conjunction with Com- pound Clothing, Taylor has his own "M2" sock line. Penn State fans might remember how he wore a new pair of brightly colored socks during each of his matches his senior year; now he has them trademarked. "Magic Man" T-shirts and wrestling sin- glets are also available, as well as "M2" playing cards. And in addition to his clothing line, Taylor has signed a deal to represent adidas Wrestling, a major brand in the wrestling community since the early 1990s. Now that he's wrestling on the freestyle international circuit, he's heavily sponsored by both brands during competition. During his recently concluded Penn State career, Taylor earned two Hodge trophies, four Big Ten championships and four All-America honors, and amassed a 134-3 career record, feats that make him one of the most accomplished student- athletes in university history and one of the most decorated wrestlers the sport has seen. Now his professional days are just be- ginning. In the timeline that follows, we take a look back at those 8ve years at Penn State and how Taylor arrived at where he is to- day. JUNE 2009 Originally committed to Iowa State, where he had hoped to wrestle for his childhood idol, Cael Sanderson, Taylor is released from his letter of intent a:er Sanderson leaves the Cyclones to be- come head coach at Penn State. Taylor had posted a 180-2 career record and won four state titles at St. Paris Graham (Ohio). He had been the No. 1 recruit in the country and the recipient of the prestigious Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award, given to the country's top high school wrestler. "He is an impressive person," Sanderson says a:er Taylor signs with Penn State. "I'm con8dent that our fans will enjoy watching David's career unfold." NOVEMBER 2009-FEBRUARY 2010 Taylor compiles a 21-2 record at 157 pounds during his redshirt season, totaling seven pins, 10 technical falls and two major de- cisions. But he spends most of the season sharpening his teeth in the practice room, o:en drilling against Sanderson's youngest brother, Cyler, who wrestled his senior season with the Nittany Lions. NOV. 12-14, 2010 Taylor opens his Penn State varsity career with a 8ve-minute tech- nical fall over Frank Hickman of Bloomsburg and then pins Lehigh's Sean Bilodeau two days later in his Rec Hall debut. "To 8nally get out there and get that pin," he says, "it was just the perfect moment." MARCH 5-6, 2011 A:er compiling a 31- 0 record during the regular season, Taylor storms to his 8rst Big Ten championship, earning a pin, major decision and an 8-3 win over future NCAA champ Derek St. John of Iowa. For the 8rst time, Taylor is named the conference's Wrestler of the Year, as well as Freshman of the Year. MARCH 17-19, 2011 In Philadelphia for his 8rst NCAA tournament, Taylor wins his 8rst four bouts, then draws Arizona State's Bubba Jenkins, a former Nittany Lion teammate, in the championship round. During the second period, Jenkins catches Taylor in a far-side cradle and pins the redshirt freshman in 4 minutes, D | THE YEAR IN REVIEW M A L E AT H L E T E O F T H E Y E A R ALL WRAPPED UP Taylor finished with a 34-0 record as a senior, his second undefeated season at Penn State. Photo by Steve Manuel DAVID TAYLOR After a flawless season, PSU's standout senior takes his place among the all-time greats of college wrestling

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