Oklahoma State Head Coach John Smith Retires

Thursday afternoon American legend John Smith shook up the wrestling world as he announced his retirement from his position as head coach at Oklahoma State University. 

After a legendary career as a competitor that included six world and Olympic titles, to go along with a pair of NCAA titles, Smith had spent the last 33 years as the Cowboys head coach and forged an incredible career on the bench at his alma mater. 

Smith oversaw a Cowboy program that won five national titles, 33 individual national championships, and crowned 153 All-Americans. His final dual record in Stillwater was 490-73-6, which is good enough for third all-time amongst DI head coaches. Smith’s Cowboys also dominated in conference competition with 23 team titles and 132 conference champs.  

Additionally, two OSU wrestlers won the coveted Hodge Trophy and two of his wrestlers (Jamill Kelly and Coleman Scott) claimed Olympic medals. 

Smith’s final Cowboy team finished the 2023-24 campaign with a 14-1 record and was 10th in the nation with 56 team points - 3 Oklahoma State wrestlers made the NCAA podium, led by Daton Fix, who earned All-American honors for a fifth time. 

Smith is a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, the first wrestler to earn the James E. Sullivan Award (1990) for the nation’s top amateur athlete, and one of the 100 Greatest Olympians of All-Time - among many other awards and honors. 

With Smith stepping down, Coleman Scott has been named Oklahoma State’s interim head coach.