Former OSU wrestler inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame

One of Oklahoma State’s most memorable wrestlers was honored by his home state this weekend.

On Saturday, former OSU wrestler Daniel Cormier was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Originally from Lafayette, Louisiana, Cormier was a dominant wrestler in high school.

At Northside High School, Cormier won three state wrestling championships. After his success in high school, he attended Colby Community College in Kansas.
He dominated there as well, winning two NJCAA national championships while going 61-0 in two years. After his undefeated career at Colby Community College, Cormier made his way to Stillwater, where he would be a force for the Cowboys.

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At OSU, Cormier went 52-10 in the 2000 and 2001 seasons. With 36 bonus point wins, Cormier was good enough to qualify for the NCAA Championships in both years.

In 2001, he earned All-America honors for his performance when he placed second nationally at 184 pounds. In both seasons, Cormier was instrumental in OSU winning the Big 12 championship.

After two years of wrestling under John Smith, Cormier took up freestyle wrestling and represented the United States a few times. Cormier won gold medals at the 2002 Pan American Championships and the 2003 Pan American Games.

After his wrestling career, Cormier took up mixed martial arts and eventually joined the UFC in 2013. Cormier would end his MMA career with 22 wins in 26 fights. He now works with ESPN as part of its mixed martial arts coverage.

Being in another Hall of Fame, Cormier recognized the importance of his home state in his career.

Boy, it’s good to be a Louisiana kid,” Cormier said.

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