Photo by: Karl Maasdam
Get To Know Koy Davidson: The Wrestler Who Almost Played Baseball
October 15, 2026 | Wrestling
Koy Davidson spent the summer sharpening his freestyle and competing at the U.S. Open. The 149-pounder from Dodge, Iowa wants to become an NCAA Division I All-American. As a young teenager, he planned to play college baseball before wrestling took over.
What was the highlight of your summer?
"I was training the whole offseason and was able to sharpen my craft in freestyle, while being able to compete at the U.S. Open, but overall just getting better in every aspect of wrestling."
What's your goal this season?
"To be an NCAA D1 All-American."
What's the team's goal?
"To be Pac-12 champs back to back."
What have you learned about yourself at Oregon State?
"I've learned to be patient and that the small details really matter the most. Being able to build relationships with coaches and teammates is a huge part of your success, alongside doing extra and putting the work in, because you get out what you put into it."
What does it mean to wear the Orange and Black?
"It means I'm representing my team, OSU, my family, Corvallis and everyone else at a high standard, to be remembered as doing things The Beaver Way."
How would you describe the coaching staff?
"Our coaching staff is great. I don't think there is anything else like our staff. They all have their own unique ways of helping each one of us get better, and we're able to feed off each of them to get to where we want to be. They care about all aspects of your life, not just wrestling."
What's something people may not know about you?
"I actually wanted to play college baseball as a young teenager, before I really started to excel in wrestling."
Do you have any pre-match rituals?
"I don't really have any superstitions, but I like to zone everything out and take a few laps before my matches and tell myself it's just another wrestling match and that I've done it my whole life."
What do you like most about wrestling?
"I like that it's all on you and you being the one out there, because you can't blame anyone but yourself."
Lightning round
Favorite day of the week?
"Every day, because every day there is a day to get better!"
Three teammates you would take to a desert island?
"TJ, Khale and Sergio."
Which teammate has been excelling?
"I think Manny Saldate has really been excelling. He has been hungry since he first got here, and he's done some big things over the summer that he's brought back into the room for preseason."
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What was the highlight of your summer?
"I was training the whole offseason and was able to sharpen my craft in freestyle, while being able to compete at the U.S. Open, but overall just getting better in every aspect of wrestling."
What's your goal this season?
"To be an NCAA D1 All-American."
What's the team's goal?
"To be Pac-12 champs back to back."
What have you learned about yourself at Oregon State?
"I've learned to be patient and that the small details really matter the most. Being able to build relationships with coaches and teammates is a huge part of your success, alongside doing extra and putting the work in, because you get out what you put into it."
What does it mean to wear the Orange and Black?
"It means I'm representing my team, OSU, my family, Corvallis and everyone else at a high standard, to be remembered as doing things The Beaver Way."
How would you describe the coaching staff?
"Our coaching staff is great. I don't think there is anything else like our staff. They all have their own unique ways of helping each one of us get better, and we're able to feed off each of them to get to where we want to be. They care about all aspects of your life, not just wrestling."
What's something people may not know about you?
"I actually wanted to play college baseball as a young teenager, before I really started to excel in wrestling."
Do you have any pre-match rituals?
"I don't really have any superstitions, but I like to zone everything out and take a few laps before my matches and tell myself it's just another wrestling match and that I've done it my whole life."
What do you like most about wrestling?
"I like that it's all on you and you being the one out there, because you can't blame anyone but yourself."
Lightning round
Favorite day of the week?
"Every day, because every day there is a day to get better!"
Three teammates you would take to a desert island?
"TJ, Khale and Sergio."
Which teammate has been excelling?
"I think Manny Saldate has really been excelling. He has been hungry since he first got here, and he's done some big things over the summer that he's brought back into the room for preseason."
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Players Mentioned
149
/ Wrestling
133
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