Penn State Wrestling: Two Former Nittany Lions Transferring to Oklahoma State

Alex Facundo and Gary Steen are the first former Penn State wrestlers to transfer to Oklahoma State for coach David Taylor.

Former Penn State Nittany Lions wrestler Alex Facundo, pictured against Rutgers in 2023, is transferring to Oklahoma State. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Oklahoma State wrestling coach David Taylor has received his first transfer commitment from a former Penn State wrestler. Alex Facundo, who entered the NCAA Transfer Portal in mid-March, announced Monday that he will wrestle for the Cowboys next season. Facundo made his decision public in a social media post.

Also Monday, former Penn State 125-pounder Gary Steen announced that he will transfer to Oklahoma State as well. Steen released similar photos on Instagram, including one with Facundo. Steen, a redshirt junior, compiled a 12-18 record at Penn State.

Facundo and Steen were among six Penn State wrestlers who entered the portal, but Facundo was the only one with significant starting experience. As a redshirt freshman during the 2022-23 season, Facundo started at 165 pounds for the Nittany Lions, going 19-6 and qualifying for the NCAA Championships.

Facundo took an Olympic redshirt in 2023-24 and returned last season having dropped to 157 pounds. He wrestled six bouts for Penn State, going 5-1. The loss was to teammate Tyler Kasak in the final of the Army Black Knight Invitational tournament in November.

After Facundo wrestled the season-opening dual, Kasak claimed the starting spot at 157 in Penn State's lineup. He won the Big Ten title and placed third at the NCAA tournament. Kasak has two seasons of eligibility remaining. Facundo, from Essexville, Michigan, has two seasons of eligibility remaining at Oklahoma State.

In Taylor's first season as head coach, Oklahoma State placed third at the NCAA Championships and claimed two NCAA individual titles, both by transfers. Dean Hamiti, formerly of Wisconsin, won the 174-pound title, beating two-time NCAA champ Keegan O'Toole of Missouri.

Heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson, who formerly wrestled at Air Force, completed an undefeated season by defeating two-time NCAA champ Gable Steveson of Minnesota. Hendrickson edged Penn State's Carter Starocci for the Hodge Trophy as the nation's top college wrestler. The Cowboys had six All-Americans under Taylor.

Penn State recently received a transfer commitment from Ohio State's Rocco Welsh, who lost in the 2024 NCAA final to Starocci at 174 pounds. Welsh plans to compete at 184 for Penn State, which needs a new starter at the weight class as Starocci departs with five NCAA titles.

Editor's note: This story was updated with Steen's transfer commitment.