Nathan Taylor continues the heavyweight legacy

Over a year after tearing his PCL, LCL and suffering damage to the posterolateral corner of his right knee, fifth-year heavyweight wrestler Nathan Taylor has returned as a national contender for Lehigh. 

When Taylor stepped onto campus in fall 2021, he was excited about the opportunities being a Mountain Hawk would provide. 

That year, Taylor said he attended every open tournament available to him as a first-year. Even before he was attached to a team, he competed as often as possible to get matches under his belt and racked up a 27-10 record. He placed in all six open tournaments he entered and won Lehigh’s Deferred Eligibility Wrestler of the Year award.

Now established on the national stage, Taylor holds a 13-2 record and is currently ranked No. 9 by The Open Mat.

Reflecting on his Lehigh experience so far, Taylor said he’s lucky and proud to be part of the heavyweight legacy the program has built. He said specialized practices for wrestlers in the 285-lbs weight class accelerated his development faster than any other training environment.

To do that, he said he looked up to Jordan Wood, ‘22, the heavyweight a few years ahead of him, when he first arrived. Wood is the only Mountain Hawk to win five EIWA titles. 

“(Wood) never acted as superior to me, although he was,” Taylor said. “He led me in the right direction, so it made it easier for me to get better (at wrestling).” 

Taylor said having Wood as a role model made it easy to replicate a strong attitude and effort. Now, he serves as that example for the next generation of Lehigh heavyweights. 

Deferred first-year Calvin Lachman said Taylor’s a captain for a reason. 

“I think everybody on the team would agree that (Taylor) is the most profound leader on our team,” Lachman said. 

Lachman said Taylor keeps morale high. As one of the smaller athletes in the weight class, he said training with Taylor has helped him improve in certain situations. Taylor said he was once in a similar position to Lachman — having to qualify for the weight class — which is why he’s invested in Lachman’s growth. 

Wood said Taylor has made significant strides over the past few years, developing both physically and in confidence. He said Taylor’s potential was evident from the beginning. 

“I remember one of the first times we wrestled I went to my coaches and said ‘This kid is going to be the best ever, he’s got the ability to be the greatest Lehigh heavyweight we’ve ever had,’” Wood said. 

He also said Taylor’s decisive and someone teammates gravitate toward for honest feedback delivered with care. 

During his final match in Grace Hall, Wood said he vividly remembers the bittersweet memory of passing on his “punisher shirt,” which he wore during every home competition, to Taylor. He said he believed from the start Taylor would be a strong leader and that he’s now living up to that expectation.

Taylor said while wrestling is an individual sport, he approaches it with a team-first mindset and makes sure he’s looking out for the entire roster, not just himself. 

“We’re all trying to win and we have a lot of winners on this team,” Taylor said. “Everyone backs everyone, and if we need a big win out there, I can trust in my teammates and they can trust in me to get it done.”

With that support, Taylor said he competes without added pressure and knows his mother will tell him “good job” regardless of the outcome. While expectations have grown, he said his approach remains the same: have fun and let the results follow. 

After returning to competition, Taylor said he felt more pressure than he would have preferred. 

Now, after competing in 14 matches this season, he said he’s finally able to wrestle like himself again. 

“I was wrestling scared and stressed, rather than having fun and scoring, which is definitely the better way to wrestle,” Taylor said.

Looking ahead, Taylor said he’s ready to compete for his second EIWA title at American University from March 6-7 in hopes of qualifying for the NCAA National Championships.