Oklahoma State University is moving forward with plans to build a $20 million wrestling training facility named for former Cowboys coach John Smith, with more than $13.8 million already committed through private donations. The proposed John W. Smith Wrestling Training Facility would rise on the north side of the OSU Athletics Center in Stillwater, giving the nation's most decorated wrestling program a dedicated new home to train in.
According to fox23.com, the facility is expected to cover more than 16,000 square feet, including more than 10,000 square feet of mat space featuring six mats. Plans also call for grandstand seating, meeting rooms, coaches' offices, and a strength and conditioning area, the station reports. The space is designed to support Oklahoma State's varsity wrestlers as well as athletes competing through the Cowboy Regional Training Center.
Construction is expected to begin once the full $20 million in funding is secured, the outlet notes, meaning the project's timeline still hinges on donors closing the remaining gap. A ceremonial groundbreaking had been scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday on the north side of Gallagher-Iba Arena, per the same account.
Naming Honors a Wrestling Dynasty
Oklahoma State intends to name the facility after John Smith to recognize his legacy and give future Cowboys expanded training space, the station's report states. The university's athletic department has leaned on the program's championship pedigree while making its case to donors. OSU Wrestling has won 34 national team championships, the most of any NCAA program across all sports and divisions, according to Oklahoma State University Athletics.
The university also says its program has produced 500 All-Americans and 148 individual national champions, along with 41 Olympians who have combined to win 20 gold medals. Athletic director Chad Weiberg said the facility is an important next step for a program seeking to maintain its place among the nation's elite, and he credited head coach David Taylor with creating strong momentum and energy in the program since his hiring. Weiberg called the new training facility the next step toward Cowboy wrestling continuing to hang banners in Gallagher-Iba Arena, while Taylor said he is excited for a new era of Cowboy wrestling.
Fundraising Push Led by Major Donors
OSU Foundation President Blaire Atkinson credited early donors with moving the project beyond halfway toward its fundraising goal and described the investment as a significant part of Oklahoma State's The Code Calls campaign. The foundation reported commitments from 17 major gift donors and their families, with Susan and A.J. Jacques providing a leadership gift toward the effort.
The project traces back to an athletics facilities vision plan announced in early 2023 that also included projects for other sports and areas, according to The Oklahoman. A December 2025 proposal described a 16,000-square-foot practice gym with six mats, a dedicated training area and grandstand seating, plus 2,000 square feet of renovated coaches' locker-room space. Earlier coverage from the same outlet described the project as a $16 million facility rather than the $20 million figure cited in the November report, and the available record does not explain the difference between the two estimates.
As of an April 2026 update, official naming of the facility for John Smith was still pending approval by the OSU/A&M Board of Regents, according to Oklahoma State University Athletics. Whether that approval has since been finalized is not addressed in available reporting.
Part of a Broader Arms Race in College Wrestling
Oklahoma State's push for a dedicated training facility mirrors a wider trend among top wrestling programs investing heavily in new infrastructure. The University of Iowa's wrestling facility saw its original $17.3 million project cost climb 53 percent to $26.5 million, according to a 2022 report from The Gazette. Around the same time, Illinois announced plans to construct a $14 million stand-alone wrestling facility of its own, per a 2022 report from 247Sports.
For Oklahoma State, the project represents both a tribute to one of the sport's most storied coaches and a bet that modernized training space will keep the Cowboys competitive as rival programs around the country make similar investments. With roughly $6 million still to raise, the facility's groundbreaking and construction timeline remain tied to how quickly donors close that final gap.
