The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Thursday announced the state winners of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award (DSHSEA).
The DSHSEA was established in 1996 to honor Olympic and World champion Dave Schultz, whose career was cut short when he was murdered in January 1996. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1997 and as a member of the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016.
The DSHSEA recognizes and celebrates the nation’s most outstanding high school senior male wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service.
“This year’s Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winners represent an exceptional group of student-athletes whose qualifications encompass a combination of accomplishments in academics, athletics, and humanitarian service for the benefit of others.,” said Hall of Fame Executive Director Lee Roy Smith. “We look forward to following their careers and wish them all the best in sports and life.”
The state winners are evaluated and selected on the basis of three criteria: success and standout performances and sportsmanship in wrestling; review of GPA and class rank, academic honors and distinctions; and participation in activities that demonstrate commitment to character and community.
The Central Region, Midwest Region, Northeast Region, Southeast Region and West Region winners will be announced on April 26 and the national winner will be announced on May 3.
The Hall of Fame announced the state winners of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award (TSHSEA) on Wednesday. CLICK to read release
The TSHSEA recognizes and celebrates the nation’s most outstanding high school senior female wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service. The TSHSEA regional winners will be announced on April 25 and the national winner will be announced on May 2.
Regional winners for both awards are selected from state winners, and the national winners will be chosen from the regional winners.
The regions and the states that they are comprised of are:
- West (11) – Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming
- Midwest (10) – Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin
- Central (7) – Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas
- Southeast (11) – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia
- Northeast (11) – Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont
The TSHSEA and DSHSEA national winners will be honored during the 46th Honors Weekend at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum on June 2 and 3 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. To purchase tickets for Honors Weekend, visit https://bit.ly/3w2CQOM.
The Hall of Fame accepts nominations for its high school excellence awards from state chapters and coaches. The nominations are reviewed by a committee, which selects state and regional winners. The committee then determines the national winners from the regional winners.
National winners of the DSHSEA award have combined to win 19 NCAA Division I individual titles led by four-time champion Logan Stieber (2010), three-time winner Zain Retherford (2013) and two-time winners Steven Mocco (2001), David Taylor (2009), Teyon Ware (2002) and Zahid Valencia (2015).
2023 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award State Winners
State – Name, High School, Hometown, College Attending
- Alabama – Carson Hall, Ranburne, Ranburne High School, Air Force Academy (Football and Wrestling)
- Alaska – Liam Babbitt, Soldotna, Soldotna High School
- Arizona – Markell Rivera-Cain, Glendale, Ironwood High School, North Dakota State University
- Arkansas – Justin Crutchmer, Hot Springs, Lake Hamilton High School, Oklahoma State University (Football)l
- California – Beau Mantanona, Bermuda Dunes, Palm Desert High School, University of Michigan
- Colorado – Weston Dalton, Pueblo West, Pueblo East High School, University of Nebraska
- Connecticut – Jack Richardson, Danielson, Killingly High School, Johnson & Wales University
- Delaware – Luke Poore, New Castle, Caravel Academy
- Florida – Cooper Haase, St. Cloud, Osceola High School, USMA West Point Prep
- Georgia – Luke Cochran, Pendergrass, Jefferson High School, Central Michigan University
- Hawaii – Brycen Pagurayan, Kapolei, Kapolei High School
- Idaho – Aden Attao, Boise, Borah High School, Oregon State University
- Illinois – Kannon Webster, Washington, Washington Community High School, University of Illinois
- Indiana – Sam Goin, Crown Point, Crown Point High School, Indiana University
- Iowa – Ben Kueter, Iowa City, Iowa City High School, University of Iowa
- Kansas – Nick Treaster, Newton, Newton High School, United States Naval Academy
- Kentucky – George Ferree, Louisville, Trinity High School
- Louisiana – Ernie Perry III, Bossier, Airline High School, Cornell University
- Maine – Derek Cote, Lebanon, Noble High School, Springfield College or The University of Southern Maine
- Maryland – Coleman Nogle, Laurel, Mount Saint Joseph, Harvard University
- Massachusetts – Rawson Iwanicki, Andover, St. John’s Prep, Columbia University
- Michigan – Joshua Barr, Davison, Davison High School, Penn State University
- Minnesota – Max McEnelly, Waconia, Waconia High School, University of Minnesota
- Mississippi – Nate Taylor, Olive Branch, Center Hill High School
- Missouri – Carter McCallister, Columbia, Rock Bridge High School, University of Missouri
- Montana – Izzy Moreno, Big Sky High School, Missoula, University of Northern Iowa
- Nebraska – Kael Lauridsen, Bennington, Bennington High School, University of Nebraska
- Nevada – Tyson Irby-Brownson, Henderson, Boulder City High School
- New Hampshire – Anthony Fernandez, Nashua, Nashua High School South
- New Jersey – James Mullen, Hopatcong, St. Joseph Regional High School, Virginia Tech University
- New Mexico – Adan Benavidez, Bloomfield, Bloomfield High School, Kent State University
- New York – Tyler Ferrara, Binghamton, Chenango Forks High School, Cornell University
- North Carolina – Jeremiah Price, State Road, Surry Central, Appalachian State University
- North Dakota – Boeden Greenley, Lisbon, Lisbon High School, North Dakota State University
- Ohio – Joseph Blaze, IV, Perrysburg, Perrysburg High School, Purdue University
- Oklahoma – Cael Hughes, Glencoe, Stillwater High School, Oklahoma State University
- Oregon – Hayden Walters, Central Point, Crescent Valley High School, University of Michigan
- Pennsylvania – Rocco Welsh, Fredricktown, Waynesburg Central High School, Ohio State University
- Rhode Island – Jacob Joyce, Chepachet, Ponaganset High School, Stanford University
- South Carolina – Colt Schrader, Greer, Eastside High School
- South Dakota – Owen Hansen, Gregory, Gregory High School, Augustana University
- Tennessee – Hunter Mason, Newport, Greeneville High School, Virginia Tech University
- Texas – Shawn Ryncarz, Arlington, James Martin High School, Morgan State University
- Utah – Kyison Garcia, South Jordan, Mountain Ridge High School, Penn State University
- Vermont – Coy Lyford, Randolph, Spaulding High School
- Virginia – Patrick Jordon, Providence Forge, New Kent High School, Virginia Military Institute
- Washington – Q’veli Quintanilla, Spokane, University High School, Utah Valley University
- West Virginia – Matthew Dolan, Martinsburg, Spring Mills High School, West Virginia University
- Wisconsin – Greyson Clark, Wrightstown, Kaukauna High School, Purdue University
- Wyoming – Lane, Catlin, Gillette, Thunder Basin High School, University of Wyoming
All-Time National Winners of Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award
Year – Name, High School, Hometown, State (Superlatives)
- 2022 – Cory Land, Moody High School, Moody, Alabama
- 2021 – Alex Facundo, Davison High School, Essexville, Michigan
- 2020 – Braxton Amos, Parkersburg South High School, Mineral Wells, West Virginia (Freestyle Junior World Champion and Greco-Roman Junior World Bronze Medalist)
- 2019 – Cohlton Schultz, Ponderosa High School, Parker, Colorado (Greco-Roman Cadet World Champion)
- 2018 – David Carr, Perry High School, Massillon, Ohio (NCAA Champion and Junior World Champion)
- 2017 – Daton Fix, Charles Page High School, Sand Springs, Oklahoma (World Silver Medalist, Junior World Champion and 2X Junior World Bronze Medalist)
- 2016 – Mark Hall II, Apple Valley High School, Apple Valley, Minnesota (NCAA Champion, 2X Junior World Champion and Cadet World Champion)
- 2015 – Zahid Valencia, St. John Bosco High School, Bellflower, California (2X NCAA Champion and Junior World Silver Medalist)
- 2014 – Chance Marsteller, Kennard-Dale High School, Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania
- 2013 – Zain Retherford, Benton Area High School, Benton, Pennsylvania (3X NCAA Champion)
- 2012 – Taylor Massa, St. Johns High School, St. Johns, Michigan
- 2011 – Morgan McIntosh, Calvary Chapel High School, Santa Ana, California
- 2010 – Logan Stieber, Monroeville High School, Monroeville, Ohio (World Champion and 4X NCAA Champion)
- 2009 – David Taylor, Graham High School, St. Paris, Ohio (Olympic Gold Medalist, 2X World Champion, World Silver Medalist and 2X NCAA Champion)
- 2008 – Jason Chamberlain, Springville High School, Springville, Utah
- 2007 – Zachary Sanders, Wabasha-Kellogg High School, Wabasha, Minnesota
- 2006 – David Craig, Brandon High School, Brandon, Florida
- 2005 – Troy Nickerson, Chenango Forks High School, Chenango Forks, New York (NCAA Champion)
- 2004 – Coleman Scott, Waynesburg High School, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania (NCAA Champion and Olympic bronze medalist)
- 2003 – C.P. Schlatter, St. Paul Graham High School, Urbana, Ohio
- 2002 – Teyon Ware, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma (2X NCAA Champion)
- 2001 – Steven Mocco, Blair Academy, Blairstown, New Jersey (2X NCAA Champion and Olympian)
- 2000 – Ben Connell, Lugoff-Elgin High School, Lugoff, South Carolina
- 1999 – Zach Roberson, Blue Valley North West High School, Overland Park, Kansas (NCAA Champion)
- 1998 – Garrett Lowney, Freedom High School, Appleton, Wisconsin (2X Olympian) and Justin Ruiz, Taylorsville High School, Salt Lake City, Utah (Olympian)
- 1997 – Jeff Knupp, Walsh Jesuit High School, Akron, Ohio
- 1996 – David Kjeldgaard, Lewis Central High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa