National Wrestling Hall of Fame Announces State Winners of Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award
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by National Wrestling Hall of Fame
STILLWATER, Okla. - The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Thursday announced the state winners of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award (DSHSEA).
The Hall of Fame’s High School Excellence Awards are proudly sponsored by the Hyman Family, whose generous support and passion for the sport help ensure the continued recognition and development of wrestling’s next generation.
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.
“Each year, the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award allows us to recognize young men who represent the very best of our sport,” said NWHOF Executive Director Lee Roy Smith. “This award honors not only their achievements on the mat, but also their commitment to academic excellence, leadership and service to others. In the spirit of Dave Schultz, these student-athletes exemplify the character, sportsmanship and dedication that define wrestling at its highest level, and we are proud to celebrate their accomplishments and the example they set for future generations.”
DSHSEA 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 22 and the national winner will be announced on April 28.
The Hall of Fame announced the state winners of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award (TSHSEA) on Wednesday. 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 21 and the national winner will be announced on April 27.
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 49th Honors Weekend at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum on June 5 and 6 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. For more information, visit https://nwhof.org/news/2026-honors-weekend-information.
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.
Coleman Scott (2004) and Logan Stieber (2010) became the first DSHSEA national winners to be inducted as Distinguished Members of the Hall of Fame when they were inducted in 2024.
Cael Sanderson, who was the Utah and West Region winner of the DSHSEA in 1997, and Jake Varner, who was the California winner of the DSHEA in 2005, are also Distinguished Members of the Hall of Fame.
National winners of the DSHSEA have combined to win 20 NCAA Division I individual titles led by four-time champion Logan Stieber (2010), three-time winner Zain Retherford (2013) and two-time winners David Carr (2018), Steven Mocco (2001), David Taylor (2009), Teyon Ware (2002) and Zahid Valencia (2015).
Alabama – Bradley Williams, Spain Park High School, Hoover, University of Maryland
Alaska – Michael Dickinson, Soldotna High School, Soldotna, Colorado Mesa University
Arizona – Christopher Ramirez, Canyon View High School, Waddell
Arkansas – Jack Hooe, Shiloh Christian School, Bentonville
California – Rocklin Zinkin, Buchanan High School, Fresno, Oklahoma State University
Colorado -Austin Collins, Wray High School, Wray, University of Wyoming
Connecticut – John Carrozza, Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield, Wesleyan University
Delaware – Nicolas Walker, Cape Henlopen High School, Lewef
Florida – Michael Mocco, Cardinal Gibbons High School, Parkland, University of Iowa
Georgia – Ryder Wilder, Camden County High School, Kingsland, Northwestern University
Hawaii – Hunter Berger, St. Louis School, Honolulu, Duke University
Idaho – Nathan Gugelman II, American Falls High School, American Falls, Utah Valley University
Illinois – Aaron Stewart, Warren Township High School, Gurnee, University of Illinois (For Wrestling and Football)
Indiana – Michael White, Lawrence North High School, Noblesville, Oklahoma State University
Iowa – Dreshaun Ross, Fort Dodge High School, Fort Dodge, Oklahoma State University
Kansas – Brock Johnson, Paola High School, Paola, South Dakota State University
Kentucky – Jayden Raney and Jordyn Raney, Union County High School, Sturgis, Oklahoma State University
Louisiana – Alex Rozas, Teurlings Catholic High School, Rayne, Virginia Tech
Maine – Brady Ouellette, Noble High School, Lebanon
Maryland – Elijah Collick, Stephen Decatur High School, Berlin, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Massachusetts – James Tildsley, Shawsheen Valley Technical High School, Billerica
Michigan – Nicholas Sorrow, Hudson High School, Jackson, Michigan State University
Minnesota – Titan Friedrichs, Watertown Mayer High School, Watertown, University of Minnesota
Mississippi – Caeden Hill, Tupelo High School, Tupelo
Missouri – Miller Sipes, Staley High School, Kansas City, Air Force Academy
Montana – Makael Aguayo, Billings West High School, Billings
Nebraska – Tyler Harrill, Skutt Catholic High School, Gretna, Air Force Academy
Nevada – Brenden Agcaoili, Sports Leadership and Management of Nevada, Las Vegas
New Hampshire – Benjamin Byrne, Nashua High School South, Nashua, New England College (DIII)
New Jersey – Jayden James, Delbarton High School, Westwood, Penn State
New Mexico – Roman Luttrell, Cleveland High School, Rio Rancho, Utah Valley University
New York – Dunia Sibomana, Long Beach High School, Long Beach, University of North Carolina
North Carolina – Bentley Sly, Stuart Cramer High School, Cramerton, Appalachian State University
North Dakota – Nicolas Enzminger, Bismarck Legacy High School, Bismarck, University of Mary
Ohio – Karson Brown, St. Edwards High School, Brunswick, University of Pittsburgh
Oklahoma – Jake Miller, Broken Arro High School, Broken Arrow, Iowa State University
Oregon – Brody Buzzard, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg
Pennsylvania – Jax Forrest, Bishop McCort Catholic High School, Johnstown, Oklahoma State University
Rhode Island – Joseph Joyce, Ponganset High School, Chepachet, Princeton university
South Carolina – AJ De La Cruz, West-Oak High School, Westminster
South Dakota – Elijah Schunke, Brandon Valley High School, Brandon, Utah Valley University
Tennessee – Joseph Uhorchuk, Signal Mountain High School, Signal mountain, US Military Academy
Texas – Dylan Ota, Southlake Carroll High School, Southlake, Colorado School of Mines
Utah – Austin Paris, Layton High School, Layton, University of Wyoming
Vermont – Cahota LaFond, Colchester High School, Colchester, Vermont State University
Virginia – Jared Goodson, Poquoson High School, Poquoson, Virginia Military Institute
Washington – Czar Quintanilla, Washington State High School, Spokane, Utah Valley University
West Virginia – Jesse Adams, Parkersburg South High School, Coal City, Ohio University
Wisconsin – Kellen Wolbert, Oconomowoc High School, Wales, University of Michigan
Wyoming – Tel Parry, Star Valley High School, Afton
2025 - Marcus Blaze, Perrysburg High School, Perrysburg, Ohio
2024 - Aeoden Sinclair, Milton High School, Edgerton, Wisconsin
2023 - Cael Hughes, Stillwater High School, Glencoe, Oklahoma
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 (2X 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 (World Champion, 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 and World Silver Medalist)
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, 3X 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. Paris 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
America’s shrine to the sport of wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1976 to honor the sport of wrestling, preserve its history, recognize extraordinary individual achievements, and inspire future generations. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, location reopened in June 2016 following a $3.8 million renovation and now features interactive exhibits and electronic kiosks, as well as the opportunity to watch NCAA Championship matches from the 1930s to present day. It also has the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors where the greatest names in wrestling are recognized, including iconic granite plaques presented to Distinguished Members since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976. The museum has the largest collection of wrestling artifacts and memorabilia in the world, including the most collegiate and Olympic wrestling uniforms. Wrestling truly is for everyone and the diversity and accessibility of the sport continues to be highlighted through exhibits featuring females, African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. There is also a library featuring historical documents, including NCAA guides and results, as well as books on the sport. For more information about the Hall of Fame, please visit www.NWHOF.org.
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