The Dan Hodge Trophy is awarded each year to the United States of America’s best college wrestler.[1] The trophy is presented at the end of the season by WIN magazine and Culture House.[2] It is the collegiate wrestling equivalent to the Heisman Trophy in college football.[3] Its high school wrestling equivalent is the Junior Hodge Trophy, which has been awarded annually since 1998.[4]
The Hodge Trophy is named after Danny Hodge, a three–time NCAA champion for the University of Oklahoma from 1955 to 1957.[5] The Hodge Trophy was created by Mike Chapman, founder of WIN magazine and Culture House, a company that produces books and posters.[6] The first winner was T.J. Jaworsky, a three–time NCAA Division I National champion from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995.[7]
There have been six multiple winners of the Hodge Trophy. The first was Iowa State's legend Cael Sanderson, who won the award three times in his run as the first undefeated four–time NCAA champion, the second was Ben Askren from Missouri, who won the award two times, the third and fourth were David Taylor and Zain Retherford respectively, both from Penn State, who won the award two times, the fifth is Spencer Lee from Iowa, who remains to have a year of eligibility left, and the latest and sixth one is Gable Steveson, who won the award two times, being the only heavyweight to do so.[8]
Since 2022, the Hodge Trophy Voting Criteria has been based on four criteria:[9]
Formerly, the trophy was awarded based on seven criteria:[10]
| Year | Recipient | Weight | School | Finalists* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2023
|
Mason Parris | 285
|
Michigan | Mason Parris (38), Carter Starocci (14), Yianni Diakomihalis (6), Andrew Alirez (4), Austin O'Connor (2)[11] |
2022
|
Gable Steveson | 285
|
Minnesota | Gable Steveson (49), Yianni Diakomihalis (5), Nick Lee (3)[12] |
2021**
|
Spencer Lee Gable Steveson |
125
285 |
Iowa |
Spencer Lee, Gable Steveson, David Carr, Roman Bravo-Young, Aaron Brooks, Austin O'Connor[13] |
2020
|
Spencer Lee | 125
|
Iowa | Spencer Lee (52), Kollin Moore (3), Ryan Deakin (1), Shane Griffith (1), Noah Adams (0), Pat Glory (0), Chas Tucker (0), Gable Steveson (0)[14] |
2019
|
Bo Nickal | 197
|
Penn State | Bo Nickal (37), Jason Nolf (10), Co-Winner Nickal/Nolf (4), Yianni Diakomihalis (0), Anthony Ashnault (0)[15] |
2018
|
Zain Retherford | 149
|
Penn State | Zain Retherford (35), Bo Nickal (6), Seth Gross (4), Zahid Valencia (3)[16] |
2017
|
Zain Retherford | 149
|
Penn State | Zain Retherford (33), J'Den Cox (5), Kyle Snyder (4), Jason Nolf (3)[17] |
2016
|
Alex Dieringer | 165
|
Oklahoma State | Alex Dieringer (27), Zain Retherford (14), Kyle Snyder (3), Nahshon Garrett (1)[18] |
2015
|
Logan Stieber | 141
|
Ohio State | Logan Stieber (38), Alex Dieringer (3), Isaiah Martinez (1), Nick Gwiazdowski (1)[19] |
2014
|
David Taylor | 165
|
Penn State | David Taylor (38), Logan Stieber (3), Ed Ruth (2), Chris Perry (2), Alex Dieringer[20] |
2013
|
Kyle Dake | 165
|
Cornell | Kyle Dake (39), Ed Ruth (4), Jordan Oliver, Logan Stieber[21] |
2012
|
David Taylor | 165
|
Penn State | David Taylor, Ed Ruth, Kyle Dake, Frank Molinaro, Cam Simaz, Matt McDonough[22] |
2011
|
Jordan Burroughs | 165
|
Nebraska | Jordan Burroughs, Jordan Oliver, Anthony Robles, Jon Reader, Kellen Russell[23] |
2010
|
Jayson Ness | 133
|
Minnesota | Jayson Ness, Jake Varner, Jay Borschel[24] |
2009
|
Jake Herbert | 184
|
Northwestern | Jake Herbert, Brent Metcalf, Jordan Burroughs, Jake Varner, Mike Pucillo [25] |
2008
|
Brent Metcalf | 149
|
Iowa | Brent Metcalf, Keith Gavin, Mike Pucillo, Phil Davis, Angel Escobedo, Tervel Dlagnev, Dustin Fox [26] |
2007
|
Ben Askren | 174
|
Missouri | Ben Askren, Cole Konrad, Jake Herbert, Derek Moore [27] |
2006
|
Ben Askren | 174
|
Missouri | Ben Askren, Les Sigman, Nate Gallick, Cole Konrad, Ben Cherrington [28] |
2005
|
Steve Mocco | 285
|
Oklahoma State | Steve Mocco, Greg Jones [29] |
2004
|
Emmett Wilson | 197
|
Montana State-Northern | Emmett Wilson, Scott Moore, Matt Gentry, Greg Jones [30] |
2003
|
Eric Larkin | 149
|
Arizona State | Eric Larkin, Matt Lackey, Steve Mocco, Travis Lee [31] |
2002
|
Cael Sanderson | 197
|
Iowa State | Cael Sanderson, Stephen Abas [32] |
2001**
|
Nick Ackerman Cael Sanderson |
174
184 |
Simpson College, | Nick Ackerman, Cael Sanderson, Stephen Abas,
Michael Lightner, T.J. Williams, Josh Koscheck[33] |
2000
|
Cael Sanderson | 184
|
Iowa State | Cael Sanderson [34] |
1999
|
Stephen Neal | 285
|
Cal State Bakersfield | Stephen Neal [35] |
1998
|
Mark Ironside | 134
|
Iowa | Mark Ironside [36] |
1997
|
Kerry McCoy | 285
|
Penn State | Kerry McCoy [37] |
1996
|
Les Gutches | 177
|
Oregon State | Les Gutches [38] |
1995
|
T.J. Jaworsky | 134
|
North Carolina | T.J. Jaworsky, Lincoln McIlravy, Joel Sharratt, Kerry McCoy [39] |
* Number of first place ballot votes from the Hodge Committee is indicated in parentheses
** In 2001 and 2021, the Dan Hodge Trophy was shared by two co-winners
| Year | Recipient | School |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Nick Feldman | Malvern Prep (Pa.) |
| 2021 | Jesse Mendez | Crown Point (Ind.) |
| 2020 | Keegan O’Toole | Arrowhead (Hartland, Wisc.) |
| 2019 | Andrew Alirez | Greeley Central (Colo.) |
| 2018 | Gable Steveson | Apple Valley (Minn.) |
| 2017 | Daton Fix | Sand Springs (Okla.) |
| 2016 | Mark Hall | Apple Valley (Minn.) |
| 2015 | Zahid Valencia | St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) |
| 2014 | Chance Marsteller | Kennard-Dale (Fawn Grove, Pa.) |
| 2013 | Bo Jordan | Graham (St. Paris, Ohio) |
| 2012 | Jordan Rogers | Mead (Spokane, Wash.) |
| 2011 | Logan Storley | Webster (S.D.) |
| 2010 | David Garvey | Boston College HS (Boston,MA) |
| 2009 | Chris Perry | Stillwater (Oklahoma) |
| 2008 | Jason Welch | Las Lomas (Walnut Creek, Calif.) |
| 2007 | Cody Gardner | Christianburg (Va.) |
| 2006 | David Craig | Brandon (Florida) |
| 2005 | Troy Nickerson | Chenango Forks (New York) |
| 2004 | Jeff Jaggers | St. Peter Chanel (Bedford, Ohio) |
| 2003 | Mark Perry | Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.) |
| 2002 | Teyon Ware | Edmond North (Oklahoma) |
| 2001 | Steve Mocco | Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.) |
| 2000 | Jesse Jantzen | Shoreham Wading River (New York) |
| 1999 | Damion Hahn | Lakewood (New Jersey) |
| 1998 | Shane Roller | Bixby (Oklahoma) |