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).
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).
