Seth Duckworth
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Wednesday announced the state winners of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award (TSHSEA). Kali Hayden was named the winner for the state of Oklahoma.
First presented in 2014, the award is named for Tricia Saunders, a four-time World Champion and women’s wrestling pioneer. Saunders was the first woman to be inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006 and was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011.
The award 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 winners of our Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award are an amazing group of young women who have set the highest standards for personal achievement, excelling in the classroom and on the wrestling mat while also providing leadership and service,” said NWHOF Executive Director Lee Roy Smith. “I want to thank our committees for their diligence and hard work to select such outstanding representatives of our sport.
“We take great pride watching our TSHSEA winners as they continue their careers and achieve success at the collegiate and international level while continuing to excel academically and be positive role models who inspire young wrestlers.”
TSHSEA 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 May 1 and the national winner will be announced on May 8.
Oklahoma is in the Central Region along with Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, and Texas
You can watch a few of our interviews with Kali at the links below.
Kali Hayden(Tulsa Union) 180 LB Freestyle State Champion | Rokfin
Tulsa Union’s Kali Hayden After Winning 185 Pound State Title and Team Title | Rokfin
