Dave Schultz Award Winners

STILLWATER, Okla. - 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.

“The winners of our Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award are an amazing group of young men 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 DSHSEA 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.”

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 May 2 and the national winner will be announced on May 9.

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 May 1 and the national winner will be announced on May 8.

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 47th Honors Weekend at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum on May 31 and June 1 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. To purchase tickets for Honors Weekend, visit https://bit.ly/2024NWHOFHonorsWeekendTickets.

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) will become the first DSHSEA national winners to be Distinguished Members of the Hall of Fame when they are inducted in the Class of 2024 during Honors Weekend.

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).

Congrats to this year’s Award Winners in the Southeast:

  • Alabama - Cole Carter, Jasper

  • Florida - Sawyer Bartelt, South Dade

  • Georgia - Seth Larson, Flowery Branch

  • Mississippi - Gabrial Shanks, Ocean Springs

  • North Carolina - Cameron Stinson Jr., Mallard Creek

  • South Carolina - Jermaine (JJ) Peace, Cane Bay

  • Tennessee - Logan Fowler, Cleveland

Jason FulmoreComment