The Dan Hodge Trophy is awarded each year to the United States of America’s best college wrestler. The trophy is presented at the end of the season by W.I.N. Magazine (''Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine'') and Culture House. It is the

collegiate wrestling Collegiate wrestling (also known as folkstyle wrestling) is the form of wrestling practiced at the college and university level in the United States. This style of wrestling, with some slight modifications, is also practiced at high school and mi ...

equivalent to the

Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

. The Hodge Trophy is named after

Danny Hodge Daniel Allen Hodge (May 13, 1932 – December 24, 2020) was an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and boxer. He is renowned primarily for his wrestling career, where he competed both as an amateur and professional. A three-time NC ...

, a three–time NCAA champion for the

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two Territories became the state of Oklahom ...

from 1955 to 1957. The Hodge Trophy was created by Mike Chapman, founder of WIN magazine and Culture House, a company that produces books and posters. The first winner was T.J. Jaworsky, a three–time NCAA Division I National champion from the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

in 1995. There have been six multiple winners of the Hodge Trophy. The first was Iowa State's legend

Cael Sanderson Cael Norman Sanderson ( ; born June 20, 1979) is an American former folkstyle and freestyle wrestler who is the current head coach of Penn State University's wrestling team. As a wrestler, he won an Olympic Gold medal and was undefeated in four ...

, who won the award three times in his run as the first four–time NCAA champion, the second was

Ben Askren Benjamin Michael Askren (born July 18, 1984) is an American former professional mixed martial artist and amateur wrestler. Askren was the former Bellator and ONE Welterweight Champion, remaining undefeated for over a decade before competing in ...

from

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

, who won the award two times, the third and fourth were David Taylor and Zain Retherford respectively, both from

Penn State #Redirect Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campu ...

, who won the award two times, the fifth is

Spencer Lee Spencer Richard Lee (born October 14, 1998) is an American freestyle and folkstyle wrestler who competes at 57 kilograms (125 pounds). In freestyle, he was the '19 US National champion and a three–time age–group World Champion, once as a c ...

from

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

, who remains to have a year of eligibility left, and the latest and sixth one is

Gable Steveson Gable Steveson (born May 31, 2000) is an American professional wrestler and retired freestyle and folkstyle wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he was appointed to the Raw brand under his real name, but has yet to have his debut m ...

, who won the award two times, being the only heavyweight to do so.

Award criteria

The trophy is awarded based on seven criteria; # Record # Number of pins # Dominance # Past credentials # Quality of competition # Sportsmanship/Citizenship # Heart

Winners

* 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

References

External links

*{{cite web, title=Dan Hodge Trophy, publisher=WIN Magazine, work=WIN-Magazine.com, url=http://www.win-magazine.com/win-awards/hodge-trophy/, accessdate=2011-02-17
Dan Hodge Trophy Website at Win Magazine"Bing Images" (photos) of the Dan Hodge Trophy
(Microsoft)
National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum
website ("

Glen Brand Glen Brand (3 November 1923 – 15 November 2008) was an American wrestler and Olympic champion in Freestyle wrestling Freestyle wrestling is a style of wrestling originated from Great Britain and the United States. Along with Greco-Roman, ...

Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa") (publisher: Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum) College wrestling in the United States College sports trophies and awards in the United States Most valuable player awards Awards established in 1995

Award criteria

Winners

See also

References

External links