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 WIN magazine and Culture House. It is the collegiate wrestling equivalent to the Heisman Trophy in college football. Its high school wrestling equivalent is the Junior Hodge Trophy, which has been awarded annually since 1998. Its women's collegiate wrestling equivalent is the Anthony-Maroulis Trophy, which has been awarded annually since 2023.
The Hodge Trophy is named after Danny Hodge, a three–time NCAA champion for the University of Oklahoma 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 in 1995.
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, and the sixth (and most recent) is Gable Steveson, who won the award two times, becoming the only heavyweight to do so.
Award criteria Since 2022, the Hodge Trophy Voting Criteria has been based on four criteria:
Record Dominance/Bonus-Point Percentage Quality of Competition Sportsmanship
Formerly, the trophy was awarded based on seven criteria:
Record Number of pins Dominance Past credentials Quality of competition Sportsmanship/Citizenship Heart
Hodge Trophy Winners +YearRecipientWeightSchoolFinalists*Mitchell MesenbrinkPenn StateMitchell Mesenbrink (66), Jax Forrest (4), Josh Barr (1), Luke Lilledahl, Sergio Vega, Levi Haines, Isaac Trumblehttps://www.win-magazine.com/2026/03/30/penn-states-mitchell-mesenbrink-wins-2026-win-magazine-culture-house-dan-hodge-trophy-presented-by-asics-wrestling/Wyatt HendricksonOklahoma StateWyatt Hendrickson (30), Carter Starocci (26), Mitchell Mesenbrink (3)Aaron BrooksPenn StateAaron Brooks (48), Parker Keckeisen (8), Carter Starocci (2), Greg Kerkvliet (1), Levi Haines (0)Mason ParrisMichiganMason Parris (38), Carter Starocci (14), Yianni Diakomihalis (6), Andrew Alirez (4), Austin O'Connor (2)Gable StevesonMinnesotaGable Steveson (49), Yianni Diakomihalis (5), Nick Lee (3)Spencer LeeGable StevesonIowa MinnesotaSpencer Lee, Gable Steveson, David Carr, Roman Bravo-Young, Aaron Brooks, Austin O'ConnorSpencer LeeIowaSpencer Lee (52), Kollin Moore (3), Ryan Deakin (1), Shane Griffith (1), Noah Adams (0), Pat Glory (0), Chas Tucker (0), Gable Steveson (0)Bo NickalPenn StateBo Nickal (37), Jason Nolf (10), Co-Winner Nickal/Nolf (4), Yianni Diakomihalis (0), Anthony Ashnault (0)Zain RetherfordPenn StateZain Retherford (35), Bo Nickal (6), Seth Gross (4), Zahid Valencia (3)Zain RetherfordPenn StateZain Retherford (33), J'Den Cox (5), Kyle Snyder (4), Jason Nolf (3)Alex DieringerOklahoma StateAlex Dieringer (27), Zain Retherford (14), Kyle Snyder (3), Nahshon Garrett (1)Logan StieberOhio StateLogan Stieber (38), Alex Dieringer (3), Isaiah Martinez (1), Nick Gwiazdowski (1)David TaylorPenn StateDavid Taylor (38), Logan Stieber (3), Ed Ruth (2), Chris Perry (2), Alex DieringerKyle DakeCornellKyle Dake (39), Ed Ruth (4), Jordan Oliver, Logan StieberDavid TaylorPenn StateDavid Taylor, Ed Ruth, Kyle Dake, Frank Molinaro, Cam Simaz, Matt McDonoughJordan BurroughsNebraskaJordan Burroughs, Jordan Oliver, Anthony Robles, Jon Reader, Kellen RussellJayson NessMinnesotaJayson Ness, Jake Varner, Jay BorschelJake HerbertNorthwesternJake Herbert, Brent Metcalf, Jordan Burroughs, Jake Varner, Mike Pucillo Brent MetcalfIowaBrent Metcalf, Keith Gavin, Mike Pucillo, Phil Davis, Angel Escobedo, Tervel Dlagnev, Dustin Fox Ben AskrenMissouriBen Askren, Cole Konrad, Jake Herbert, Derek Moore Ben AskrenMissouriBen Askren, Les Sigman, Nate Gallick, Cole Konrad, Ben Cherrington Steve MoccoOklahoma StateSteve Mocco, Greg Jones Emmett WillsonMontana State-NorthernEmmett Willson, Scott Moore, Matt Gentry, Greg Jones Eric LarkinArizona StateEric Larkin, Matt Lackey, Steve Mocco, Travis Lee Cael SandersonIowa StateCael Sanderson, Stephen Abas Nick AckermanCael SandersonSimpson College, Iowa StateNick Ackerman, Cael Sanderson, Stephen Abas, Michael Lightner, T.J. Williams, Josh KoscheckCael SandersonIowa StateCael Sanderson Stephen NealCal State BakersfieldStephen Neal Mark IronsideIowaMark Ironside Kerry McCoyPenn StateKerry McCoy Les GutchesOregon StateLes Gutches T.J. JaworskyNorth CarolinaT.J. Jaworsky, Lincoln McIlravy, Joel Sharratt, Kerry McCoy
* 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
Junior Hodge Trophy Winners +YearRecipientSchool2024Luke LilledahlWyoming Seminary (Pa.)2023Cael HughesStillwater (Okla.)2022Nick FeldmanMalvern Prep (Pa.)2021Jesse MendezCrown Point (Ind.)2020Keegan O’TooleArrowhead (Hartland, Wisc.)2019Andrew AlirezGreeley Central (Colo.)2018Gable StevesonApple Valley (Minn.)2017Daton FixSand Springs (Okla.)2016Mark HallApple Valley (Minn.)2015Zahid ValenciaSt. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)2014Chance MarstellerKennard-Dale (Fawn Grove, Pa.)2013Bo JordanGraham (St. Paris, Ohio)2012Jordan RogersMead (Spokane, Wash.)2011Logan StorleyWebster (S.D.)2010Logan StieberMonroeville (Ohio)2009Chris PerryStillwater (Oklahoma)2008Jason WelchLas Lomas (Walnut Creek, Calif.)2007Cody GardnerChristianburg (Va.)2006David CraigBrandon (Florida)2005Troy NickersonChenango Forks (New York)2004Jeff JaggersSt. Peter Chanel (Bedford, Ohio)2003Mark PerryBlair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.)2002Teyon WareEdmond North (Oklahoma)2001Steve MoccoBlair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.)2000Jesse JantzenShoreham Wading River (New York)1999Damion HahnLakewood (New Jersey)1998Shane RollerBixby (Oklahoma)
See also National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
References
External links "Dan Hodge Trophy: History, winners and how it works" at NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships